Fred Duck Posted November 9, 2010 Share Posted November 9, 2010 Our 2004 2.0litre Ducato has, once again, developed a front end, drive train, bearing noise. In April 2009, at 16,000 miles, this was diagnosed as a wheel bearing problem and, once both had been replaced, the problem was solved and any noise went away. Now, on 23,000 miles, a new noise has developed and this time it feels and sounds different to before. The noise is there at all speeds whereas before it only started at about 20 – 25 mph and it doesn’t disappear when the inner wheel de-loads on bends as happens, usually, with a wheel bearing problem. The noise is there at all speeds in all gears and when coasting out of gear so that tends to suggest final drive. I can detect no play in the wheel bearings (but I couldn’t before) and no play in either CV joint. The CV joint boots aren’t split and there is no sign of grease leakage. No ‘clicking’ is evident when the van is driven in either direction on full lock. Tyres are Michelin Aegilis Camping and were new in April 2010. None show signs of any abnormal wear that might lead to road noise. Whilst I appreciate front wheel bearings can be an issue with Ducatos of this type/age, I find it difficult to believe that both could have failed, again, so quickly. The replacement bearings were SKF so of decent quality. In any event, the noise is different to that last time. Given all the circumstances, my thoughts come back to inner drive shaft bearing(s) or, differential bearing(s). Are there any know issues with these components and is there any way of confirming what the problem might be without just replacing parts until the noise goes away? FD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foxy Posted November 9, 2010 Share Posted November 9, 2010 hi, it maybe the tyres u have had fitted, I had one of the new michilen aeglis tyres fitted last year and have the same noise as u describe. foxy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alf Posted November 9, 2010 Share Posted November 9, 2010 FD Have you been back to whoever fitted your wheel bearings for their opinion to hear the noise and feel the wheel is something you cannot do in a post they are in a better position to give you a correct answer and save worry and stress at 4000 miles from fitting it should not be the bearings unless damaged on fitting or wrong bearings Alf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rolandrat Posted November 9, 2010 Share Posted November 9, 2010 The bearings don't have to have play in them to be noisy. From experience I had mine changed then changed again as they started to be noisy again. I put it down to them not being torqued correctly when replaced but I was told that they were a faulty batch. Think what you may. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brambles Posted November 9, 2010 Share Posted November 9, 2010 foxy - 2010-11-09 11:49 AM hi, it maybe the tyres u have had fitted, I had one of the new michilen aeglis tyres fitted last year and have the same noise as u describe. foxy yes, there is a distinctive noisy, a sort of soft whine the agilis makes when fairly new until about 5K miles or more. The way to check for this is to go down a hill, window open and listen for the noise and brake gently to progresively harder. The noise will get more distinctive as you brake harder, and be a lot quieter when you stop braking, A lot of tyres make a noise when braking as the tread blocks deflect on the road surface but the agilis is quite distinctive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fred Duck Posted November 10, 2010 Author Share Posted November 10, 2010 Many thanks for your replies. My original post was prompted byy the results of taking the van back to the people that fitted the wheel bearings. They, like me, find it difficult to accept that both bearings would have failed again after just 7000 miles and 16 months. In addition, again like me, they are of the opinion that the noise is different this time. They are unable to give a firm diagnosis as it could be a number of things and, without a specfic bearing to target all they can offer is a programme of replacing parts until the noise goes away. That is why I was asking if anyone had any knowledge of where we might start looking. As to the tyres, they were fitted in April 2010 at about 19,000 miles. The new noise has only developed over the last 1000 miles or so. I have swoped the front wheels with the back to no effect. FD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
euroserv Posted November 10, 2010 Share Posted November 10, 2010 I know you might dismiss this as irrelevant, but bear with me.... My Alfa GT has developed a whine over the last 1000 miles, and it passed it's MOT with flying colours (as usual) and I have had it on the ramp and checked for any problems with bearings, cv joints or even the gearbox. I have come to the conclusion that the front tyres, now about 50% worn, just make that noise on most motorway road surfaces. I am not going to change them yet, because there is plenty of life left in them, and I am happy that the roadholding on these tyres is better than a.n.other brand (that may or may not be quieter), so until they wear out I will just turn the radio up a bit. If the people that you trust tell you that the van is safe, keep using it until you need new tyres; then if this noise bothers you, try a different brand. Now you know one of the benefits of choosing a 'specialist camper van tyre'! Here follows a list of all of the others..... Ha Ha. P.s. The Ducato does have some hideous issues with front wheel bearings and we have changed literally 100's. NEVER have I had a situation where the bearing did not make a rumbling noise when spun freely with the vehicle jacked up. The likelihood of you having not one, but two quiet ones when checked but noisy on the road is so small as to be dismissed. Nick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rolandrat Posted November 10, 2010 Share Posted November 10, 2010 A pointer could be the running temperature of the hubs which can be felt through the wheels or a smell related to overheating. Whilst heat will be generated through normal running, excessive heat could be a sign that all is not well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fred Duck Posted November 17, 2010 Author Share Posted November 17, 2010 Reviving this from last week, further investigation indicates the problem is, once again, the wheel bearings. You can't feel anything when you jack the van up and spin the wheel but if the wheel is removed and the disc/hub turned, a roughness can be felt in the bearing at both sides. This 7000 miles and 19 months after they were replaced. I've been back, of course, to the garage who fitted them and they are proving rather ' awkward'. The bearings fitted were SKF so of good quality and I find it difficult to accept that both would be faulty so it seems reasonable to suspect the fitting. What would help with the on-going 'discussion' with the garage is if anyone (perhaps the ever helpful Nick 'Euroserv') could tell me the correct torque the hub nuts should be tightened to? FD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brambles Posted November 17, 2010 Share Posted November 17, 2010 37 DaNm - M28 Nut FRONT HUBS COMPLETE WITH BEARING 1997JTD, 2300JTD, 2800JTD 42 DaNm - M33 Nut FRONT HUBS COMPLETE WITH BEARING 1997JTD, 2300JTD, 2800JTD What is possible is when they pressed the bearings in they damaged them by using the wrong procedure. edit - there is also a possibility of the bearings being fake SKF bearings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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