Rear end grating noise

[S B C]

On the way home from a track day at Rockingham yesterday,( more like powerboating - it was so wet! ) a sort of rubbing/grating noise started from the back of the car.
It was wheel speed related, (not engine speed related) and got worse when turning a sharp corner, when it became a sort of squeel - almost like a slipping fan belt, but it wasn't that.

I've used the search facility, and see various references to loose hub nuts. Does what I have described sound like that's my problem?

It was too late to look at it when I got home last night so I'll be checking it out tonight, but if anyone has any other ideas or suggestions (driveshafts, diff etc) then please let me know.

Cheers
Chris

[jdearden]

i had this on mine it turned out to be the hand brake retaining bolt had broken off.

[Jim O.]

If the axle nut is loose, be sure to inspect the wheel bearing. If the bearing is bad from the wheel wobbling on it, the portion of the hub that goes into the bearing may also be worn unevenly, which means that the hub either needs to be replaced or repaired. Also check the rotor and caliper for scrapes and abnormal wear.

Edited by Jim O. on Friday 27th August 16:23

[Gadgeroonie]

what gearbox do you have ?

[SimonJW]

Sorry to hijack you for a question but was it a manageable circuit in the Noble in the wet. I'm booked for the PH day up there, 20th September.

Thanks

Si

[GTO400]

Sounds like a Driveshaft, you should be able to tell by jacking the rear of the car up & turning each wheel.

[S B C]

SimonJW said:

Sorry to hijack you for a question but was it a manageable circuit in the Noble in the wet. I'm booked for the PH day up there, 20th September.

Thanks

Si

Simon

I really enjoyed it but Rockingham is VERY VERY VERY slippery in the wet, especially accelerating out of the slower corners and it's pretty scary braking hard for a couple of the other corners too which are off camber. Get it wrong and go onto the grass and you are in the wall. There are puddles and rivers running across the track in various places aswell, and these tend to unsettle the car.

We were on the 'National Long Circuit, which takes in some of the banking, the pit straight and some twisty bits on the infield. The banking is pretty nervy, because if you slip at 90mph + in the wet, there would be no chance to catch it and first stop is the concrete wall!

It was a 'Lotus on Track' organised day and all of the other cars there were Elises, Exiges and VX220's and they were all having real trouble. In fact at least 4 of them went off into the barriers causing some serious body damage and in one case completely bent rear suspension. A couple more went into the gravel traps, so it's not a track to do unless you have track day insurance!

I am by no means an experienced track day driver, and my son was with me on his first track day ever, but we were not overtaken by one single car all day, so the Noble is obviously the car to have in those conditions. In fact, one guy who had towed his Caterham there didn't take it out, so they let him out in his Mondeo. I followed him onto teh track and after 5 laps, I lapped him!
We had many comments back in the garages about how quick we were, but as I say, that is down to the car not us.

Hope you have a good day on the 20th. Take care though, as I doubt that a lot of the cars out with you on a PH day will be a sensible as the people there yesterday.

Edited by S B C on Friday 27th August 23:45

Edited by S B C on Friday 27th August 23:46

Edited by S B C on Friday 27th August 23:47

Edited by S B C on Friday 27th August 23:49

[S B C]

Gadgeroonie said:

what gearbox do you have ?

5 speed open diff.

[goo-goo-gjoob]

I had a similar problem with a scraping/squealing noise coming from one wheel, it would appear at wheel speed, not engine speed. Turned out a piece of the parking brake pad had come off and was jammed. Turning didn't affect the sound though, so this may not be the same as your problem.

[S B C]

jdearden said:

i had this on mine it turned out to be the hand brake retaining bolt had broken off.

That was it! Simple fix.

In fact, the bolt had come undone, and fell out along with the handbrake retaining block, when I took the disk off.