Weird noise from hubcap

[fallingoffalot]

Last weekend at the camp out I noticed a strange noise at low speed coming from the rear o/s. Sounds like a bolt loose in the hubcap. Took hubcap off, nothing wrong. Put hubcap back went for a drive, weird noise at low speed. On my drive I pushed it a few feet and sure enough the same noise. I videoed it, so hopefully you can hear it. Jacked up bus rotated wheel, no noise. Back down, took off hub cap and pushed again, no noise!! So it sounds to me like the hubcap is stressed in some way and is moving a bit, making the noise. What do you think?

 

[67westy]

I was going to suggest the horseshoe clip might have fallen off and was rattling in the drum, happened to me in the past. Wouldn't explain the hubcap though unless it was just a coincidence?

 

[ozziedog]

Two possibilities that I can think of, the first is as said above that there’s something rattling about inside the drum , and there’s lots of bits in there to snap off and rattle around. Could also be a small stone got in and is rattling about if your dust covers have come adrift on your backing plate. Second idea from me and the one my money is on is how tight is your big nut ? Could be that it’s just slightly loosened.

Ozziedog,,,,,,,,,, Proper mystery innit

 

[fallingoffalot]

I'm driving down to Cornwall on Tuesday so I think I'm just going to ignore it! Or maybe a bit of lube will sort it.

 

[67panel]

I would check the drive shaft nut first , better now then when its possibly done some damage and you stuck on the road.

 

[fallingoffalot]

I would check the drive shaft nut first , better now then when its possibly done some damage and you stuck on the road.

Is that the 46mm one?

 

[67panel]

Yes.

 

[ozziedog]

Also yes, and that’s what I meant by your big nut. If you can tighten it or loosen it easyish then that’s your trouble I think the torque on that one should be 250 or so then on round to the next hole. Check you have a split pin in there tooo.

Ozziedog,,,,,,, I’ll check that torque figure.

P.S.The book says 253 but I’d settle for 250 and round to the next hole.

 

[fallingoffalot]

Thanks guys, looking at the big but, the pin is in there so assume it's ok and not moved. Don't have the socket to check anyway. I put the hubcap back on but haven't driven it today, I'm sure it's fine given that it makes no noise when the hubcap is off.

 

[Graham L]

Thanks guys, looking at the big but, the pin is in there so assume it's ok and not moved. Don't have the socket to check anyway. I put the hubcap back on but haven't driven it today, I'm sure it's fine given that it makes no noise when the hubcap is off.

Just because the split pin is still there does not mean the nut is tight as the drum itself can wear and cause a noise, you really should remove the split pin and check it before going to Cornwall as if it’s loose it will end up stripping the splines on your drum and you will lose drive completely.

 

[fallingoffalot]

Just because the split pin is still there does not mean the nut is tight as the drum itself can wear and cause a noise, you really should remove the split pin and check it before going to Cornwall as if it’s loose it will end up stripping the splines on your drum and you will lose drive completely.

Ok thanks Graham, I'll call my local, hopefully they can spare 10 mins to check.

 

[KevinR]

I had this exact problem, a rattle at low speeds and a noise when you push the bus. After replacing the drive shafts and having the gearbox rebuilt, and the brakes replaced it was still there. I then drove it with no hubcaps the sound was gone. I found that when the hubcaps were stretched over the lugs on the wheels they were chattering against the wheel. You could see the rub marks. Initially I put cloth tape on the wheels where the hubcaps sit and it cured it. I have subsequently replaced the original wheels to eradicate the problem. I have two theories on this - 1) could have been caused by too much paint on the wheels leaving the hubcaps hanging on rather that latching, or 2) repro stainless steel hubcaps are too rigid and do not flex as chrome plated steel ones did originally.

 

[fallingoffalot]

Took it to my mechanic, nuts were all correct. His theory was that the split pin ends were sticking out and slightly catching on the hubcap. This would explain why when I removed then replaced them I got a slightly different noise.

 

[KevinR]

Took it to my mechanic, nuts were all correct. His theory was that the split pin ends were sticking out and slightly catching on the hubcap. This would explain why when I removed then replaced them I got a slightly different noise.

Replaced split pins twice as it sounded like that was the noise, it wasn’t. It was the hub caps - I too did not believe it, it didn’t seem possible that it could be just the caps but it definitely was and we went through everything else first.

 

[67panel]

Always best to check, at lest you know its not loose splines.

 

[fallingoffalot]

Thanks as always for the great advice, drove all the way down to Cornwall and back never heard the noise again!