Recently I've had a problem with a scraping type sound as I turn hard left. The sound originates from the right front wheel. The sounds is periodic in frequency... as in when turning it only "scrapes" once per revolution. I took off the wheel yesterday to have a look around but I could not visibly see any points where metal had been freshly rubbed.

I was surprised to find however that the disc and wheel-hub assembly was not turning very freely at all. It seemed very much like the brake-pads were rubbing the brake disc lightly. There did not seem to be any bad sounds coming from the bearings within the hub, but I'm no expert when it comes to knowing what to look for.

Somebody told me that if my brake lines are very old, sometimes they can get to a point where they will not let pressure back up when returnng fluid from the caliper piston. This then causes the brake-rubbing symptom I'm having. Does this seem like an accurate guess on the problem? I'm hoping that it's not the actual piston that is doing the freezing. Should my first fix attempt be to try replacing the brake lines?

Thanks for your input and interest.

Does the sound go away if you apply the brakes a little? If it does it is probably brakes/bearings. If applying the brakes does not change the sound, inspect your rear end bushings. A worn bushing can stethascope innocent sounds from you differential and make you think something is awry.

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Patrick, '68 220, '83 245, '92 Eurovan (work truck).

Well...,

I've been trying to pay more attention to this sound, and I think I made a new discovery yesterday. This metal scraping sound is rather elusive, and I'm now thinking that I actually can hear it coming from the REAR right wheel rather than the front when I'm turning hard left. It's hard to tell because I'm sitting there sticking my head out the driver's side window as I turn hard left and sometimes the aucustics are good, and sometimes bad; ususually having to do with what fences and other reflective surfaces are around at the time.

Are bearings and how to check them just about the same for front and back? Could this scraping be related to my differential?

Theo

If the scraping noise is more of a "rumbly-grind" and only happens when you turn one way, suspect bearings.

The typical symptoms are a gradually louder and louder grindy-whine or moan at increasing speed and a great increase in the noise as you turn one way with a similar diminishing of the noise when you turn the other way. It may be accompanied by increased noise when braking, but sometimes (oddly by my way of thinking) it will diminish when you apply brake... Once with a rear bearing it diminished under light braking (but the pedal pulsed) and got bery noisy under hard braking.

The fronts are a rather lengthy but simple process to remove, clean, check, replace or repack and adjust. The brake caliper must come off (and hang up out of the way) but otherwise only the hub comes apart.

The rears are a bit more af a hassle as you have to get the stinker of a drum off and that will require the proper hub puller.

Oh, when my rear hubs were only on "finger tight" the rear end made a horrible scraping racket as the speed increased (being towed, fortunately).

--
Mike!

Maybe it's the climate here, but I've seen lots and lots of rusted stuck calipers and never once a swollen shut 'one-way' brake hose, though I understand it happens commonly elsewhere. To distinguish the two, open the bleeder valve. If the dragging brake loosens up, bad hose. If it remains dragging, suspect a stuck caliper (the pistons won't freely retract). Depending on your mechanical aptitude you might rebuild a caliper, but the vast majority of people (myself included) just put rebuilt ones on.

To check for a bad or loose wheel bearing just jack that wheel off the ground, and grab the tire and try shaking it back and forth, up and down, feeling for slack. There shouldn't be any perceptible slack. Spin the wheel and you shouldn't hear any grumbling from the bearings either.
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I'm JohnMc, and I approved this message.

This is much more of a problem with 140/164 cars because their brake lines are
much smaller than those of the 122.
To check, open the bleeder screws and see if fluid drips out. If not, the line
is stopped up.

If it is only dragging at one point as it turns it may be a warped disk
(rare on 122s) or a loose bearing. Have you checked your bearings for
adjustment? They can be loose without being noisy, as a result of normal
wear.
--
George Downs Bartlesville, Heart of the USA!

I'm not advanced enough to know what to look for as far as bearings adjustment...

Are we talking bearings within the hub?

Yes, we are. They adjust pretty much the same as any other wheel bearings.
If it doesn't seem familiar you should check your green Volvo manual which
will give specific instructions.
--
George Downs Bartlesville, Heart of the USA!