Spitfire odd noise from Spitfire rear

[billspit]

My 64 Spitfire is throwing a new problem my way. For a little over a eyar, it has been making a squalling noise from the rear of the car. It starts as soon as the car starts rolling, whether coasting or under power. It happens worse wjhen I turn the streering wheel to the left, but will doi it while driving staright. I have had two differnet differentials in the car. I backed the brake shoes all the way off and still does it. I think it could be a dry seal in the rear hub. This weekend I tried to remove the hub with no luck. I don't have a real puller. I pumped several shots or grease inot it and squirted some PB blaster inside the inside axle cup and took it out. All was quiet for about a mile or two then it came back. When I rebuilt the rear hubs years ago, I may have installed the seals they way any good seal should go, but I undersand this is actually backwards on the Spitfire hub as grease sould ooze out past the seal. Anybody have this problem happen to them?

Anybody have a puller I can borrow/rent?

 

[70herald]

A bad (or backwards)seal wont cause a noise like that. I have exactly that problem on the Herald. The result of a bad seal is that all the grease will wind up in the brake pads.
I think that one of the bearings is dying.

 

[Andrew Mace]

A bad (or backwards)seal wont cause a noise like that. I have exactly that problem on the Herald. The result of a bad seal is that all the grease will wind up in the brake pads.
I think that one of the bearings is dying.

I'd tend to agree. Particularly if that is the case, get to the job as quickly as possible (i.e., beg/borrow/steal the correct puller). The hub bearings ride directly on the axle shaft. By the time one hears or feels a problem, it can be too late to save the shaft. :frown:

 

[billspit]

Thanks for the responses. I have driven the car very little the past year. The rear is up in the air on jack stands waiting for a hub puller to materialize.

BTW, both sides were redone with all new parts from TRF years ago. I doubt they have 2,000 miles on them.

 

[Andrew Mace]

I've suggested this before in relationship (odd as it may seem) to noises and vibrations seeming to come from the rear. It could be front wheel bearings, not terribly "loose" but pretty much collapsing as I removed them from the front hub; that was once the case on my Herald! Not very common, but....

 

[billspit]

I've suggested this before in relationship (odd as it may seem) to noises and vibrations seeming to come from the rear. It could be front wheel bearings, not terribly "loose" but pretty much collapsing as I removed them from the front hub; that was once the case on my Herald! Not very common, but....

I really don't think its coming from the front hubs, but that is easy enough to check. The car is pretty much off the road for the time anyway. The front bearings are one thing I did not replace when I did the restoration.