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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - What's this noise? (squeaking/chirping wheels)

Can anyone help identify what this noise is coming from my wheels?

http://www.evernote.com/shard/s49/sh/f762fe6a-3632-4e0a-bd00-e3499def834a/d1f56f148a8690f537e0f80362574871

(you'll hear a lot of wind at the beginning) This is coasting along at about 20 mph.

This is a '64 midget MK1 with wire wheels. Sounds more like the rear wheels. I do not hear this when I have the car jacked up and spin the tires, so only when under a load.

I replaced the front and rear brakes already, and this did not have any effect on the noise.

Thanks,
JD Anderson

Sounds super quite to me... :o

Can you post on youtube...im not getting any sound at all
Prop and the Blackhole Midget

Im guessing a baby bird caught in the spokes...still alive calling for its mommy

Or...

Loose leaf springs...give the bolts a good wrenchen..could be worn splines

Also look to see if the seats are rubbing, or some other interior part... Noise can certianly travel ...look in the trunk (boot) for anything loose or rubbing esp around the spare time... I found an old.blanket sitting on the floor of the boot with everything piled on top made a big differance in odd noises

Oh and tire rub, is a good call also...u- joint ???, i doulbt it, but give it a look

But im leaning toward the baby bird caught in the wheel spokes...hahaha...:'(

Prop
Prop and the Blackhole Midget

Spare time... should be spare tire
Prop and the Blackhole Midget

Good question, JD.

Could this be one of the brake return springs scraping on the back of the hub, or something? Does it seem to come from just one rear wheel, or both? Are the rear wheel bearings well packed with grease?

Grabbing at straws, I know, but hopefully you can locate the noise soon.

-:G:-
Gryf Ketcherside

A couple of friends also listened and, not knowing the particulars of MGs, thought the bearings.

I'll pull things out next weekend. Just wanted an idea or two where to start looking.

Thanks all.
JD Anderson

Mmm...id.look for a bird before id suspect bearing

I wouldnt mess with the bearings until very last option

Prop
Prop and the Blackhole Midget

I could well be wrong but it doesn't sound like wheel bearings to me - my wife has always been much better at indentifying faults from noises on my cars than me

I 'd be looking more at the wire wheels or their fitting to hubs

presumably by what you done the car has been standing unmoved on its wheels and tyres for months (or years)?

ETA: have you tried swapping rear to front to see if noise moves
Nigel Atkins

The regularity and frequency of the sound makes me imagine rotating parts complaining rather than something hanging loose and banging about. If you record it at 40 mph does the frequency double?

Richard
Richard Reeves

another typo, should be
>>presumably by what you done the car has NOT been standing unmoved on its wheels and tyres for months (or years)?<<

also worn wheel to hub spines/thread was what I was thinking of but couldn't remember the word, and the other suggestions of Prop's could be right or Gryf's

but I still think I'd start at wheels and hub spines/thread

however if you think there's anything wrong with your brakes then that is first plus you'll have to take the wheel off to see
Nigel Atkins

Ive had the same it was the brake return spring fitted the wrong way round and hitting the hub . hope this helps.
b bithell

Apart from the possibilities mentioned above, if a number of spokes on a wire wheel are loose or damaged then under the weight of the car the wheel could become slightly deformed and while rotating could cause the squeaking as the spokes fret in the mounting holes.
Just a thought!
JB Anderson

From my limited experience wire wheel spline wear manifests itself as a single "clonk" on power take up and another on power off. Easy to check - slacken the knock-off a little, put the handbrake on and try moving the wheel in a rotational direction. If it moves more than about 1/8" at the tyre rim it's worn!

I would also look at the bearing and seal. Not a major issue to access, just remember that the nuts on the axle are handed (the one on the right is standard right hand thread I believe). The biggest issue is finding a big enough socket (mine was 1_7/8" AF). Good quality bearing and seal only amount to about £10, so worth replacing anyway. It's conceivable that the bearing could be noisy only under load!

Other suggestion already made - the tyre isn't rubbing on the wheel arch? Some wire wheel installations have been carried out using the wrong axle (mine was!). The correct axle casing for wire wheels is 1" narrower. Easy to check - measure the track. If it's the wrong axle you can hardly get your fingers between the tyre and wheel arch.
Graeme W

JB Anderson: that looks like a strong possibility!
Graeme W

that's what I was thinking of possibly for the wheel
Nigel Atkins

Thanks everyone for the suggestions. It turned out to be one loose spoke on the wire wheel.

Easily found and easily tightened.
JD Anderson

it might not be just the one spoke affected, check the others too

wire wheels, for racing back many years ago, now for show, PITA - IMO of course, having had pushbikes
Nigel Atkins

This thread was discussed between 05/10/2012 and 13/10/2012

MG Midget and Sprite Technical index

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