• If you currently own, previously owned or want to own an Avalanche, we welcome you to become a member today. Membership is FREE, register now!

Horrible rubbing sound

King02Av

Full Member
Joined
Apr 13, 2005
Messages
25
Location
Hamburg Pa
I got a horrible rubbing sound coming from my 2002 4x4 Avalanche.  It gets horrible when I turn right and goes away when I turn left and the sound changes with vehicle speed.  It does not go way when I hit the brakes.  I read a lot of posts on this site on e-brakes and other brake issues.  But I did not see that anyone was having a problem like this.  I?m going to check the brakes and backing plates tonight.  The brakes are original with 43k miles.  So I?m thinking it must have something to do with the brakes.

Any other ideas?
Steve
 
'02 e-brakes are crappy design that may cause this.

'02 rears are known to need pads very early.

Check both.
 
Check your rear discs right away.  They have a nasty tendency to split or separate.  This is a known problem on '02.  Also, the parking brake assembly also tends to fail.  Good luck and make sure that you don't drive the vehicle until you have a positive diagnosis.
 
I checked out the brake system and everything is ok.  Could it be in the front drive system?
Steve
 
Did you ever resolve this? I ask because I have the same thing now! The brakes all look good and it makes a terrible "scratching" sound when I turn right , sometimes. Not all the time. It seems tohave stopped for now but was doing quite regularly until the other day.
 
I think it's the parking brakes.  I got new ones and hope to put them on soon.  I will let you know if it fixes the problem.
Steve
 
My '02 went in today with the rubbing sound when turning right at above 25 mph.  Dealer callled this afternoon to inform me that it was the backing plates.

What really ticked me off about this, was it was in the same dealer in december for some extended warranty items, I asked them to check the brakes, and sure enough, rear brakes were gone to the point that I had to replace the rotors.  You would have thought that they would have checked that out in December when it was in for brakes.
 
What do you mean by "backing plates"? Are they thin shimes somestimes put in behind the pads? If so, did the pads and everything have to be replaced?
 
I finally found out what it was. It was the wheel bearings on the driver side, front. The tire was "tipping" when I turned the wheels and the brakes were rubbing making the terrible rubbing sound.  I picked up the part at a discount part store (wheel hub assembly with Timken bearings, $135) and when I went to leave the thing started grinding and making all kinds of sounds. I ended up having it towed to the shop. They installed the hub assembly (and a new rotor) for $139.  Not too bad concidering the initial etimate was almost $400 (without a new rotor). The old girl now is quiet and does not clunck and skreech when I turn the wheels.  Oh, the AV is at 52,000 miles. I picked it up used so I do not know if wheel bearings were done before.
 
The other day I started having the same problem.  I wasnt sure what it was.  I actually though it was steering related.  So today on my almost 4 hour ride home from vacation this rubbing noise started whenever I would turn the wheel to the right.  Then my ABS light came on.  After I got on here and did some research I went out to check my brakes and the "backings'.  After taking off the driver tire I noticed what looks to be a blown axel seal on the driver side.  I had one blow on the passenger side and it looks the same so im pretty sure thats what it is.  I am going to the dealer tomorrow.  I wanted to run this by the more mechanically inclined people to see what the majority thinks it the cause.
 
i replaced my bearings at around 45,000 miles on drivers side it causes the abs light to come on
 
Well I just got a call from the dealer.  They told me that I need to have both driver and passanger wheel bearings replaced as well as both axel seals.  The dealer quoted me $1,150.45 for parts and labor.  I think thats a little high on the price.  Just wanted to let everyone know wht the final word was.
 
My 2 cents:  My 2002 was making  a rubbing sound that I could only hear when I was going fairly slow... I just put 4 new rotors and 4 sets of pads on order. The rotors ALL looked very bad. Pitted, rusted, and one had very deep grooves. I already had to replace the 2 front window regulators. My Avy only has 26k miles on it, too. But I still like my truck a lot. Very nice ride, as you know.
 
I had rubbing sound on mine a few weeks back. Went ahead and ordered the bearing/hub assembly assuming that was the prob. Mine ended up being my arms(idler and pitman). The sound is now gone. I have no clue how or why they would cause the rubbing but it sounded just like wheel bearings going out.
 
Back
Top