Talk Morgan Forums Morgan Sports Cars Morgan Three Wheeler & Super 3 New noise; groan from rear when coming to stop

Just picked up my 5000 mile M3W from a service and noticed a very brief low pitched moan/groan as I am coming to a stop. It comes from the rear, only occurs just before the complete stop, and does NOT come on when the brake is first applied. Other than rear brake issue, the thing I wondered is a chassis connection needing a bit of lubrication, particularly since the vehicle had just been on a lift and perhaps caused a small shift. Anyone else heard this noise? Sounds like rear suspension/wheel area.

Rear wheel bearings? (Lift the rear tire off the ground and spin)
Belt rubbing pulley flange? (easy to see with rear tray removed)
Misadjusted rear brake? (Lift the tire and spin)

Steve, the wheel bearing crossed my mind too, but it is silent while driving except for the half-second right before I stop; different from when I have heard wheel bearings failing before. Not that I am any expert. The belt already broke the pulley flange off last week, and is now fully removed. In fact, after removal is when the noise started!

Might be the belt rubbing against the tire. The flange probably prevented that before .

Good thought, kankeL. however, the belt is well clear of the tire, and it was the outer flange, not the inner, that was removed.

Also, check the small metal mudguard in front of the wheel - might be rubbing there.

My first thought would be an over tight drive belt.

It is not by any chance when you have your partner in the car :-)

Seriously I had horrible noises from the back when I had had incorrectly installed wheel bearings, which consequently disintegrated. To adjust the belt tension, you will need 24mm and 36mm spanners (long shaft are best) as sockets cannot fit in. I use a Bosch laser level for R Wheel alignment. I have alignment marks painted on the inside of the front number plate carrier. You put the laser level on either side of the wheel and check that the laser readings are equidistant from the centre mark on the plate carrier.

Wilson

+1

A quick check is to twist the lower run of the drive belt - it should turn between 45 and 90 degrees.

Still have not figured this one out. It occurs even when coasting to a stop, so the rear brake is ruled out. There is a slight rotational aspect to the sound, so the wheel bearing is my concern. Interesting to me, though, that it only occurs as I am coming to a stop, even very slowly (in fact it almost seems like it lasts longer if I coast to a stop than brake from a higher speed). It lasts 1/2 second to maybe 1+ seconds, should stop like a low-pitched flute, it never occurs while accelerating, even from a stop, or driving at normal speed; only when I am below about 5-10 mph. Anyone still think this could be the bearings?