[fingers2]

Help! A worrisome 'growling' sound has grown louder & louder over the last 60 days. I purchased 2005 Focus SES 5-Speed NEW. Love this car. At present it has 243,000 miles. Dec 2012 I spun out (full 360 degrees) on slush climbing a "S" hill and right-rear touched guardrail. Four inches of the "frame" bent. Four-wheel alignment done. Jul 2013 I did a full rear brakes job (new drums/hardware/ bearings). Curiously the RR tire has unusual wear right down the middle. So I got two new tires but 'growling' sound remains. Thoughts please?

 

[felixthecat]

I'd say it's your rear wheel bearing's.

 

[sailor]

Moved to Brakes, Suspension & Chassis

 

[fingers2]

Thanks for 2nd opinion. It MUST BE bearings. Specs say torque to 173 lbs! Wholly c*#@? I had borrowed auto part store wrench which went to 150 lbs and then put 18" piece of plumbing pipe on it for more leverage - and kicked as far as possible. I'm a small guy 170 lbs. I'm SO . . . disappointed they've failed after only 20,000 miles. Oh well . .. I ordered a Neiko 1/2" drive torque wrench (26" length) that covers 50 - 250 ft/lbs. Then, order drums/bearings and re-do. Let ya'll know how went

 

[felixthecat]

Help! A worrisome 'growling' sound has grown louder & louder over the last 60 days. I purchased 2005 Focus SES 5-Speed NEW. Love this car. At present it has & 243,000 miles.>>>>>>>>>>> Dec 2012 I spun out (full 360 degrees) on slush climbing a "S" hill and right-rear touched guardrail.<<<<<<<<Four inches of the "frame" bent. Four-wheel alignment done. Jul 2013 I did a full rear brakes job (new drums/hardware/ bearings). Curiously the RR tire has unusual wear right down the middle. So I got two new tires but 'growling' sound remains. Thoughts please?

When you do all that^^^^^^^^& has 243,000 miles. Did you do the work?

 

[EchoEv1]

I've replaced my bearing before and went pretty smoothly. Purchased new Drum with bearing already installed. I'm getting ready to do the other side due to rusting issues not bearing. I rented socket set also instead of purchasing the 32 mm socket required. The torque is 173 Ft/Lbs as you have mentioned.

 

[sailor]

"18" pipe on borrowed parts store torque wrench for leverage past it's 150 ft. lb. limit"

Those tools take a beating....

Should use a new nut this time as it's been reused already & it's a locking type. (officially replace each time, but most get at least a couple uses out of one)

Hope it lasts longer for you this time.

 

[amc49]

They will not take care of rental tools if they don't take care of their own and most are butchers once the going gets rough. I got plenty sick of all the lies I got about why a BRAND NEW first time used rental tool came back destroyed to the tune of 'it came apart easy, I don't know HOW it could have broke....', then they get all in your face about how they shouldn't have to pay for it. Uh, the wrong thing to say to me when I took the tool back and the cause of many bad days.

It's enough to destroy your faith in humanity. As in..........all I did was break it, how can I be responsible for that? Indeed.