1996 Disco 1 Juddering/locking nsf wheel

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yfo866

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I don't use the Disco very often, this year it's mostly been for offroading at events. I used it for a couple of weeks while my Ibiza was off the road and after a few days with the window open stop/start rolling down a hill to a junction, I heard what sounded like a cross between well worn brake pad on disc and scratching and universal joint worn on a prop shaft squeeking. Basically a WTF is THAT? noise.
There is no scoring on either side of the front discs. The prop UJs are free of play. For last year's MOT It had new wheel bearings, CV joints, swivels, pads and discs on both sides. Basically, new ends to the axle. All work done by my cousin at his garage. It's only done a couple of thousand miles since then.
Until the other week and then yesterdayt, the last time out was at Kelmarsh and then Billing.
I was convinced it was on the drivers side, but when my mates came around and watched me drive back and then roll forwards along the drive, they pointed out that the passenger side wheel was juddering along with the noise.
I took it in for an MOT yesterday. It failed on rear anti roll bar drop link bushes and a rear shock upper bush.
While he had both ends jacked up on the ramp, I span both front wheels and heard nothing out of the ordinary. No feeling of binding or any resistance.
On the way back from Tesco with biscuits for my MOT man, I was gently accelerating off an island around a left hand bend when the car suddenly pulled left and then I had tyre squealing.
I got out expecting to find the wheel at right angles to the car ( I once had a steering rack break on a Citroen) or something equally as serious and apart from the seven yard black line where the wheel had locked up everything looked fine.
The hub felt cool, as did the swivel. The brake disc was hot but as I'd just driven a couple of miles I wasn't surprised. I drove up onto the grass verge and looked again and found that it was no longer locked. So I drove home at around 40mph.
Apart from one sudden pull to the left after about a mile and a half the eight mile journey home was uneventful.
I have had occasional when I first braked or second application of the brakes after leaving the drive, the car has pulled to the left. This only happens first thing. Occasionally this has been accompanied with a flickering ABS warning light but mostly without.
I haven't yet checked the axle oil level. I'll do that tomorrow, but all fluids were changed last summer and since the new ends on the axle I've had no leaks.
Is it possible for the ABS to apply the brake to one wheel when the brake is not being pressed?
I'm going to fit a two inch lift kit before Christmas so thought I'd start with fitting a Terrafirma braided extended brake hose kit which should rule out any flexible hose issues I may have.
Then probably look at the ABS module and or ECU unless anybody else has a better idea.
The brakes are fine otherwise. A little softer than on the Ibiza but pull up well when not pulling to the left when used for the first time in the morning.
In addition to the new 'front corners', for last year's MOT I had two new rear calipers and pads because the rear brakes were ****(MOT speak) and barely passed.

Any ideas?
 
Sounds like the wheel bearing has failed and is welding itself to the stub axle ... This needs sorting sooner rather than later.
 
10 out of 10 buddy!
The outer race was, erm, missing!
There was a thick blue coloured chunk still sat on the stub axle with what looked like a thin moth eaten washer flapping about loosely. No sign of the bearings themselves.
It's last journey was from home to have an MOT retest ten miles away, then half a mile from there to my cousin's garage.
NO MAN should EVER hear the kind of noise I heard driving along the dual carriageway at a steady 40mph to my retest!!!
The nightmares haven't stopped yet after two weeks...
All sorted now.
Just have to fit the new alternator and heavy duty set of steering drag links. When being mot'd, Ian grabbed and waggled the rear drag link and it made a clicking noise. The track rod ends were both free of play, but neither of us liked the click, so I will replace all of them.
The alternator now only charges and kicks the rev counter into action after about three miles at around the fifty to sixty miles an hour mark.
We hooned the car around Kelmarsh and Great Billing off road courses this year taking in all the mud and water we could. Then when I got it home and pressure washed the engine bay, I had this issue the next time I drove it.
 
Happened to me twice .. I used to use cheap bearings, once on the motorway, towing the caravan, sphincter pucker factor 11 .. ;)

I now use Timken for every bearing and don't get an issue .. :)
 
That's what's gone on this time. I tend to get parts from several places, mainly depending on price. I got these last parts from MM 4x4 in Martin Hussingtree. They are local to me, but I can't for the life of me remember where the duff ones came from. The scary thing is, the ones on the driver's side came from the same place. Sounds of Psycho shower scene suddenly spring to mind!
Thanks again for your help!
 
While taking a mate's wife to work yesterday afternoon due to her having to drive down a few miles of snow covered lanes, I thought I heard something outside. I opened the window and heard a familiar sound...EEEEEK!!!!
Disco is booked in to my cousin's garage to perform surgery on the driver's side.
I picked up the Timken bearings and all bits needed from MM 4x4 (Martin Motors) and dropped Disco off tonight.
Just lock springs, new heavy duty steering rods, steering damper to fit now.
Roll on Christmas break...
 
YAAAAY!!!
There was me thinking I'd gotten to this side early and was hoping to not have to change the stub axle, when in actual fact I'd buggered the cv joint too!
Just checked the records.
Total bill for 'saving a few quid' with cheap parts: £159.59
No more cheapo bearings for me!
 
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