75ZT Community

Hi folks, advice appreciated please - I think I have a failing rear wheel bearing causing an intermittent ABS (Antilock Braking System) issue. Fault codes 18 (wrong gear at one wheel) and 00 (unknown error) read by TOAF. Vibration at 70+ the past ~1500 miles and a droning at motorway speed (but boot trim and sound deadening under rear seat removed). Occasional rubbing noises. Very occasional noises cornering one way and different noise the other way past 300 miles (only happened 2-3 times). High pitched noise at times last time I drove it. No related advisory on MoT <100 miles ago. No play in any bearings 1500 miles ago.

ABS light came on intermittently last week (car not used every single day) after slight crunch whilst braking under 30mph and then tapping started from pedalbox, stopped when light came on, same again last time I drove it. Very occasional metallic tapping when braking and slowing down to a stop past ~1500? miles.

Noises sound like coming from N/S/R, just checked it - no play but wheel is a bit stiff and doesn't continue spinning if you spin it and let go. Handbrake correctly adjusted <1500 miles ago. O/S/R seems fine.

Could the bearing be seizing up? How do I know it's that not the calliper without removing the brake pads? Tempted to go ahead and replace the N/S/R bearing but any advice to confirm diagnosis very welcome! Thanks.

A common problem with the rears, is rust from the backplates getting onto the sensors or more often the magnetic rings in the bearing, and causing just the symptoms you are seeing with the ABS. Usual fix is a new hub and bearing, but vital to do a good cleanup. Also it isn't unknown for the diagnostics to detect the wrong wheel.

Most of the time when you get pulsing from the brake pedal as thought the ABS is kicking in on gravel, it turns out to be the OS rear bearing, personally for the cost of bearing i would change both, also check the back plate for corrosion, if corroded either change the back plates or clean and treat them with k-rust and paint then black after.

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Hopefully replacing the bearing will solve your problem, as said they are not expensive or too difficult. It may be as also mentioned the backplates have failed/rusted away and they also require replacement. Having just done both sides on mine these are a little more involved. The usual problem is the handbrake cable has become rusted in place as it goes through the back plate. I found the best way to get these out was to sacrifice the old backplate that has reached end of life. To do this you need to take an angle grinder to the tube that encapsulates the hand brake cable as it passes through the backplate and grind the side of it away until you reach the outer skin of the hand brake cable, this should then be loose enough for you to wrestle the cable out of the old backplate.

Thank you chaps - with the coincidental ABS issue I will hope that the stiff wheel is due to the bearing seizing and not a second issue with the calliper (I had the other rear calliper partly seize 2,000 miles ago).

I shall get a new bearing and see what it is like once stripped, I have a spare backplate if needed.

Any recommendations for a bearing? Are FAI decent enough as a reasonably priced replacement or should I perhaps go with what DMGRS stock?

Bolin wrote:Thank you chaps - with the coincidental ABS issue I will hope that the stiff wheel is due to the bearing seizing and not a second issue with the calliper (I had the other rear calliper partly seize 2,000 miles ago).

I shall get a new bearing and see what it is like once stripped, I have a spare backplate if needed.

Any recommendations for a bearing? Are FAI decent enough as a reasonably priced replacement or should I perhaps go with what DMGRS stock?

Go with the DMGRS ones because if it goes wrong within the 12 months they will send you another, other sellers may argue the toss with you.

I would strip and look before buying anything. While there are always exceptions wheel bearings don't tend to fail suddenly, nor do most bearings in my experience. They run for years just getting noisier and if the wheel is not rotating freely a common culprit on our cars is a failure of the backplate and/or handbrake shoes as a result.

Thanks folks. It (or something) has been failing since August at least, the vibration might have started earlier than that and it and the noises started before the MoT but I hadn't been able to feel anything when inspecting the car myself. Definitely got worse since the MoT and now not spinning freely so I'll strip it and see. Today I felt it and wheel and tyre are getting hot and there was a odd smell, bit like burning rubber. Hopefully it is all one problem, I'll find out when I remove the calliper, and disc if it still doesn't spin freely.

Many moons ago I had an event with a seized throttle cable approaching a 90 degree bend. It was a Vauxhall Cavalier and I was doing ~ 60mph when I removed my foot off the accelerator to let the car slow before braking and changing down in gear. I was nearing the end of a long drive down to Norfolk, it was a commute to work after a weekend away so I hadn't stopped on the way nor had I spared the horses. As a result I was feeling a little road weary and numb when the event happened but it was one of those occasions when the brain, once it kicked in, works so fast that time seems to stand still. It was also one of the few occasions when a voice in my head appeared and stopped me doing a couple of things that might have offed me before I hit the stone wall that lined the bend in the road that I was heading towards.

No foot on the accelerator and the car was still moving at pace with no drop in engine revs or the expected drop in engine noise, I hadn't a clue what was going on. It was as if that a demon had taken control of the car and was determined to kill me. I shook myself into action and thought to switch off the ignition to kill the engine. NO! Said the voice in my head. It explained that it would result in the steering lock engaging resulting in a further loss of control of the car and deny me a couple of other options that were steering dependent. What would anyone reading this do?

I survived what I opted to do and as I opened the door after stopping I was hit by an awful stench of a rubber/sulphur like smell. It was a blistering hot summer day with heat haze shimmering off the road surface and billowing from my front offside wheel was the steam-like source of the choking and repugnant smell. The smell was from the overheated brake pads that had just received some very judicious use.

So, could the source of your heat and smell from your rear wheel be a binding brake/brakes? Pads are a possibility but the most common I think is the shoes coming adrift from the backplate due to it rotting.