Hi,

I am due to replace 2 broken rear springs. The car is performing OK just a little knocking noises on bad surfaces.

The two rear tyres are also wearing fast, but evenly.

Recently, I have been hearing squeeling noises, typically appearing only after 15 minutes of driving.

It starts as intermittent, and then becomes almost constant.
It seems to be coming from the rear.
If I tap the brakes lightly it stops.

My initial thought was bearings, but then again I always thought that would be a droning noise.

I'm hoping that things are just a bit out of kilter and with the new springs the squeeling will stop... but perhaps it has put pressure on something and worn elsewhere now.

Any thoughts?

Are you sure about broken springs?
Never heard about that...and...could anyone drive with rear broken springs? I don't know....
And two broken springs....only a knocking noise?
Anyway, in my Croma with 400.000Km (still with original springs) the knocking noises in the rear (when I was about 150.000-200.000km) were made by track control arms with worn out bushings.
And about the other noise.... never heard it. If not brakes and bearings, maybe rear camber?

sounds like a sticking brake caliper.I'd keep an eye on pad wear,sadly a common problem

leew said:

sadly a common problem

Click to expand...

Really?
Fortunately I have never had that problem...in 401.000km....Croma 2006 1.9 150cv.
In my experience, common (few) problems are others....eg. alternator (overhauled/changed 4 times till now...also with 140A alternator...) ...egr....dpf...(uprooted... and new life...), knocking noises (but this problem caused by long distance wear)...mhh...nothing else.
For the rest this car is a tank...in my experience...
But I've always changed brake discs and pads at the right moment and also done brake oil purge...maybe long distances with these components worn out could create the problem of a sticking brake caliper

I've driven with broken front and rear springs (albeit not at the same time) but it's not something I would recommend. Easy enough to check.

My gut feel would be the caliper sticking, the pads wearing, disc warped or maybe a bit of all three. Pads and discs are cheap enough.

Well yesterday I found a bit of broken spring on the drive beside a rear wheel!
Time to drop it in I suppose!

I too would say rear calipers due to the handbrake set up.Rear track arms are also known to wear.Mines now had springs all round.One was broke on front,and the rears went soft due to towing the caravan.

Excuse me if I ask...but how old are your cars with this kind of problems? And how many miles/km?
I think to mine and I can't believe that. Maybe are recent cars worst with those components?
I use my Croma both for work and for personal use (so more than 401000km in 9,5 years) and it runs quite always with heavy luggages, so my rear springs are a little bit "lowered" but nothing else

Not so much an age problem,but more to do with the state of uk roads.Mine is 2006.