Grinding/scraping sound from rear at low speeds

Question

I bought a 98 crv this weekend and there’s a grinding/scraping sound coming from the rear (sounds like the driver side). It’s mainly at slow speeds and when turning, goes away at higher speeds. It’s also not all the time and seems to get better after driving for a while.

Thought it was the brakes so I took the left drum off and the thickness is about 2.5-3mm which I’ve heard mixed opinions, some saying 3mm is minimum and some saying 3mm is almost new. The inner diameter of the drum is about 225-230mm and maximum says 221 so I know that’s bad. I checked both back wheels for play and there’s none at all.

Spinning them is what made me pretty sure it’s the wheel bearings (videos of the left and right included) but I’m confused because everyone says the sound should get worse at higher speeds and be consistent. Is it maybe both the brakes and bearings making the sound? What do you guys think it is?

Left https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Xvv_ZcHDzC8-_SCnNnOIFgxaO1CWf63Z

Right https://drive.google.com/file/d/1q8eWO20jkTf4083me7vfUGVyagPFbNeC/view?usp=drivesdk

Answer 1

What I'm hearing in the videos sounds like the friction material of the brakes rubbing on the metal of drum. The sound makes me think the brakes are too far engaged on the drums, or like the e-brake is still slightly engaged and rubbing.

I'm not sure from your question if these videos were done with/without the drums removed. If removed, then you've got issues in there somewhere, no doubt. The sound I'm hearing does not sound like a wheel bearing. Usually wheel bearings you feel more than hear. Also, riding down the road with any noise of this type will usually appear to go away as you go faster. It isn't that the noise goes away, but that road noise is greater and washes it out. This is true of most noises like this. (For the same reason you have to turn your radio up in order to hear it at higher speeds.) Again with the wheel bearing, you're going to feel vibration more than hear noise, that is until the point where you start getting metal on metal wear (ie: the bearing is completely dead).

Assuming this is non-AWD CR-V, to double check the wheel bearings in the rear, you need to pinpoint where exactly the noise is coming from. Use a long screwdriver or automotive stethoscope to probe the area around the wheel bearing while spinning the hub without the brakes contacting the drum. You should hear a very smooth action from the hub. If you hear any type of rhythmic noise emanating from the hub while spinning, it's most likely the hub. Even if the bearing is going out of the hub, you can still have zero lash out of it, so tugging/pulling/rattling the hub won't necessarily tell you a story, so you can't trust it.