My lifted Chevy had that a while back and it ended up being a hairline crack in my aluminum wheels because some one took an impact gun to my lugs and over torqued them.

 

Bump

 

I had the same problem. Turned out to be the wheel bolts that were too long. It kept on hitting the rotor backing plate. Switched over to a shorter length wheel bolt and the sound was gone

 

Yeah pretty sure it has to do with the spacers/extended lugs. You either need shorter, or need to re-torque.

I have had this problem myself


edit: a small rock stuck in your tire can make a similar noise! serious... lol

 

...and wheel bearings can make this noise too.

 

Lol, thanks for the input guys. Can people shed some more light on the wheel bearing noise? I can't believe that from one day to the next it would go from dead silence while driving to an annoying it. I feel like it would be more and more gradual. Since the tick started, it hasn't gotten any worse and its been a few weeks of daily driving.

Any idea if that would rule out wheel bearing issues almost completely?

The only problem I'm having with the lug bolt length solution is that I got them in a set, all the bolts were the same length. Do you think I just torqued one or two down too much and now they rub a little bit?

 

Take a high speed curve like highway entrance ramp. If it's bearings, you'll hear the ticking louder (usually) on the loaded side. So the left side bearing if it's a right turn.

It's hard to tell if it's the front or rear, too, so be careful in assuming where it might be coming from.

 

That's interesting that you say that. I've taken some high speed on-ramp curves now that I have coilovers and good tires. Seriously, I can go 60 around those and the tires aren't squealing yet. Its insane.

Anyways, back on topic, I'll try it out with the windows open but the problem is that the sound is faint so if its got nothing to bounce off of I won't hear it. On-ramps usually don't have curbs so I doubt I'll hear anything.

Nevertheless, I'll try.

 

Bumperdump.

 

So here's a funny conclusion to how this was solved...

I finally took my car to the shop since it was very cold today and I wanted this problem solved before it got too cold and snowy to have to worry about it, and other things that may happen. Long story short, my indy shop called me today and told me they found the issue that plagued my car:

Rocks stuck in the tire tread.


I read that solution and dismissed it before, but I'm posting this to warn others that have had this problem or may have it in the future. Get those damn rocks out of your tread before you proceed!

At least it gave me a chance to get my brake and power steering fluid flushed.