2002 Rear Passenger wheel noise

[02_CR-V]

Hey. So i am getting ready to travel see family with my wife and we get about 10 miles down the highway in the CRV and what do you know, as we pull off the highway i notice a knocking or metal clicking sound. I dont want to get too descriptive here so in short, i drove it around town a little bit to check and these are some things i noticed. First is that the noise increased/decreased depending on speed. I also noticed that at highway speed i couldnt really hear it that much but then at slower speeds(35-40 and lower) i can hear it. When i got out i noticed that the rear passenger wheel(the source of the noise) smelled like somthing i remember from when i used to work on cars. It smelled as if someone had put a torch up to the brakes/wheel hub. Anyone who knows what im talking about, you know that smell. Its very distinct. Anyways, i havent gotten it home yet but figured i would type this up before i leave and hopefully someone might be lurking here on thanksgiving. If not oh well, ill wait. Oh, also, i just replaced the brakes in the rear a month ago and i noticed that wheel when i was putting everything back on moved unlike the other 3 when it rotated. It has this weird noise and stuff. IDK it just seemed weird.
So, im thinking its a bearing. Does this sound right? Im not getting the normal thumping or humming sound that you would normally get from bad bearings so im kind of confused. I used to work on cars but to be honest never got this exact problem(i worked in the shop for about 1 and 1/2 years). Also if it is the bearing, am i going to need someone to press the new one and everything?
Any info would be great. Thanks.

[fixer]

Is the wheel area near the hub hot to touch? (brake stuck on) (bearing very bad) With what you have described I am thinking bearing, the smell you have is common on some CRV's and I think it comes from rubber wearing off the tires and landing on a hot exhaust pipe. Most noticeable after rain. Are you AWD? Sometimes a wheel drive axel CVJ bearing is the culprit. Look for a damaged rubber boot which has let contaminants into the CVJ

[intruder1500]

I know that smell ...lived with it for 6 years on my 2006 CRV...only noticeable in winter. Could never find the cause nor could the dealer. Learned to live with it as you could only smell it at the rear wheel well on the passenger side in the winter months. Are you AWD ? when was the rear differential fluid last changed...I had to change mine every 50,000 kms or the noise would drive me crazy.

[02_CR-V]

Thanks for the replies. An update. I jacked the car up and looked around. First I shook the wheel at 12 and 6 and it didn't have any play so I don't think its a bearing. I also checked that boot and saw no damage and nothing was ripped or anything. And yes I have the awd. Sorry forgot to mention that. Any other ideas? I'll check for the rubber on the muffler but it smells more like burnt metal than rubber. Not sure on the diff. I just bought it for my wife as a winter vehicle. I'll check that too. Does this car have a plug on the diff out do I have to take the whole cover off?

[fixer]

There is a plug for draining and one on top for filling. Check this thread by the esteemed Black Pearl. Black Pearl's 2007 Rear Differential Fluid Change Photo Essay

[fixer]

Thanks for the replies. An update. I jacked the car up and looked around. First I shook the wheel at 12 and 6 and it didn't have any play so I don't think its a bearing. I also checked that boot and saw no damage and nothing was ripped or anything. And yes I have the awd. Sorry forgot to mention that. Any other ideas? I'll check for the rubber on the muffler but it smells more like burnt metal than rubber. Not sure on the diff. I just bought it for my wife as a winter vehicle. I'll check that too. Does this car have a plug on the diff out do I have to take the whole cover off?

The wheel may not move when you try to shake it even when the bearing is on it's way out. A high quality bearing like Honda uses may take 6 months to get to the point where it is loose.

[crvmpls]

I have the same symptoms including the smell. I changed my rear diff fluid about a month ago and thought I had fixed the issue but I still have the whining noise when I drive for longer periods of time(longer than 30 minutes). I also have the odor that you guys describe. I wonder if the whining and smell are unrelated though. Smell could be the tire debris on the exhaust? The smell only happens on drives over an hour and with passengers in the back. I will try burnishing the rear diff to see if that takes care of the noise.

[02_CR-V]

Hey everyone. Another update. So i havent dug into the bearing yet because it looks like its harder to do than normal bearings(with the speed/abs sensor and im in ohio so im sure its rusted to hell) and between working 40 hours a week and finals in college right now im pretty busy. Anyways, im hearing a noise now. There is a clicking/creeking noise when braking on that wheel only. Once again, brakes are brand new(rotors, pads hardware). I torqued everything down when doing the job including the wheels(according to manual torque specs). I lifted the car and shook the wheel like crazy and it didnt move at all(in and out). I have checked the brakes and there is nothing wrong with the pads or rotors or how they are put on there. All bolts are tight. I havent checked the parking brake yet(inside the rotor) to see if it was the culprit.
As for the smell it has not come back but i have not driven the vehicle more than ten miles at a time in stop and go traffic so i think it is associated with the bearing or whatever is burning up.
Thanks.

[fixer]

There is a chance that the gizmo that warns of warn out brake pads is causing the noise. If it is misplaced or bent during instal it can make strange noises and may smell from friction. If the parking brake was stuck (on) you should have found the wheel very hot to touch as mentioned above.