Hey guys almost positive i have a wheel bearing problem.. grinding noise and varies based on direction of vehicle motion. noise also varies with wheel rotation of course. (front pass)

everynow and then the noise also becomes a knock then back to grinding and sometimes a squealing. would just like a second opinion..

looked at hub assembly and i could actually see the ***** in the bearing.. are they not supposed to be covered? seems odd

thanks

 

Deffinitely sounds like a wheel bearing. If you remove the axle that goes through the hub itself, you should be able to see the bearing "*****" but they should be resting and seated securely in a "racer" both inner and outter. They should not fall out. But regardless if they are seized in place it would still be bad. But again what you describe sounds like the wheel bearing and I suggest you get that taken care of very quickly before the wheel falls off (think Ron White on the Sears incident) and you or someone else gets seriously hurt. Good luck!

 

just curious.. how would the wheel fall off?

wouldnt the axle nut hold the assembly together.. along with the lugs holding the wheel to the hub?

 

The longer you wait the more expensive the fix. I'm going to guess it's gone far enough you're going to need a new hub too.

 

right.. probably..

ok been reading up and been told that if you turn right and the noise gets worse its the driverside that is causing the problem and viseversa..

hwoever in my situation i turn right and the grinding, squeaking does get worse and comparably when i turn left it goes away. this would indicate that the driverside is the problem.. except.. the noise is CLEARRRRRRLY coming from the passanger side

 

the wheel bearing is pressed onto the hub. if the bearing goes and seperates that mean the car goes one way and the wheel goes the other

 

with my experiences whatever way I turned and the noise gets worse, it was that side that had the problem.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by doublejz &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">the wheel bearing is pressed onto the hub. if the bearing goes and seperates that mean the car goes one way and the wheel goes the other </TD></TR></TABLE>

You'll start tearing **** up under there with a seized bearing before you wheel falls off or locks.

 

^^^ tis true ^^^

but I have seen it happen

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by doublejz &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">^^^ tis true ^^^

but I have seen it happen</TD></TR></TABLE>

Wheel bearings worked differently on older cars. On older cars when the wheel bearing seized, the wheel LOCKED. That was that - you noticed it. With newer cars the wheel won't lock when the bearing seizes, it'll just start tearing the **** outta things down there. I'm not sure exactly what as I've never met anybody dumb enough to let the bearing seize.