Hubs... *update*

[Manny]

…Okay, I need to change my front hubs, BAD. I did a search so I know its fairly easy, and that they are interchangeable for our cars.

 

I’m gonna do a J/Y run later on today. My question is, what should I look/listen for at the J/Y so that I get a good hub and not just hit and miss? Just get the newest year possible and hope for the best?

[HokemBokem]

What are the symtoms of bad hubs? Because I might have that problem.

[DaveFromColorado]

lift the front tires off the ground, at the a-arm to keep the suspension tight, and shake the tire up and down - and - left and right, you'll feel that it kinda moves in a non-smooth way - that's typically the hub - now I wouldn't suggest getting one from a j-yard, the last 4 I've gotten from the yards were all bad - new is about the only way to go ... they are a PITA to change, but you can do it.

 

--Dave.

[Jcrow]

My mechanic buddy said not to buy the cheaper ones for these kind of cars. Go with a good name brand. There not cheap.

[THe_DeTAiL3R]

It took 2 hubs to discover which was the bad one on my car. My mechanic first replaced the front right, which turned out to be fine, then the rear right which was the bad one. They it did not have any play, however, so they don't ALWAYs feel loose. It was very loud though.

 

Don't get junkyard ones, if anything get cheap new ones. From the parts stores I've talked to they said that even the expensive ones suck so I just got the cheap ones. I don't know if its difference for the older 1st gen vs. the newer ones (like my 95).

[DaveFromColorado]

C-Bad - that's VERY true, not always loose, sometimes just real noisey...

 

they can sound like just 'bout anything, from metal on metal grinding, to a high pitch squeel that changes with speed...

 

C-bad, what were your exact symptoms? (little help to allow folks to figure out if they may have the same problem)

 

--Dave.

[THe_DeTAiL3R]

C-Bad - that's VERY true, not always loose, sometimes just real noisey...

 

they can sound like just 'bout anything, from metal on metal grinding, to a high pitch squeel that changes with speed...

 

C-bad, what were your exact symptoms? (little help to allow folks to figure out if they may have the same problem)

 

--Dave.

 

At first I was looking to buy the car and thought that the mufflers were SHOT. It sounded like REALLY bad mufflers. But then I had them replaced with new ones (they had holes in them they wouldn't pass safety anyways) and it was still loud as ever. The noise was quite noticable at 30km/h and louder from there. At 80km/h (50mph) it was a low droning sound. When doing a sharp right turn the noise would go away (pressure off that rear hub). It was hard to tell where the noise was coming from in the car cause it was very low.. hope that helped out some.

[cryptnix]

to add to not buying cheap comment ...

 

would you use an older condom vs. new? c'mon. :-) protect your investment. it might not be the best but damn it gets you by!

[Manny]

sorry, I hadn't checked the board all weekend, playing with my hubs. My symptom (the one I really noticed), was that when I put the car in reverse, in one certain spot on the hub, it rubs REAL bad, really loud noise. At first I thought it was my rims rubbing the caliper bracket (yes it was that loud, and you could feel it through the floorboards)

 

I didn't see the post about not getting J/Y hubs, I already got mine. I found a 96 Lumi (very few in the J/Y around here). I spun the tires, listening for hub grinding or anthing out of the ordinary, grabbed the tires, no lateral play, and I figured, well, they're 4 years newer than my current ones, so at $8.99 each compared to Autozones $94.99 each, I was not going to complain.

 

All the cars in that particular J/Y are off the ground, and the spindle nut is a PITA to get off with no leverage (damn near impossible). I went and found a real long half shaft laying around from a different car, and wedged it between two of the wheel studs. That and just the matter of a breaker bar with a jack handle extention.

 

anyway, I finished the swap. No more rub, grind, squeak. The general road stability and smoothness has improved too. Oh, and for you fellas doing the hub swap, save yourself some work, if your brake pads are bad, do those too since your calipers must come off. and forget what the haynes manual says about removing the stabilizer bar, not necessary.

[GPRACER]

Sometimes if you spin the wheel with the car jacked up you can feel the vibration from a bad bearing by holding the coil spring. Spin the wheel by hand while holding the coil spring or some other suspension component.

[GnatGoSplat]

A used '96 Monte Z34 hub worked for me! Only had 24k miles on it and worked perfectly on the '88. Still good after almost 4yrs.

 

I probably would have bought a new hub except I already had it on hand. I think generally, a bad hub is annoying enough that most people would have it swapped out. So probably most of the hubs you get at junkyards should be good, provided it's not on the wrecked side.

[bartonmd]

So this is an issue on all years of W car?

 

Also, I'll know if it's the tires when I get them changed out on Sat, but my symptom is as follows:

 

1. Thud-thud-thud especially at highway speeds, although you can feel it slower than that in the wheel... goes away mostly after about 80mph.

2. only happens with a LITTLE bit of pressure on the wheel... let go and it pretty much stops, turn hard and it stops

3. Specifically at cruising throttle position... get in it and it almost goes away, let off the gas and it almost goes away

 

It acts like a tire out of round, but with the throttle differences I'm not so sure now. Like I said, I'll check it when changing tires on Sat.

 

Mike

[cutlassdude96]

im getting the same noise in the right rear after I got new tires but only noticeable while going around cornners, but I had a nail in the right rear tire and have a cheapo Douglass tire right know and the noice is still there.

[Guest TurboSedan]

when my passenger side front hub went out, i had completely different symptoms. it was great on the highway; the only problem was a LOUD clunking/knocking noise coming from the front passenger side of the car when i went over small bumps at low speed.

 

i raised the front of the car and had my brother shake the wheel at 12 & 6 o'clock, and again at 3 & 9 o'clock while i looked at the back side of the hub/wheel bearing assembly. it had obvious play all over the place! so i removed the hub and sure enough, it was trashed....it had noticeable play in it just wiggling it in my hands. i swapped it out for an extra hub/wheel bearing assembly i had in my garage and that completely solved the problem; no more knocking noises at slow speeds when i went over bumps.

 

replacing the hub/wheel bearing assemblies is really not that hard at all, but then again i've pulled the axles out of my car many many times so i'm pretty familiar with the front end suspension now (no, you don't need to pull the axles just to replace the them).

[bartonmd]

OK, thanks! When I was changing the rear struts last night, I checked all the way around and they all seemed OK. I'll find out Sat if it was the cheapo tires that were on when I got it or not.

 

Thanks,

Mike

[scorpion_x9]

I remember doing my rear passenger hub. It was pretty easy, you just need a BFH!

 

I haven't been on the message board in a while so I figure I should share something.