what does a wheel bearing going bad sound like?

[Psych0matt]

pretty much what it says up there. I've been suspecting I've had one (or more) going bad for a while. kinda sounds like a rubbing/winding noise, mostly noticeable when I let off the gas and coast down the speedo a bit, sounds like a machine or computer winding down type sound (not quite electronic), if that makes sense

[GutlessSupreme]

hummhummhummhummhummhumm/clickclickclickclickclick

[Mach 5]

its certainly possible. Im going to say jack the car up and spin each wheel. If you feel any friction or hear a noise then you'll now which wheel to look at.

 

Sounds like a bad hub/ bearing

[Psych0matt]

not getting any clicks, at least not yet! maybe this weekend I'll jack it up and try. hmmm, im sure that would also contribute to not getting the gas milage i think i should be

[GutlessSupreme]

clicks may be more from CV joints anyway, but bad wheel bearings usually hum alot while turning one way or the other, as more weight transfers onto them.

[mdelorie]

Further to this topic, I think my rears are going. What's involved in replacing them? Is it easier to just get a new knuckle from a yard?

 

There's no play in mine, but they don't spin particularly freely anymore; maybe 5 or 6 full rotations on a good heavy spin

 

[Dark Ride]

Rears are easy to replace, but in my experience hardly ever go out. Four Bolts with an impact and its off. Easy

[Psych0matt]

what about fronts? my suspicion is that its the front passenger one

[Dark Ride]

what about fronts? my suspicion is that its the front passenger one

Not nearly as easy. I haven't done one personally, but I believe there is 3 bolts that hold it in, and they are usually solid rust. With an good impact and some good sockets it should be do-able. You'll need a really big socket to take the CV Joints out too.

[GutlessSupreme]

1st gens have a 4 bolt front hub.

 

I have my strut towers out of the car and I'm still afraid of trying to get them out. They look rusted solid.

 

I'm not sure how it would be to do them with the strut towers in the car. I don't know if the axle gets in the way or not (bolt heads are on the inside)

[94CutlassXtreme]

Just jack it up and jiggle the wheel and look for play. A bad wheel bearing usually will allow play in all directions.

[Nick1234]

From my personal experience, you feel it in the wheel and in the car. Like a wining/ something turning on a rough surface. I don't know how to explain it. Sounds like you got on though.

 

All you have to do is remove break caliper, bracket, and rotar. Remove the axle nut, remove the 4 bolts in back which generally aren't too hard, remove the sensor. Then you gotta push the axle out of the hub assembly. Nothing too hard. i might have missed a thing or 2, but its easier than you might think. Let me know if you have some questions.

[Psych0matt]

alright, hopefully ill tackle this soon, but it'll probably be a few weeks before I'll have time. It sometimes feels like a randomly have a flat for a few seconds, or like it wants to pull on a turn. more symptoms?

[Garrett8]

i paid $60 plus parts and got mine changed but then again, im cool with the owner of a shop

[5speedz34]

I didn't read any of the other posts so bear with me. You'll feel it in your feet and when you put weight on that side of the vehicle.

[AWeb80]

hummhummhummhummhummhumm

 

Terry's mom?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

what?

[w-bodys_are_the_best]

alright, hopefully ill tackle this soon, but it'll probably be a few weeks before I'll have time. It sometimes feels like a randomly have a flat for a few seconds, or like it wants to pull on a turn. more symptoms?

When they get bad an easy way to tell is say turning around in a driveway or lot, it willl kind if go back and forth if that makes sense to you. Kind of like you said feels somewhat like a flat for a second. When my 94's front driver got bad, you'd be turning sharply at slow speeds towards the pass. side direction pretty much at full lock, and it felt like every turn or so the front end would go just barely sideways toward the driver's direction. Imagine like the driver's tire was trying to turn but felt like a zigzag line looks lol. probably same thing your trying to say, almost like the tire is sliding for a split second.

[GOT2B GM]

It'll sound like you have knobby off road tires on your car. If you suspect your pass side bearing, the noise should get louder when you turn left and quieter when you turn right.

[19Cutlass94]

Mine have been shot for about a yr now, and on the highway, they howl so bad that you cant hear the engine or anything.

[89GP_SE]

are you sure its not the tires, i remember i had a car with cupping tires and didnt realize it ... it sounded very much like bearing, "wowowowowowowowowowowowo" LOL

[5speedz34]

Mine have been shot for about a yr now, and on the highway, they howl so bad that you cant hear the engine or anything.

 

I would replace them soon as driving on them can be dangerous!

[Psych0matt]

are you sure its not the tires, i remember i had a car with cupping tires and didnt realize it ... it sounded very much like bearing, "wowowowowowowowowowowowo" LOL

 

i dont think its the tires, they were fine all last summer, and it seems as though it just started happening after I started driving it again after sitting, which probably adds to the deterioration of them (not to say it wouldnt do that to tires too, but i've seen them and they look fine)

 

it seems to bind ever so slightly with the wheel to the right, but not so much the left

[19Cutlass94]

Mine have been shot for about a yr now, and on the highway, they howl so bad that you cant hear the engine or anything.

 

I would replace them soon as driving on them can be dangerous!

 

Im replacing them on monday

[jdcutty]

Matt, get ahold of me if you are in flint. We can set up a time and i can take a look at it for ya. I've done wheel bearings in as little as 30 minutes with no air tools. Fairly simple. PM me if you dont have my number.

[Psych0matt]

alright, i might take you up on that sometime soon, if i can get a bearing and I'm home (which I'd like to do in the next month)