Symptoms of a bad wheel bearing?

HMP

HMP

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What would be some symptoms of a bad/going bad wheel bearing?
How could you check for it?
 
Sometimes you will hear it. You can also jack the vehicle up and grab the tire and rock it. You will feel it. There should not be play in the hub.
 
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thank you

would it cause some vibration, roaring?
Nothing too bad, just a little.
Im wondering if I got a wheel a little out of balance, or a wheel bearing going.

How much could one expect to be charged for a wheel bearing job?
 
If you're hearing a roar try weaving back and forth while driving down the road. When you unload the side with the bad bearing the noise should get quieter or it might go completely away. If you suspect a tire you could jack the car up and move the tires around and see if the noise/vibration follow that tire.

What kind of vehicle is this on?
 
Could have a tire out of balance also
 
HMP said:
thank you

would it cause some vibration, roaring?
Nothing too bad, just a little.
Im wondering if I got a wheel a little out of balance, or a wheel bearing going.

How much could one expect to be charged for a wheel bearing job?
Click to expand...

A wheel baring used to cost approx 2-300.
 
My Chrysler sebring front were plug and play bolt on assemblies, less than $75 bucks for the pair.
And I put them on in less than an hour. It all depends on the car. If you drive an Audi, it may cost you a liver.:eek:
 
spittinfire said:
If you're hearing a roar try weaving back and forth while driving down the road. When you unload the side with the bad bearing the noise should get quieter or it might go completely away. If you suspect a tire you could jack the car up and move the tires around and see if the noise/vibration follow that tire.

What kind of vehicle is this on?
Click to expand...
This
 
HMP said:
thank you

would it cause some vibration, roaring?
Nothing too bad, just a little.
Im wondering if I got a wheel a little out of balance, or a wheel bearing going.

How much could one expect to be charged for a wheel bearing job?
Click to expand...


Take it somewhere for a free diagnosis. My BIL runs the merchants (ntb) off of university and Northpoint. If it's a bearing just pick one up and a 12 pack, and bring it by the house in Farmington. We can knock it out in an hour, maybe a little longer if we drink all 12.
 
If its a truck (RWD), the roaring could be a bad universal joint. I had a dodge Dakota that ate them. It had a shake and a roar and I couldn't figure it out (young and dumb). It took me picking up my dad and going to a local church parking lot. I had him get in and I climbed in the back and we drove around.
 
Brian K said:
Take it somewhere for a free diagnosis. My BIL runs the merchants (ntb) off of university and Northpoint. If it's a bearing just pick one up and a 12 pack, and bring it by the house in Farmington. We can knock it out in an hour, maybe a little longer if we drink all 12.
Click to expand...


Just remember what that 12 pack caused with mine :eek:
 
Getting one changed on our 4Runner in the am. Shop wants $150 for parts and labor. Not sure if it’s a good deal but just a heads up. They diagnosed it while the vehicle was up in the air, grabbed the tire at the top and bottom and it shook it. Mine has quite a bit of play so figured it needed to be fixed. Good luck with yours my friend.
 
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this is on a 2014 ford fiesta
I think it's on the rear, or something very mild, as there isnt much in the steering wheel at all, no vibration in it etc
But i can really notice the roaring on deceleration when it get's to lower mph (30>), thinking that i probably hear it more then because of the lack of wind noise etc
 
I just looked it up. It looks just like mine, shouldn't cost that much. the replacements that I just saw were
in the 60-90$ range.
 
My Saturn roars. Its so loud nobody wants to ride with me.

So I haven't fixed it. Instead of fixing it I just got the top-of-the-line AAA coverage with free towing however far you need it!

Can't believe it hasn't caught fire yet in like 3 years. Screwed up bearing holding on like a champ. Shop told me around 300$ for both rears. I'll probably buy parts and try to swindle a friend into doing it/ helping me do it.
 
Noises in the drivetrain can fool you sometimes. A noise can be transmitted from the source of the problem and sound like it's coming from another area such as a wheel for example. I once had a noise coming from the right front wheel on my '06 Jeep Wrangler. I even put it up in the air and rotated the wheel back and forth and could have sworn I had a bad wheel bearing.

Ran over to NAPA and got two new front wheel bearing assemblies. When I got the right front brake assembly off and started to remove the wheel bearing, I decided to double check my diagnosis and discovered I had a bad double cardan joint on the transfer case side of the front driveshaft. It was transmitting the roaring noise through the driveshaft into the front axle out to the right front wheel. It's crazy how stuff can fool you sometimes.
 
I bet its a wheel bearing. Very common issue. Simple test. Jack both front wheels off the ground. Start engine, put in drive and let it accelrate to about 25ish mph. With it running, grab the front strut spring, which side feels like a mild buzz or gentle thump is you faulty bearing assm.

I bet the left side
 
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Qball said:
Noises in the drivetrain can fool you sometimes. A noise can be transmitted from the source of the problem and sound like it's coming from another area such as a wheel for example. I once had a noise coming from the right front wheel on my '06 Jeep Wrangler. I even put it up in the air and rotated the wheel back and forth and could have sworn I had a bad wheel bearing.

Ran over to NAPA and got two new front wheel bearing assemblies. When I got the right front brake assembly off and started to remove the wheel bearing, I decided to double check my diagnosis and discovered I had a bad double cardan joint on the transfer case side of the front driveshaft. It was transmitting the roaring noise through the driveshaft into the front axle out to the right front wheel. It's crazy how stuff can fool you sometimes.
Click to expand...
2008 Malibu:
My wheel front wheel bearings went out and I swore it was coming from the transaxle. Just having it jacked up in the air and turning the wheels it made an awful grinding noise. I sweated for a week thinking I was going to dish out thousands for a new tranny. Luckily it was just the bearings
 
Wheel bearing will sound like a roaring/propeller/airplane noise. Will increase and decrease in relation to vehicle speed.

Mildly swerve left to right as was stated. If noise changes it points to wheel bearing, but beware, it can fool you as to what side it is.

Jack up wheels. Grab tire at 12 and 6 oclock and pull/push alternately. Bad bearing is usually accompanied by play in the hub. Play at 3 and 9 could indicate slop in an inner or outer tie rod.

Most of the time just spinning the tire by hand you will feel the bad bearing. I don’t recommend getting near spinning wheels to diagnose anything. One wrong move and it will have its way with you.

Not hard to replace. Basic steps are remove wheel, remove and hang brake caliper out of way, remove rotor, remove axle nut, tap axle towards center of car to break free of bearing splines, remove hub bolts from behind spindle and remove bearing/hub assembly. Rear is same minus axle/axle nut.

Will probably have an abs sensor that is made to bearing or will have to be removed and transferred to new one. It helps to get both front wheels off the ground if it’s a front bearing, then you can put car in neutral and steer spindle left/right as necessary to access bolts.

Sometimes a judicial amount of pb blaster is necessary to soak everything unless you have strong air tools. You should also replace the axle nut , and torque it to proper specs.

Edit to add: sounds crazy but you could be hearing a tire. If your alignment is out it can cause an unusual wear pattern called feathering. Left unchecked long enough it can get pretty loud.

You typically don’t feel a bearing problem as vibration, noise only.


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Had one go bad in a Chevy Blazer years ago. Driving, it felt like an out of balance tire. A little pull and wobbling. It didn't make much noise.

Like others have said, just jack it up, and grab the top and bottom of the wheel. Try to shake or rock it. If there is back and forth play in the wheel, the bearings are going bad.

Its different on every car, but on the Chevy blazer, it was a quick, but not cheap fix. You have to replace the whole hub assembly.
 
Im taking it on Thursday (they couldnt get to look at it today, swamped) to have it checked by a local shop
We'll see what they say
 
Just an update - not a wheel bearing...just crap tires.
My fronts were rough. I had peeked at them a few weeks ago, but it was, mostly, on the inner edge that was worn badly.
One, the front passenger side, was sort of 'lumpy' on the inside.

New set of All Season tires, couple hundred bucks, and the car drives, and sounds, like it did when I bought her new a few year ago.

I thank you all for all the help youve provided, and will keep that information in mind in the future
 
Signs of a bad wheel bearing.

Drug paraphernalia around the car.

Sneaks out at night.

Poor grades.
 
I read the thread title and thought this was about a new alt-rock band.
 
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kcult said:
I read the thread title and thought this was about a new alt-rock band.
Click to expand...

When I start my rock band and get huge, dont come asking for royalties!
 
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