fastsuv

Earlier this year I replaced the driver side hub because it was making a loud roaring noise. The last few weeks the noise has come back again and it wasn't clear which side it was coming from. Logic would say that it should be the one I haven't replaced yet, but..I have had replacement parts fail soon after installing them.

Yesterday I jacked up the front and spun both wheels by hand, couldn't tell which side was bad.

Removed the wheels and spun the rotors, still can't tell which was bad.

Finally removed the calipers and rotors and spun the bearings slowly by holding the wheel studs. Now I could feel the slight grinding in the pasenger side bearing.

It appears that the drag of the disc brake system can mask the slight grinding feel of a bad bearing. It's amazing how slight the grinding feel was, given how LOUD the noise it generated when driving was!

Also, there was NO discernible play in the tire when I tested for a loose bearing. It appears that these bearings can fail in a mode where they make a lot of noise but don't loosen up.

I replaced a friend's bearing/hub on his Taurus, it was making a lot less noise but I could move the tire front to back (at the edges) an INCH.

I guess GM could market this as a "predictive wheel hub failure feature" which generates noise before any actual dangerous failure.

I still have the drivers side old hub and I may take it apart to see what failed (out of curiosity). Maybe one of the balls develops a flat spot, which creates noise but the bearing doesn't loosen until several balls have failed?

Meanwhile, I ordered a new Timken hub ($106 at Rock Auto) and a new lower control arm bushing ($10) just in case the bushing is bad and I have it mostly apart anyway for the bearing.

Steve

sleeper

Bummer about your 'other hub', but thanks for passing on yer info you used to test..

87silver

What kind of mileage on the bearing are we talking?

fastsuv

The driver side bearing had about 105K miles on it when I replaced it.

The passenger side I am replacing now has about 123K miles on it.

Steve

DreamHHR

The defective bearing can easily be detected by completely raising the front end, blocking one drive wheel at a time, starting the engine and putting it in drive. With only one wheel turning, listening for the whiny/noisy one is easy. Alternatively (this is what I've done), raise only one side at a time (one drive wheel remains on the ground), and do the same, repeat for the other side.

Warning: chuck your rear wheels, make sure the car is on stable, level surface and do not allow anyone to stand in front or back of the car.

Yves

firemangeorge

Double warning!!! Don't try this with a limited slip differential.

DreamHHR

....and so right you are; I didn't think of this particular case. In any case, don't try this if you are not 100% sure of what's going on.

Yves