Does that mean the wheel bearing is bad? Could it be anything else?

A couple days ago I went in for tire rotation and the guy calls me over and says, "Hey dude your hub is loose". When the car was in air, if you grab the drivers wheel and wiggle it, there was a good amount of play. The passenger side was much stiffer and had almost no play. I think this can also be due to a messed up inner tie rod? But I replaced inner/outer rods recently.

I also get a hisssssssing sound when I drive.. Are there any other symptoms of a bad hub/wheel bearing? Should changing the wheel bearing take care of the "loose hub"?

Im thinking about just removing both hubs, buying the seals and bearings (2 seals, 1 bearing right?) and taking them to a shop that has a press.

Thanks all...

 

the hub itself can't be loose, but the bearing can be bad.
get the bearing replaced with a quality piece and drive happy.

 

NAPA sells the same p/n that Nissan provides us for about half the cost!

 

That is also classic sympton of bad ball joint and they are much cheaper. The hissing might mean bearings though.

 

Do you remember what the brand/part number was?

I have one BCA Federal-Mogul bearing that shares the same p/n as Timken 510009. Box says its made in Japan, but the same company seal is made in Taiwan.

I'd rather do both sides at one time, so I'm calling around to find another one..

 

Go ahead and buy the Timken one it should be about $40 and quality won't be an issue.

Also, if I remember correctly when the wheel has play when you hold it at 3 and 9 o'clock it is a wheel bearing. If there is only play at 12 and 6 then it is most likely a ball joint, but neither of those methods are fool proof.

Don't forget to have a shop press then in and out for you...trust me.

 

3 and 9 could be a tierod! That's why you need to feel or visually look at those areas cause that type of diagnosys can be misleading. A worn bearing will show up @ any clock angle 1 -12, so feel and lookit the only way!

 

UPDATE: So I pulled the spindle yesterday and took it to the suspension shop along with the new bearings/seals.

He calls me today and says that the new bearings cant be pressed in because the hub is messed up. I took him another set of VE spindles I had, and then we hammered out the hub, and same thing! The outer diameter of the hub is too small so if the new bearing is pressed on, it wont be a "press fit", because theres not enough metal on the hub...

New hubs are $138 each from Nissan!!! And Im scared to try junkyard hubs, because it might just be the same issue..

Ideas?

 

the hubs are soft.
when the bearings go the hubs are usually toast.

options...
have a machine shop mill a sleeve for the hub.
have a machine shop mill threads on the hub part (the threads will push the materials out for a tighter fit)
take your chances w/ a junk yard hub
buy a hub...if the hub is $140 bucks then do it. it's a safety item. if you cheap on the hub you might end up redoing the bearing in the near future.

 

I would take that trip to the junk yard if you are on a college budget! And take a big sledge hammer and inspect them first to make sure they are tight. Then bang the spindle straight out the bearing! Or call ABC Nissan for their wholesale price of the hub (18003731066)

 

I'm with Danno..
I bought 3 wheel bearings for one side in 6 months before a machine shop convinced me to finally replace the wheel hub. that was 6 years ago, haven't had a problem since.

just buy the damn hub. you can take your chances with a junk yard, but chances are any other 16 year old hub will be in similar condition.