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What are the signs of a bad axel/wheel bearing?

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Old 01-02-2006, 01:50 PM
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What are the signs of a bad axel/wheel bearing?
What are the signs of a bad axel/wheel bearing? Noises or anything? When I turn left I hear a loud thumping/clicking type noise comming from the front right wheel area. I also hear it when I get my foot off the gas pedal. I am on KSports around a 3 inch drop. What do you think is wrong?

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Old 01-02-2006, 02:22 PM
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Originally Posted by Black Maxima
What are the signs of a bad axel/wheel bearing? Noises or anything? When I turn left I hear a loud thumping/clicking type noise comming from the front left wheel area. I also hear it when I get my foot off the gas pedal. I am on KSports around a 3 inch drop. What do you think is wrong?

Thanks, Aaron
Sounds like a bad wheel bearing to me, I'm dealing with the same thing right now.

Get it taken care of before the bad bearing damages the hub. You'll have to have someone press a new bearing in for you.
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Old 01-02-2006, 02:26 PM
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Ok, how much do you think the job will cost? The bearings cannot be regreased, they can only be replaced?
 
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Old 01-02-2006, 05:46 PM
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I would get a hub assembly. Last time i checked i think they are 120. It would cost more than that to take apart the hub, press out the old bearing and press in the new one....
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Old 01-02-2006, 06:34 PM
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Is it easy to install the hub assembly? And where should I get one?

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Old 01-03-2006, 05:10 AM
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Originally Posted by SMX95
I would get a hub assembly. Last time i checked i think they are 120. It would cost more than that to take apart the hub, press out the old bearing and press in the new one....
I can confirm this point. I just paid $90 for a mechanic to simply press out the old bearings, and press in the new ones. The parts cost $62/side, so that's around $107/side already.

Another possibility for the sound is a bad CV. If your axles are 100k old and the boots have never been redone, consider getting them rebooted (properly - don't use split boots) or replaced. I had similar sounds and found the snap ring retaining the inner joint popped out of place and things weren't restrained properly.

To help tell the difference, you can find a bad wheel bearing through looseness in the wheel. Lift the car at the jack point right behind one of the front wheels, until only that wheel is suspended 1" from the ground. Use a sturdy jack. Using a large lever or pry bar, pry under the wheel to put some force on it. A bad wheel bearing will clunk or the wheel will visibly move.

Dave
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Old 01-03-2006, 05:55 AM
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Originally Posted by SMX95
I would get a hub assembly. Last time i checked i think they are 120. It would cost more than that to take apart the hub, press out the old bearing and press in the new one....
I assume when you buy a hub assembly there is already a new bearing pressed in (probably a dumb question, but I would like to know). Also would you like to comment on how hard of a job this is.
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Old 01-03-2006, 06:08 AM
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With the right tools, it's not bad for a DIY. You will need an alignment immediately after doing the job if you're putting in a new hub. (And I'll argue it's a good idea if you re-use the knuckles).

You need to remove the big 36mm axle nut, unbolt the strut, unbolt the brake caliper, pop the balljoint, pop the tie rod, push off the brake rotor, and push out the CV. I got all the tools I needed from Autozone on the free rental deal, but these are pretty hefty bolts and it required some penetrating oil. I'd figure at least an hour per side to remove.

Dave
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Old 01-03-2006, 07:15 AM
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Yep, i just got mine done...wouldnt recommend reman one because it makes a little grinding noise when i park, but i guess i have to let it break in... Hey you get lifetime warranty on the reman one from Advanced Auto Parts...
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Old 01-03-2006, 07:23 AM
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yea thats definately NOT wheel bearing. i had my share of those. with the wheel bearing, u will hear a LOUD whirring sound. not ONLY when making a turn but when driving straight. it will get quieter the faster u go and louder when u slow down. also when u have a wheel bearing problem it prohibits your driving. ie: when u accelerate it will feel like you are driving with your E brake up. that to me sounds like cv joint. if its coming from the wheel that is. if you are hearing a sound from the engine bay it will be your rubber mountings. and wheel bearing is NOT hard to install. pm me if u have any questions
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Old 01-03-2006, 07:43 AM
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This will probably be the CV joint.
Find a carpark or somewhere with enough empty space to drive in a circle, like Malwart's car park at 3 a.m.
Drive the car in a circle with full lock. If the clunking is loud, but not when driven straight, it is the CVJ.
Wheel bearings give a different sound; typically get worse at higher speed and when the car has been driven for a while; and it is not a clunking, but a loud whine or drone, which typically becomes louder when steering in one direction and quieter in the other direction.
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Old 01-03-2006, 09:12 AM
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Wow! A lot of great information you guys gave.

yea thats definately NOT wheel bearing. i had my share of those. with the wheel bearing, u will hear a LOUD whirring sound. not ONLY when making a turn but when driving straight. it will get quieter the faster u go and louder when u slow down. also when u have a wheel bearing problem it prohibits your driving. ie: when u accelerate it will feel like you are driving with your E brake up. that to me sounds like cv joint. if its coming from the wheel that is. if you are hearing a sound from the engine bay it will be your rubber mountings. and wheel bearing is NOT hard to install. pm me if u have any questions
I do here a rotational, whirling type noise when driving straight. It goes away when I put my foot on the gas. The sound is comming out from the wheel. It's definately not from the engine area. It's funny you say feels like the e-brake is up because I think I noticed that. I inspected the boots down in that wheel area and they are not ripped. I had the ball joint and tie rod replaced last year.

I'll have my CV Joints inspected by someone...

Thanks for all the help!
 
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Old 01-03-2006, 02:39 PM
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7. Constant-velocity joints make a clicking sound when worn. The outer joints click under power on tight turns, and the inner joints will make a noise when you are going around a circle while easing the power on and off.

8. Universal joints, as used on rear-wheel driven cars and bakkies, usually last longer than CV joints because they don't have to work so hard. They also tell you when they are old by clonking as you accelerate just after you've snicked a car into gear.

9. Wheel bearings become noisy when worn out. It's usually possible to isolate a noisy front-wheel bearing by cornering with both front windows open. The worn bearing will get noisier if you put a load on it. If the noise worsens when you corner to the right then it's the left-hand bearing, and vice versa. Wheel bearings can also be checked by jacking the car up and spinning each wheel in turn by hand. The noisy bearing will feel rough. Rear-wheel bearing noise often sounds very much like the rear axle unit, but spinning it by hand should enable you to tell the difference.
This is taken from http://www.cartoday.com/content/car_...se_tracing.asp

3 out of the 4 times I've had bad wheel bearings (Maxima and a Saturn) the symptoms were a sound much like a baddly cupped tire. When turning at highway speed I would get a dull thud..thud..thud... sound. CV joints made more of a popping sound while turning at low speeds.

You can also get used hubs fairly cheap, but the bearings in the one I received went out after just a few months.
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Old 01-03-2006, 02:42 PM
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replacing a fully assembled wheel hub is pretty far out simple. the most Time I would think It can take is prob 30 min or less. those strut bolts can be a pain if they are rusted.
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Old 01-03-2006, 02:45 PM
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Originally Posted by Black Maxima
Wow! A lot of great information you guys gave.



I do here a rotational, whirling type noise when driving straight. It goes away when I put my foot on the gas. The sound is comming out from the wheel. It's definately not from the engine area. It's funny you say feels like the e-brake is up because I think I noticed that. I inspected the boots down in that wheel area and they are not ripped. I had the ball joint and tie rod replaced last year.

I'll have my CV Joints inspected by someone...

Thanks for all the help!
More than likely its a wheel bearing. You dont hear it under acceloration because the weight load is transfered to the back of the car thus the pressure is taken off the front bearings. Get a hub from a junkyard and the bearing and seals from the dealership. Dont use cheap autozone stuff. With the amount of work involved its not worth saving $40 on a bearing.
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Old 01-03-2006, 04:11 PM
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Thanks for all the replies. I think I know someone who will take a look at it.
 
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Old 01-03-2006, 04:24 PM
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Originally Posted by dgeesaman
To help tell the difference, you can find a bad wheel bearing through looseness in the wheel. Lift the car at the jack point right behind one of the front wheels, until only that wheel is suspended 1" from the ground. Use a sturdy jack. Using a large lever or pry bar, pry under the wheel to put some force on it. A bad wheel bearing will clunk or the wheel will visibly move.

Dave
thats a ball joint check

clicking on turns - cv joint - you need a new joint but i would just replace the whole axle. if it was recently replaced and theres no rip in the boot i would see if it had a warranty or just bring the part back as a defective item. although i think your drop would void any warranty you would have.

whirring hissing noise - wheel bearing - only check you can do is by hearing it or feeling it on acceleration
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Old 01-03-2006, 04:26 PM
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Can I replace the wheel bearing, CV Joint, and Axle all in the part?
 
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Old 01-03-2006, 04:30 PM
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Originally Posted by Dubbya
Get a hub from a junkyard and the bearing and seals from the dealership. Dont use cheap autozone stuff. With the amount of work involved its not worth saving $40 on a bearing.
if you find out you also have a wheel bearing problem i would do what he said and just get the whole hub from a junkyard. but just swap the whole hub with your old. dont bother getting new bearings and seals. if you do that you might as well just press the new bearing into your own hub.
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Old 01-03-2006, 04:32 PM
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So the junk yard hub will have a used wheel bearing?
 
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Old 01-04-2006, 07:19 AM
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Originally Posted by jasonv
if you find out you also have a wheel bearing problem i would do what he said and just get the whole hub from a junkyard. but just swap the whole hub with your old. dont bother getting new bearings and seals. if you do that you might as well just press the new bearing into your own hub.
Bad idea. You have no idea of the quality of the bearing from the yard. Most have been sitting in the rain with out movement for quite sometime. Best bet is to get a donor hub and new bearings and seals. Then dont worry about it for another 100,000-200,000 miles.
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Old 01-04-2006, 07:20 AM
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Originally Posted by Black Maxima
So the junk yard hub will have a used wheel bearing?
Yes, but read my post above. Both of the ones I got from the yard were very rusty and old. The bearings were initially very sticky and notchy feeling. When we popped everything apart there was even rust in the bearings. Get new ones if you can.
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Old 01-04-2006, 07:53 AM
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Just to clarify... the hub is just one part of the assembly. The entire assembly includes the steering knuckle, wheel bearing, and hub. The wheel bearing is pressed into the knuckle the the hub is pressed into the wheel bearing.

I wanted to make this clear because if you order a "hub" from the dealer you will only get the hub... not the knuckle/bearing/hub assembly. I verified this with the dealer when I saw the hub listed around $100.
Take a look at the diagram on this page for a better idea of the parts involved: http://www.trademotion.com/partlocat...=4&catalogid=1
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Old 01-04-2006, 07:58 AM
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Originally Posted by Dubbya
Yes, but read my post above. Both of the ones I got from the yard were very rusty and old. The bearings were initially very sticky and notchy feeling. When we popped everything apart there was even rust in the bearings. Get new ones if you can.
I had a similar experience, I;m actually sending my car into the shop tomorrow to get the problem fixed, thank god for those extended factory warrantys.
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Old 01-06-2006, 06:54 AM
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I was quoted a price of $600.00 to replace hub wheel bearings of the front. Is this correct?
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Old 01-06-2006, 07:46 AM
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Ouch! Is that with you providing the parts?
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Old 01-06-2006, 07:56 AM
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That is with parts included. Too high? He said it is my "hub wheel bearing" that went bad. Should fix both at same time.
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Old 01-06-2006, 08:03 AM
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$300 a side isnt too bad. I thought you ment for 1 side. Just make sure they use quality parts and that is a pretty good deal. Doing most of the labor myself on the last one cost me. $150 with parts.
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Old 01-06-2006, 08:20 AM
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At 3" of drop, the angle on those cv joints are way too much, as they are angled upward. Those drive axles are only suppose to operate at mild angles. By design, at stock suspension geometry, those drive axles are somewhat linear to the differential. In addition, your outter tie rod must be flexing way beyond what it can handle. You should raise your car up a bit. The Maxima suspension and steering system aren't made for this kind of drop. How long have you been on this type of drop??
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Old 01-06-2006, 12:48 PM
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Since the beginning of September '05...
 
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Old 01-06-2006, 02:32 PM
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My friend, VIP Maxima, killed an axle just a few months after his K Sport was installed. He's as low as you are and no matter what I tell him, he is staying that low no matter what. Just recently he scrapped the underside of his car as he was exiting an underground parking lot. He took out his cat and his muffler. He's now waiting for his WSP to arrive. He's having all kinds of suspension/steering related noises right now. I sure don't want his headache just to be that low.

Originally Posted by Black Maxima
Since the beginning of September '05...
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Old 01-06-2006, 07:55 PM
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Anyone know where I can buy new wheel hub assemblies? I have been looking online and can only find the hub and the bearing seperate from each other. I have found rear assemblies, but not front. I know my drivers front is bad, but thought I would replace both sides if I can do it reasonably costwise.
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Old 01-06-2006, 08:04 PM
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I'm singing a tune in the same boat. Wheel bearings bad. Coincidentally I'm on D2s but not a super low drop (about S-tech area).

I'm going to install a new hub. Going to get a price a local dealers, online dealers. I was going to get new ones pressed in but if it costs $90 to do so, I maybe able to find a hub for that price and install and align. Still shopping.
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Old 01-07-2006, 10:03 AM
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When I had to get mine replaced, it made a load metal on metal grinding sound
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Old 01-07-2006, 05:14 PM
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Just replace the assembly and check your axle boots while in there
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Old 01-08-2006, 08:28 AM
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where do I get the assemblies?
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Old 11-29-2018, 03:19 PM
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Feels like the tire is flat...
Originally Posted by Nissan2k5
yea thats definately NOT wheel bearing. i had my share of those. with the wheel bearing, u will hear a LOUD whirring sound. not ONLY when making a turn but when driving straight. it will get quieter the faster u go and louder when u slow down. also when u have a wheel bearing problem it prohibits your driving. ie: when u accelerate it will feel like you are driving with your E brake up. that to me sounds like cv joint. if its coming from the wheel that is. if you are hearing a sound from the engine bay it will be your rubber mountings. and wheel bearing is NOT hard to install. pm me if u have any questions

When the hub/bearings r bad would it cause the car to sway? Or feel like u have a flat tire?
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