I understand that the wheel bearing makes a grinding noise when it goes (believe me I been hearing it ALL winter!!) but I'm trying to figure out is why does the grinding noise go away when you put the car in reverse?? 3 mechanics plus my friend who works on tractor trailers told me it's the wheel bearing but I just can't figure out why I don't hear the sound when I back up. I pray to god I'm not asking a dumbazz question....

 

Think of whats inside the bearing, metal ***** turning in one directions with a broken metal sloshing around, then when in reverse everything sloshes in the opposite direction and might be slightly lower resistance (ie. the broken metal pieces are pushed out of the way).

If you wait too long to replaced it you might damage your hub, this has happened to others on the org.

 

my bearing has been worn since i bought it, back in july, i just plan to pull another hub off a max in a junkyard

 

yup.. either buy a whole spindle from a junkyard, or buy the hub AND wheel bearing from the dealer when you need to replace it.
If you don't need the hub, then treturn it. but if you need it (most likely you will), you'll have it.

 

I did it today and the sound is gone !! Went to a friend's garage and took care of it. I see what you said about the whole metal parts going in one direction and not making noise in the other. And I had to get a hub from a salvage yard and a new bearing from an auto parts store. Took it to a auto shop and had it pressed in for 20 and pretty much finished it all in 1 1/2 hours!! Thanx guys for the info and help

 

Dam and I sell bearings too.

 

Now if you sell steering bushings we can talk !!

 

internetautomar,
I've been hearing a crappy metalic noise for about a week....think a bearings going. What's involved in the fix and how much for parts?

 

damn I wish I could tell you to search!!

 

Assuming that it's only the bearing that's fried.
The bearing will run you 'bout $40 + ship
But as others have stated it is quite possible that if you've let it go for too long that it's eaten the hub.
the bearing will need to be pressed/ pounded in IIRC

 

no pounding about it.. it MUST be pressed in.
I've got a 12 ton press, and it was grunting to get my wheel bearings in place..

 

It's only been making noise (not very loud) for about a week. Doesn't seem like it would have damaged the hub yet. And when I have money to spare I'll donate so I can search. I use the forums enough to justify it.

 

my experiece w/ changing my wheel bearing was a pain in the ***...but thats just b/c I didn't have my plan all thought out...ended up running back and for to parts places and my buddies to get the bearing pressed in then back to the mechanic. Now that I look back, I realized it could have been a lot worse. My mistake
Oh yeah, btw, BUY FROM INTERNETAUTOMART!!! AWESOME DEALS!!!

 

My car makes kind of a high pitched sound when in reverse. Is that also a bad wheel bearing?

 

Save your moneys cuz if you click on the "Donation" button above, you'll see that the owner doesn't want any.

 

Damn, no search for non-donators and no donation. Lame.