Front wheel bearing growl noise... normal?

Andrew M · 07-04-2009, 10:24 PM

Just catching up with some maintenance and have a wheel bearing question. Before someone points me to the search function, I've done it and have not found the particular answer I'm looking for.
I've adjusted the front bearing to the "barely moving the front thrust washer with a screwdriver" tightness. When I spin the hub really quickly I get a little growl...same on both sides. Is this normal?
Thanks...

Oh Haha · 07-05-2009, 03:50 AM

They should not growl.

I saw your thread about whether or not to adust them. Did you repack or just adjust them? Either way, they should be relatively silent.

burgermeister · burgermeister's Garage

Are you sure it's not the brake pads dragging on the rotors?

docrodg · 07-05-2009, 04:00 AM

If they growl they are bad. That said, another check of the bearings is wheel paly. Hook up a dial indicator so you can measure wheel movement perpendicular to the car centerline (in and out movement) and then just push and pull. Compare with specs, if over then get new bearings on it.

Andrew M · 07-05-2009, 09:06 AM

Didn't repack them, just adjusted. So....I take it the really low growl I hear when I spin the hub really fast is bad.

Can wheel bearing make this noise with just old grease in them? I'll try to re-pack and see how that goes.
BTW, Wayne, Burgermeister....noticed your from Michigan, whereabouts?
I'm in the Grosse Pointe area.

Andrew M · 05:53 PM

UPDATE:

Looks like Burgermeister was right, the pads were touching the cross-drilled rotors and giving that little growl sound. Pulled the pads (after mildly chipping one trying to back it off) and no growl. Checked the outer bearing and race since I was there, all good.
As far as tightening goes the only thing I can add is that I think that you need to tighten the thrust washer just a little more than a "slight nudge from the screwdriver" moving it, I had just to much slop in the 12 to 6 shake.
What I did was tighten the thrust washer to where I had to LEVER the screwdriver lightly against the inside of the hub to move the washer. Now I have just a hint of movement with the 12-6 shake.
Thanks for the inputs.

Oh Haha · 07-05-2009, 05:55 PM

Good news.

I'm way up near Flint.

ramonesfreak · ramonesfreak's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by Andrew M

UPDATE:

Looks like Burgermeister was right, the pads were touching the cross-drilled rotors and giving that little growl sound. Pulled the pads (after mildly chipping one trying to back it off) and no growl. Checked the outer bearing and race since I was there, all good.
As far as tightening goes the only thing I can add is that I think that you need to tighten the thrust washer just a little more than a "slight nudge from the screwdriver" moving it, I had just to much slop in the 12 to 6 shake.
What I did was tighten the thrust washer to where I had to LEVER the screwdriver lightly against the inside of the hub to move the washer. Now I have just a hint of movement with the 12-6 shake.
Thanks for the inputs.

im confused. you now have a hint of movement in the wheel or the washer?

did you have a loose wheel on the 12/6 but not 3/9 ?

Andrew M · 07-05-2009, 07:03 PM

Actually both.
Thrust washer moves with light "levering of the srewdriver" against the inside hub wall. Wheel has only the slightest and I mean really slight movement on the 12-6 shake.
And no discernable movement in the 9 to 3 movement. You would expect the 9-3 shake to be the same as the 12-6, but they're not. Why? I don't know. Read a lot of posts with this odd difference. Maybe it has to do with the steering geometry, IOW the 12-6 shake has less "moveable parts" so you can gauge it more accurately, whereas the 9-3 has the steering rack that moves ever so slightly.

ramonesfreak · ramonesfreak's Garage

i have 12-6 movement only. threads i read here said mostly, 12-6 is from spindle wear and not loose bearing. i have no 9-3

have not tried to tighten bearing yet.

spence88mph · 07-05-2009, 08:35 PM

mine do this too, hopefully it's just the pads, could you really notice it when driving?

I have the same brakes as you.

burgermeister · burgermeister's Garage

Glad to hear it's just the brakes.

I'm in the northern burbs.

My spindles have about 0.0005" wear at the 12 & 6 positions (translates to 0.001" gap either side when a bearing race is pushed up or down, and proportionately more at the wheel - maybe +-0.01" or so).

Careful getting those bearings too tight - it is possible to seize one up. Better a wee too loose than a wee too tight. If you've ever cold-chiseled a bearing race off a spindle at some godforsaken gas station in 5 degree temperatures, you know what I mean.