Wheel Bearing?

[911boost]

I have a slight vibration that I can feel a lit bit more and gets a little louder when taking a sharp right hand turn. I am thinking that the wheel bearings may be going out, especially on the drivers side. The car has 104,000 miles on it, so i am not sure if they have been replaced. Is this a doable DYI job? I have noticed the parts are not that expensive.

Bill

Oh yeah the tires are pretty new, and the wheels have been balanced, new turbo tie rods and steering rack.

[BER]

If it is your wheel bearings, the fronts are fairly straight forward. The rear wheel bearings are more difficult. Kinda depends on how you define "DIY".

Bruce

[echrisconnor]

Front bearings can often be tightened easily. Pull the wheel and the dust cap. There's a bolt in there which locks down with an allen set screw. (part 31 in the following diagram) Loosen the allen, and tighten the large bolt. Don't overtighten. Make sure you can still move the washer behind the bolt with a screwdriver. The Haynes manual gives a good overview of this procedure.

[Superman]

The symptoms you described could be caused by loose bearings, in which case the adjustment procedure above will fix it. If the bearings are in adjustment, then the probablility of your problem being caused by wheel bearings is small. Bad wheel bearings make a lot of noise, but it is a roaring, moaning sound.

[911boost]

Thanks guys I will check it out over the weekend. I thought it was road noise at first, but whne I noticed it was worse when I turned that it what led me to belive it was bearings. I will drive it and listen for the roaring noise.

Bill

[Superman]

A bad wheel bearing will operate okay for a long period of time. During that time, it will get louder. Eventually, the car will sound like a cross between a locomotive and an air raid siren. You can often tell where the bad bearing is by raising the wheels and spinning them. First, pry the brake pads away from the rotors so that all you hear is bearing. Still, it might be bad and not grind for you in the garage.

[rfix'n]

As stated above, if its the fronts its easy. Hardest part is getting the dust cap off. I replaced mine two years ago and think I left them a little loose. I need to get in there and tighten them up but am dreading the dust cap.

The rears are more difficult and require a special tool or removal of the banana arm and a shop press.

[john70t]

You can check by shaking the top of the tire for the "clunk".
I had problems with mine losening up by themselves even after tightening the pinchbolt tighter than necessary.
Problem was cured by degreasing threads and adding a couple drops locktight to it though it might indicate something else amiss.

[Mike Feinstein]

Just for clarification...isn't it necessary to replace the races along with the bearings? If so, I believe they must be pressed out and the new ones pressed in.

[Doug E]

Mike - I've always heard (and believed) that the races and bearings must be replaced as a set as well.

Anybody ever just done the bearings, and if so, what was the long term effect?

[john70t]

The bearings/races should be replaced as a set.
Something about the races seating and the bearing cage flexing to get the rollers to be perfectly flat on both surfaces.
When I did mine, I put it in the oven(clean that puppy well) at 250 for 30 minutes(not sure if this is right), take out, put on 2x4 to support the hub and knocked out the races with a big hammer and long punch. Compressed air or ice to shrink them probably wouldn't have hurt.
Install was the same heat with the races in the freezer.
I took the old ones and ground a few 1/1000th off, flipped them upside down, and used them as drivers for the new ones.
Had to work quickly and cleanly. Also, Aluminum deforms easily with the missed hits.
The same procedures with a press would have much better but this may work in a pinch.