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Mysterious wheel bearing type of grinding
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Supernaut
User
May 22, 2017, 12:11 AM
Post #1 of 14
(1852 views)
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Mysterious wheel bearing type of grinding
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I have an '04 Pontiac Sunfire that has been making a wheel bearing like grinding noise on the left front. Turn right and the weight transfer to the left makes the noise much louder. It wouldn't be my first rodeo with wheel bearing issues, so I replaced the left front hub/bearing with a nice Timkin unit. Go for a test drive and found that it made absolutely no difference. Some research tells me that a bad CV joint can exhibit the exact same symptoms. Replaced the axle and put everything back together. A test drive reveals that exactly nothing was solved.
I don't see any scoring/rub marks or indication of rotational contact. I am pretty well stumped on this one. This might be an abstract thought but perhaps the weight transfer pushes the axle into the differential a wee bit and the sound comes from within there.
Any Ideas?
EDIT:
I will also mention that I put on new brake pads and rotors while I was into this. The previous rotors also did not have rubbing evidence.
(This post was edited by Supernaut on May 22, 2017, 12:13 AM)
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Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
May 22, 2017, 4:45 AM
Post #2 of 14
(1834 views)
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Re: Mysterious wheel bearing type of grinding
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It certainly wasn't a C/V axle.
How about the other side of the car. Has anybody checked that. It can be deceiving. We normally try to confirm it on a lift with a stethoscope although the noise is much louder with the car weight on it.
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We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.
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Discretesignals
Ultimate Carjunky
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May 22, 2017, 5:25 AM
Post #3 of 14
(1827 views)
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Re: Mysterious wheel bearing type of grinding
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Sometimes tires can make noises similar to a bad hub bearing. Tires chopped or does rotating the tires change the noise?
Since we volunteer our time and knowledge, we ask for you to please follow up when a problem is resolved.
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Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
May 22, 2017, 6:30 AM
Post #4 of 14
(1816 views)
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Re: Mysterious wheel bearing type of grinding
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Yes on both. Suggest rotating tires and mark where they were inside. See if noise changes at all.
If you have real bearing hub you hear like that you can feel it in your hands spinning a bad one proves it's bad it should spin free. Can't do that on brand new one as it's still sticky from being new even if it's totally bad wouldn't be the exact same way,
T
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Supernaut
User
May 27, 2017, 8:14 PM
Post #5 of 14
(1762 views)
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Re: Mysterious wheel bearing type of grinding
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Well, tires were not the answer. Switched to summer tires today (about a month over due, there was still snow here this far up in the great white north a little over a month ago), the front 2 being a lightly used pair of Goodyear Assurance purchased and mounted just today. Grinding noise remains the same. How frustrating.
EDIT:
I wanted to add that the summer tires are on a different set of rims. Not that I would think a rim would cause it but I need to be thinking out of the box at this point.
(This post was edited by Supernaut on May 27, 2017, 8:18 PM)
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Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky
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May 28, 2017, 12:59 AM
Post #6 of 14
(1743 views)
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Re: Mysterious wheel bearing type of grinding
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Back to initial suggestions. All different wheels and tires now it's back to probable bearing. Did you spin the one you replaced to feel it? It was said up top the noise from one side can transfer to the other and fool you.
It doesn't take a huge visual flaw on a bearing, rolling parts or the races to sound terrible with weight on it and no you can't look right at these you feel them though.
Rule out any splash/dust shield rubbing a rotor too and I'd move on to the other side's bearing. Do feel it in hand you really can tell it should spin if used already said but not new out of the box - cold grease unused yet will not freewheel, used should meaning yours
On the list less likely is new bearing isn't any good. Many don't last as well but almost never the same exact noises and when if bad out of the box.
Hate to see you toss parts and be wrong so check as best as possible. Stethoscope may help or a listening rod may find it.
Again - just me maybe but with hub wheel bearings I never feel so sure until old one is my hands and spun then sure at least that one was definitely bad,
T
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ediway
Novice
May 28, 2017, 8:06 AM
Post #7 of 14
(1737 views)
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Re: Mysterious wheel bearing type of grinding
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not long ago my car was making a kind of brake grinding on left front side while driving. after checking it, it seemed that my left front spindle was bad (according to the auto shop). Then they also changed the lower control arm and calipers at the same time.
it fixed the problem.
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Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
May 28, 2017, 8:10 AM
Post #8 of 14
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Re: Mysterious wheel bearing type of grinding
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Not helpful. He does not have a brake noise.
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We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.
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Supernaut
User
May 28, 2017, 11:32 AM
Post #9 of 14
(1720 views)
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Re: Mysterious wheel bearing type of grinding
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The bearing I took off seems good still. I am going to install it on the right side sometime this week when I get a chance. That will mean going to my local Canadian Tire and renting the axle nut socket kit for a 4th time . The right side bearing is original with 427,000km (265,000mi) on it so it's likely due.
Fortunately I do not depend on this car as a daily driver as I have a company provided Ford F-350 I use for work as an HVAC/plumbing technician. The cars only serves for getting around on personal matters.
(This post was edited by Supernaut on May 28, 2017, 11:40 AM)
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Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
May 28, 2017, 11:35 AM
Post #10 of 14
(1716 views)
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Re: Mysterious wheel bearing type of grinding
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Once you have the hub out of the car and in your hand, it will be very easy to feel if it is good or bad. It will be very rough when you rotate
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We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.
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Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky
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May 28, 2017, 12:01 PM
Post #11 of 14
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Re: Mysterious wheel bearing type of grinding
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Supernaut - readers: Bearing with the tiniest amount of "galling" (sp?) will be felt or heard. A good bearing simply can't make a sound or any feel that you are rotating it.
People naturally expect because when carrying a car in this case it was quite a noise and just the little sound or rough feel means it's bad. They are not necessarily going to go by miles - save that story. By the time one has any freeplay it's about to fall off the car!
This feel and sound is about an acquired/learned thing.
Now my own practice with this is if the old one came out and spun silently I would really think hard about not replacing it! I usually had friend, family or customer right there as this was a quick job on many. It's not the hard but of course already have all the sockets and tools sorry you have to rent them. I would have take the other off to compare if need be.
With sealed bearings like this unfortunately you can't see the flaws just only when installed and driving.
DO NOT rule out the dust shields. Some plastic some metal can be bent or warped from heat and touch rotor and sound like all hell broke lose. You can bend those by where you may place jack stands also maybe some time ago?
Sorry it's being elusive on you, Tom
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Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky
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May 28, 2017, 12:06 PM
Post #12 of 14
(1704 views)
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Re: Mysterious wheel bearing type of grinding
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Don't rule out the rear either. Sounds can be deceiving sometimes.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.
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Supernaut
User
Jun 1, 2017, 10:16 PM
Post #13 of 14
(1682 views)
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Re: Mysterious wheel bearing type of grinding
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Changed out the right front hub/bearing which was one hell of a struggle after 13 years of rust (including 3 winters in highly corrosive Southern Ontario). It took a torch and 2 hours of pounding with a ball peen and a pry bar to get out the old sucker. Replaced it with the bearing that originally came off the left front and problem solved.
I'll be damned. Every indication of sound and steering reaction said the problem was coming from the left front. Even passengers listening agreed. Goes to show how deceiving a strange sound can be. I can now sleep a bit easier.
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Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Jun 2, 2017, 2:13 AM
Post #14 of 14
(1678 views)
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Re: Mysterious wheel bearing type of grinding
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OK - sorry it was a pest to replace but you found it and proved noises travel like that. IDK - frequently if tough ride and let another drive the vehicle and change or move about myself while they turn and so forth for the best clue.
I'll close this out as solved and you may ask any moderator to re-open it,
T
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