Diagnose faulty wheel bearing

aidanki · 02-03-2019 11:47am #1

I seem to have a bit of a roar from car when I pick up speed, and it seems to get louder as speeds increase.

It’s not engine related as pulled out of gear at 120 this morning engine revs dropped to nothing and the noise remained. Would this rule out gearbox too ?

How do I check which wheel bearing it could be, jack up and shake ?

w211 · 02-03-2019 12:43pm

The wheel bearing check, jack the car up and check the wheel movement. Put your hands 3 and 9 oclock and shake it. If ii nice and solid you have a good wheel bearing.

ecotec101 · 02-03-2019 1:35pm

better to check at 12 to 6 position as well, most now wont have movement, however jack up and spin and listen out for a 'grumbling rough' sound, that will be a better indication of a wheel bearing problem.

On a separate note, have you changed any tyres lately? Had a vehicle last week with what sounded like a wheel bearing, but turned out to be cheap tyres with rubbish rock hard compound making a ridiculous road noise.

w211 · 02-03-2019 1:49pm

12/6 if you have other suspension problems too. Because we do not know anything about that car, we can not suggest to check the cv joint or the rear axle. Some reason the Irish drivers does not know the gearbox and the rear axle (if the car are rear wheel drive) needs too the oil change. About every 80 000km. There is no such thing as the life time gearbox or rear axle oil. The job is easy (the manual gearbox) and should not cost over 70 including the oil and labor.

ecotec101 · 02-03-2019 1:56pm

No, 12-6 is more definitive in diagnosing a wheel bearing problem, end of. 3-9 will more then likely cause confusion if the problem is a inner tie rod etc. i don't know what you are talking about regarding rear axle and gearbox etc.

Anyway, I'm done now with the free advice, 4 years apprenticeship, 17 fully qualified years, 4 years degree, 1 year Masters. Just had to respond to original post cause I've been creeping here and noticed 'w211', you talk a lot of sh1te.

Ciao.

w211 · 02-03-2019 2:10pm

I have a new "fan", welcome to the club!

The wheel bearing test you basically can shake it where ever you want. 3/9 and 6/12 gives to you more information about the entire suspension system. For wheel bearing test shake it where ever you want. I suggested the 3/9 because it is the most logical way.

You can have the degree and all the papers but it does not mean automatically you can to do that job. Like you see, you made immediately everything such a complicate.

ecotec101 · 02-03-2019 2:26pm

Not complicated just the correct way to diagnose. I list my qualifications to highlight I know what I'm talking about as I read such nonsense from anoraks or bar stool mechanics on here, some of the advice posted here is either dangerous or laughably incorrect.

Also, if I couldn't do the job! I would presume my business would have went bust within a year of me opening 15 years ago

You should stick to trying to stir up custom for yourself and claim you're doing it as the good Samaritan, trying help a brother out! lol

FishOnABike · 02-03-2019 2:36pm

w211 wrote: »

The wheel bearing check, jack the car up and check the wheel movement. Put your hands 3 and 9 oclock and shake it. If ii nice and solid you have a good wheel bearing.

I had a badly worn wheel bearing that showed absolutely no play trying to shake it, very little rumble spinning the wheel by hand either. The difference between how freely the wheel rotated with a new bearing was very noticeable though.

w211 · 02-03-2019 2:42pm

ecotec101 wrote: »

Not complicated just the correct way to diagnose. I list my qualifications to highlight I know what I'm talking about as I read such nonsense from anoraks or bar stool mechanics on here, some of the advice posted here is either dangerous or laughably incorrect.

Also, if I couldn't do the job! I would presume my business would have went bust within a year of me opening 15 years ago
You should stick to trying to stir up custom for yourself and claim you're doing it as the good Samaritan, trying help a brother out! lol

The wheel bearing are the round and does not matter what way you test it. If you have a square wheel bearing then I understand your point. Still 3/9 are the easiest way because you do not need to count about the wheel weight too. Bigger cars have a heavy wheels and if you try to test the wheel bearing from 6/12, You may not able to lift it at all. The 3/9 does not have a any interference about the weight and you can easily feel the movement.

I am happy about you, after 15 years you came here and made the account to share the higher knowledge. No joke or irony. I can make too mistakes and same you (if you are human). Honestly no BS

ecotec101 · 02-03-2019 2:59pm

OP, I'm done lowering myself to this level, take my advice in my reply.

w211 · 02-03-2019 3:20pm

ecotec101 wrote: »

OP, I'm done lowering myself to this level, take my advice in my reply.

I understand it goes bit off topic but really, no offense or showing you as fool. We all learning entire our life.

rex-x · 02-03-2019 6:06pm

w211 wrote: »

The wheel bearing are the round and does not matter what way you test it. If you have a square wheel bearing then I understand your point. Still 3/9 are the easiest way because you do not need to count about the wheel weight too. Bigger cars have a heavy wheels and if you try to test the wheel bearing from 6/12, You may not able to lift it at all. The 3/9 does not have a any interference about the weight and you can easily feel the movement.

I am happy about you, after 15 years you came here and made the account to share the higher knowledge. No joke or irony. I can make too mistakes and same you (if you are human). Honestly no BS

Noisy wheel bearings generally have no play, wheel bearings with play generally make no noise

aidanki · 02-03-2019 10:57pm

w211 wrote: »

12/6 if you have other suspension problems too. Because we do not know anything about that car, we can not suggest to check the cv joint or the rear axle. Some reason the Irish drivers does not know the gearbox and the rear axle (if the car are rear wheel drive) needs too the oil change. About every 80 000km. There is no such thing as the life time gearbox or rear axle oil. The job is easy (the manual gearbox) and should not cost over 70 including the oil and labor.

Yes I did change the original gearbox oil at 80k miles I think it was, whatever the manual said anyway, it’s due again actually

w211 · 02-03-2019 11:37pm

aidanki wrote: »

Yes I did change the original gearbox oil at 80k miles I think it was, whatever the manual said anyway, it’s due again actually

You are the first Irish (are you Irish?) who cares!!! Looking the date and time it makes sense. Almost all others are already drunk (no offensive comment, sorry).

Do you have a magnetic plug installed? It is really handy on manual gearbox(if your car have a manual gearbox) and the rear axle (if your car have a rear axle)

blackbox · 03-03-2019 9:04pm

ecotec101 wrote: »

better to check at 12 to 6 position as well, most now wont have movement, however jack up and spin and listen out for a 'grumbling rough' sound, that will be a better indication of a wheel bearing problem.

On a separate note, have you changed any tyres lately? Had a vehicle last week with what sounded like a wheel bearing, but turned out to be cheap tyres with rubbish rock hard compound making a ridiculous road noise.

As above, go by the noise. It's often the one without the play that is making the noise. Sometimes you have to remove the brake pads to hear the bearing properly as the pads can make some noise when spinning slowly.

samih · 04-03-2019 6:05pm

Normally you can spot noisy wheel bearings by driving around corners. If the noise changes cornering left/right you most likely have a wheel bearing issue. If the noise is at its worse cornering right the left hand side bearing is most likely the worn out one.

aidanki · 13-03-2019 11:38pm

Well I went for a formal diagnosis this morning and the mechanic concluded that it was probably the gearbox bearings and to get a SH gearbox from a breaker if I wanted to change it. He reckons leave well enough alone, a SH gearbox might be worse, he is probably right I guess.

He reckons its the same medicine requited as in this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9F7CySrt4Co
where the mechanic is changing the rear gearbox bearings with the car simply up on the hoist with the gearbox still attached to the engine.

Any of the mechanics reading ever done or attempted such a job

ecotec101 · 14-03-2019 9:02am

Did this mechanic provide you with a YouTube link?
Did he charge you for the diagnosis?

Wibbs · 14-03-2019 8:27pm

w211 wrote: »

You are the first Irish (are you Irish?) who cares!!! Looking the date and time it makes sense. Almost all others are already drunk (no offensive comment, sorry).

Do you have a magnetic plug installed? It is really handy on manual gearbox(if your car have a manual gearbox) and the rear axle (if your car have a rear axle)

I've changed gearbox oil on all the cars I've owned, my current car I've changed twice(60k and 100k). Magnetic plug in both gearbox and engine. I'm Irish, sometimes drunk.

Me and my car. Earlier.

Top of the mornin to ya.

samih wrote: »

Normally you can spot noisy wheel bearings by driving around corners. If the noise changes cornering left/right you most likely have a wheel bearing issue. If the noise is at its worse cornering right the left hand side bearing is most likely the worn out one.

That's how I spotted one years back. The usual tests didn't spot it, my mechanic who I trust 100%, a man who can diagnose over the phone

he couldn't feel anything either, but like you say under cornering and pretty heavy cornering you could hear the low rumble. Swapped out bearing and the rumble went away.

Diagnose faulty wheel bearing

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