Front wheel bearings?

[Brian]

I've got a hard-to-describe noise coming from the front left primarily during left turns, especially if they are starp, going up hill, and from a slower speed. As time has gone on, the "especiallies" aren't as applicable, and I can get it during right-hand turns or sometimes even when not turning. It's not a clicking sound, but maybe "scrunching" would describe it. It really sound bad A mechanic took a look when I had it in for a more urgent repair, and he said it's a combination of a bad half-shaft (which was my first guess) and a bad bearing.

I've heard a lot about rear wheel bearings going bad, but not much about front bearings. Does all the stuff about the rear bearings apply to the front ones too...the tendency for failure, the shipping/packing grease issue, the need for a press or hub tamer, the wrong gaskets listed, the same torques, etc.? Or are the fronts an easier and cheaper repair?

[n00b on demand]

I wouldn't say the tendency for failure for the rear is common at all for the fronts. The rears fail by far a million times more than the front. I think i've only read one other thread with someone saying there front bearings are bad in the two years ive been around here. Good luck in finding whats wrong.

- n00b

[immortal_suby]

The front bearings are going bad on my 92 with over 222,000 miles. I replaced one already that was so bad you could move the tire a few mm top to bottom. The other side is only making the low howling noise at this point but needs to be replaced pretty soon also.

It is less common for the fronts to go at low mileage. I expect we will probbaly see some more failing as the miles rack up on more of the 92's and 93's.

the symptoms on mine are as you described - started out only in some turns but got progressively worse and eventually made noise even in in a straight line.

[DarknessofDeath]

i had to replace a front bearing not too shortly after i got my car on the road.

[pipedream]

can someone try and describe the howling sound to me?

ive been reading all about this bearing business for a while now, and im wondering if my bearings are going bad, or if im just hearing normal tire-to-road noise...

is there any perforamnce issues?

[DarknessofDeath]

i'm not too sure about the sound.

but i would imagine in the front more that your car would kind of wander around the road a little...bumpy ride ( i think)....
sorry
dont have my text book with me at work.

i'll post up what i have in my text book in the later afternoon or evening.
unless some one else has given out the answers to the questions.

[DarknessofDeath]

symptoms of defective wheel bearing includes:

1. a hum, rumbling noise or growling noise that increases with vehicle speed.

2. roughness felt in the steering wheel that changes with the vehicle speed or conering.

3. looseness or excessive play in the steering wheel especially while driving over rough road surfaces

4. in severe cases, a loud grinding noise, indicating a defective front wheel bearing

5. pulling during braking

6. bearing roughness, heard and felt when, with the vehicle off the ground, rotating the wheel by hand.

7. bearing looseness felt when grasping the wheel at the top and bottom and wiggling it back and forth.

[ensteele]

I would think it is the half shaft, and not a bearing, but I can't hear it.

[Manarius]

I have a movie of a bad rear wheel bearing. Maybe your car sounds like this?
http://media.putfile.com/Really-a-bearing

Also, I noticed that the wheel itself, when bolted on, has a good bit of play compared to other wheels. If you try to shake your wheels laterally (side to side) they shouldn't move at all. Bad bearings let the wheel move laterally. Also, it can be noticed if you take off the wheel and try to shake the hub...that'll shake also if the bearing is bad.

When you do replace the bearing, replace all the seals and fill it with grease.