roadgrader

I replaced the tires a couple of months ago and a drone started about the same time on the left rear. I just had the tire shop swap the rear tires from side to side to see if the noise would change but, it didn't. I'm assuming rear wheel bearings. Is there anything else that would account for this type of noise? Also, is this a diy issue?

roadgrader

Never mind. My search foo doesn't work too well here. I did a search on line to find if there were anything exotic about the Vette. Nope. Get the tire in the air. Grab the tire at 12 and 6 and wiggle. If the bearings are bad you'll probably see or hear some movement. If you do then click on and follow along to replace the bearing unit.

I'll let you know how it goes when I start looking into this tomorrow just in case anyone else has this problem and can't find the many posts about it here on CF.

schpenxel

It's not bad. Basically remove tire and remove axle nut. Then I believe it was a tie rod looking thing I had to remove. 3 torx bolts hold the hub on and that's pretty much it

The noise difference on mine after I changed two bad ones was insane. Shouldnt take more than an hour or two at most.

timd38

I went with SKF performance, they cost a little more, but will last far longer.

schpenxel

I bought the cheapest ones I could find, GMB brand maybe? $75, 50K miles so far

They might explode tomorrow, never know

roadgrader

Like headlights I'll probably have to change them both.

Time to go wiggle tires.

cclive

Funny!

roadgrader

No wiggle in any direction. Drive shaft is solid. Lots of noise when rotating the wheel left and right. Could that indicate anything? Could the spokes on the wheels cause this noise? It's a drone or howl. They're the split 5 spoke wheels that I think come from the 2008 model. I'm lost now.

I'm hoping to take the car on vacation in 2 weeks and don't want to risk breaking down and working on the car instead of making my lady happy.

I'm in Arlington, TX. Anyone know of a good mechanic in the area?

schpenxel

Mine never wiggled on any of the 4 I've changed (between 2 vehicles). They were all incredibly noise and very obviously bad once I had them off.

roadgrader

just for grins I jacked up the back and ran it up to 50 mph where when on the road it makes the most noise. Nothing without a load. Any ideas?

roadgrader

We may have a winner. What kind of noise and how many miles?

ls1121

I'm replacing one right now. A company called detroit axle $37.50 on ebay. I had a set on my Camaro from them for maybe 180,000 miles and I replaced one again because of the brake sensor, the bearing was good.

HBsurfer

Have you changed the oil on the diff yet? If not, easy DIY and worth a try.

roadgrader

Already done. I'm thinking it may be bearings because when there was no load there was no noise. I have 86k on the car now. Maye it's time.

Dano523

The SKF bearings are very good if you are going to road coarse the car with say R6 tires, since the OEM type bearing don't do well with the increased lateral force to the bearing from the added grip of the race tires instead.


As for the DD drivers that may never do a high G turn in their life in the car, the OEM bearings are fine instead. Same goes for the strip guys, since your never going to take the end of strip turn at plus 1G as well.


Hence just rolling forward and back, both the OEM type and SKF bearing last about the same amount of miles, and its not until you start to corner much harder that the OEM bearing where design for, that the SKF bearing start to pay off in added costs.

As for Asian ball bearings verse USA ball bearings in themselves, that is a whole different topic isntead. Hence AMF got it so bad when they bought Harley Davidson, the bearing used in the rims where seizing up with little age to them instead. So is looks like Asia has solve the seize problems with the bearings, but may still have the less than stellar blow up problem isntead.

But hey, it a Vet, so if one of the wheel hub bearings does blow up, ending with that tire spinning down the road to over take you, the suspension is still tight enough that you should be able to get the car to a stop safely with the 3 remaining tires instead (that is if the AH does not kick in to just flip the car when it tries to use the ABS isntead).

timd38

What about the fender damage of the wheel coming off! I upgraded to the SKF bearings when I upgraded the brakes and am glad I did it!

Dano523

Snapped an axle on a F350 once at 65mph.

No damage to the fender as the rear tire and axle did an exodus from the truck, and over took me as it went bouncing down the field next to road.

Buzartiano

What tires are u on

When i switched to nitto they made the rear end sound like its was going to blow up r888 s do the same thing

schpenxel

R888's are loud

BlindSpot

I'm thinking tires. Coincidental that the sound you're now hearing started with a tire install?.

It is amazing to me how different tires can make different sounds. Also, sound is quite distorted and sometimes misdirected as it reaches you in the cockpit.

I keep two sets of live wheels/tires. One RF set and one NRF. The runflats are noisier (also older) and have significant tramlining. The NRFs are whisper quiet and track truer, albeit much newer tires.