When to replace wheel bearing???
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 5,197
Likes: 190
From: ALL governments are legalized mobsters, so doesn't matter where I live :(
When to replace wheel bearing???
How do you know if you need a new wheel bearing? After I installed new wheels and tires last summer I noticed on the highway that I get a pulsating vibration at around 60mph. The vibration is constant, it comes in pulses, Ex: Driving @60mph vibration/pulse happens every 3 seconds intervals (if that makes any sense). I don't feel it as much driving slower, and if I remember correctly, at higher speeds the intervals quicken then go away.
Has anyone experienced this phenomenon? I'm going to get the car re-aligned, but wondering if road force balancing may help my issue. I just don't want to start throwing money around at problems if it's not needed.
Thanks.
Has anyone experienced this phenomenon? I'm going to get the car re-aligned, but wondering if road force balancing may help my issue. I just don't want to start throwing money around at problems if it's not needed.
Thanks.
Safety Car
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 4,549
Likes: 30
From: Shenandoah Valley Virginia
Don't think that your problem is a bearing. Bearings usually will make noise in direct relation to the car speed - higher = more noise. The noise will be constant and not pulsating. You can also detect a bad bearing by jacking the car up grabbing the wheel and rocking it top to bottom to check for lateral movement. Anything more than a very small movement = bearing wear. Unfortunately, can't help on further diagnosis - an on - off again pulsation is a tough one without actually driving the car to see what is happening.
Advanced
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 80
Likes: 0
From: San Diego CA
Possible your rotor is warped and lightly rubbing the brake pads? That would account for the pulsation but should be evident at lower speeds too. I would take a high speed run, and then do a quick pit stop, and check to see if one of your rotors is hotter then the others. If one rotor is significantly hotter, then that would indicate the problem area.
Instructor
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 211
Likes: 0
From: Spring Texas
Its your rear outter tie rods! I have been having the same exact problem, took it to get an alignment done and the tech showed me that both of my rear tie rod bushing are worn out. You can check this by jacking up your car and grabbing your tire at 9 and 3 and see if theres any play. If you grab at 12 and 6 and theres play then its your bearing like mentioned above. I ordered my tie rod ends from ecklers and they should be here friday and can give you an update if it solves my problem.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 2,938
Likes: 65
From: Rochester Hills MI
i had the exact same problem from a bent wheel. jack it up and give it a spin to check the circularity. if bent, its most likely on the inner lip. this can be repaired pretty easily.
Instructor
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 221
Likes: 0
From: Ponchatoula LA
I have the same problem going on, and I too was told it was my wheel bearing and that I should wait for it to get worse to know for sure. I have been driving it like that daily for 3 or 4 months now and it hasn't changed at all. I currently have no clue was is causing this.
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Instructor
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 211
Likes: 0
From: Spring Texas
Its your rear outter tie rods! I have been having the same exact problem, took it to get an alignment done and the tech showed me that both of my rear tie rod bushing are worn out. You can check this by jacking up your car and grabbing your tire at 9 and 3 and see if theres any play. If you grab at 12 and 6 and theres play then its your bearing like mentioned above. I ordered my tie rod ends from ecklers and they should be here friday and can give you an update if it solves my problem.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 10,962
Likes: 29
From: Van Buren Arkansas
Wounded Warrior Escort '11
These aren't what you are thinking as a traditional spindle rather a hub assembly which contains the bearing/spindle/sensor and so on and its a sealed unit/assembly. Got to Autozone for the Tiemkin brand as they appear to be the OEM but not sure...very good item for the price.
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 5,197
Likes: 190
From: ALL governments are legalized mobsters, so doesn't matter where I live :(
These aren't what you are thinking as a traditional spindle rather a hub assembly which contains the bearing/spindle/sensor and so on and its a sealed unit/assembly. Got to Autozone for the Tiemkin brand as they appear to be the OEM but not sure...very good item for the price.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 7,430
Likes: 4,829
From: BEST Corn-Nation
2015 C5 of the Year Winner
Have had this issue for about a year now and have had 2 different sets of wheels on. That didn't help in my case. Wouldn't think I could get 2 sets of wheels with the exact same issue but you never know. I was told about a different remedy. It could be the ring and pinion that has a little slop in it. I am going to check my tie rods this week as that would be easier to fix than the rear diff r&r. Thanks for the info guys.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 7,430
Likes: 4,829
From: BEST Corn-Nation
2015 C5 of the Year Winner
Just a quick question. How many miles does everyone have on their car that has this issue? Mine has about 83K on it. But the problem started when it had roughly 75K or so.
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 5,197
Likes: 190
From: ALL governments are legalized mobsters, so doesn't matter where I live :(
Instructor
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 211
Likes: 0
From: Spring Texas
Just turned over 80k! I have had the issue for a while and I have went through two sets of tires on the back and one on the front, an alignment, upgraded some stuff like, clutch, built diff. with 4.10 gears and hardened output shafts, metal end links and pfadt trans brace and none of those helped the issue (I wasnt trying to fix it) but the $44 tie rods took the cake! BTW if you determine that it is in fact the tie rods don't buy the ones from autozone (duralast I believe) because they were to short! Hope that helps!
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 7,430
Likes: 4,829
From: BEST Corn-Nation
2015 C5 of the Year Winner
Thanks for the info. I think I might just change them anyway. For that little money it couldn't hurt to do. So are you saying go to GM to get the tie rod or O'Reillys or Pepboys?
Instructor
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 211
Likes: 0
From: Spring Texas
http://www.pfadtracing.com/docs/camb...t-settings.pdf
Pro
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 734
Likes: 2
From: Mt. Airy MD
Stallion did you get this resolved? Looking into the same issue with mine. Checked for play in the 12-6 for bearing and 3-9 for tie rods neither of which have any play on either side. I do know for a fact that one of my wheels is every so slightly bent (like in the thousandths of an inch) but a Hunter machine picked up on it. So one course of action is to have that worked on. Funny though I did not notice this intermittne pulsation/vibration whatever you want to call it until I had new tires put on this spring and an alignment done.