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Front Wheels are hard to Spin??!!
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 664
Likes: 6
From: Kearney Nebraska
Front Wheels are hard to Spin??!!
I had my car on the hoist the other day and noticed that the front wheels are alittle bit harder to spin than my 06 GTO. If i grab the wheel on my GTO and give it a Good spin it will keep spinning for about 20-30 rotations, Where the wheels on my Z06 make about 7-10 rotations and stop.
i am the 3rd owner of my Z which has 122K miles on it, (GTO has 25K miles) and im wondering if i should replace the wheel bearings?? I dont notice any Growling or humming while driving the car, but im going to beat that the tight wheel is due to old bearings.
Just thought i would get some other opinons to see what else i should check into.
i am the 3rd owner of my Z which has 122K miles on it, (GTO has 25K miles) and im wondering if i should replace the wheel bearings?? I dont notice any Growling or humming while driving the car, but im going to beat that the tight wheel is due to old bearings.
Just thought i would get some other opinons to see what else i should check into.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 19,470
Likes: 1,170
From: Dyer, IN
I had my car on the hoist the other day and noticed that the front wheels are alittle bit harder to spin than my 06 GTO. If i grab the wheel on my GTO and give it a Good spin it will keep spinning for about 20-30 rotations, Where the wheels on my Z06 make about 7-10 rotations and stop.
i am the 3rd owner of my Z which has 122K miles on it, (GTO has 25K miles) and im wondering if i should replace the wheel bearings?? I dont notice any Growling or humming while driving the car, but im going to beat that the tight wheel is due to old bearings.
Just thought i would get some other opinons to see what else i should check into.
i am the 3rd owner of my Z which has 122K miles on it, (GTO has 25K miles) and im wondering if i should replace the wheel bearings?? I dont notice any Growling or humming while driving the car, but im going to beat that the tight wheel is due to old bearings.
Just thought i would get some other opinons to see what else i should check into.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 5,474
Likes: 1,068
From: Chester County Pennsylvania
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At 122K I would change the wheel bearings, regardless how they spin.
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 6,366
Likes: 249
From: Fort Lauderdale, Florida
I think it's just brake drag you are feeling when spinning the wheels. If anything it seems your Pontiac wheels spin too freely. My Z06 has 78k miles and the front wheel bearings were replaced about 10k miles ago. They spin like yours do, just a few revolutions at a time. I'd check for play and if they're good and you're not hearing any bad bearing noises, I wouldn't fix what ain't broken. BTW, mine were replaced due to a driving incident and GM paid for the new ones, so I put them in even though it turned out I didn't need them.
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Race Director
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 11,152
Likes: 890
From: South Western Ontario
I'd be surprized if I could get mine to spin more than 2 or 3 revolutions. If I had to guess I'd say the 06 GTO is built with calipers that pull back more to remove more of the brake drag.
Peter
Last edited by lionelhutz; Feb 9, 2010 at 11:44 PM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 6,366
Likes: 249
From: Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Thinking about this a little more, I think if your bearings were bad that they would spin more freely due to being worn, not less. One of the few things you never hear of being a C5 problem is wheel bearings, maybe only once in a while, and more likely cars subjected to road courses.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 2,150
Likes: 6
From: NS
I think it's just brake drag you are feeling when spinning the wheels. If anything it seems your Pontiac wheels spin too freely. My Z06 has 78k miles and the front wheel bearings were replaced about 10k miles ago. They spin like yours do, just a few revolutions at a time. I'd check for play and if they're good and you're not hearing any bad bearing noises, I wouldn't fix what ain't broken. BTW, mine were replaced due to a driving incident and GM paid for the new ones, so I put them in even though it turned out I didn't need them.
You can't check wheel bearings by just spinning the wheel. If they are not noisy, and if they are not loose the don't worry about it.
Check them by jacking the wheel a few inches off the ground and use a pry bar under the tire. Try to move the wheel in a vertical direction. If you feel any movement at all take a close look to see where it's coming from. It could be the bearing or ball joints.
Safety Car
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 3,526
Likes: 20
From: Santa Fe TX
You could try lubing the slide-pins on the front calipers. This would require removing the caliper as if you are changing the pads, then removing the slide pins buy pulling on the boot (carefully), then re-lubing the inside with lithium grease.
Here is a good pic/description:
http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums...Number=1082760
This will help with them releasing and not sticking.
This assumes that you do not have a sticking piston in the caliper, but if both Left and Right wheels exhibit similar behavior, it's probably not stuck.
and while you have the caliper off you can spin the hub to see if it spins more freely and/or listen to the bearings.
And your Z probably has a bigger brakes (a lot more caliper to rotor contact surface area) than your GTO.
Here is a good pic/description:
http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums...Number=1082760
This will help with them releasing and not sticking.
This assumes that you do not have a sticking piston in the caliper, but if both Left and Right wheels exhibit similar behavior, it's probably not stuck.
and while you have the caliper off you can spin the hub to see if it spins more freely and/or listen to the bearings.
And your Z probably has a bigger brakes (a lot more caliper to rotor contact surface area) than your GTO.
Last edited by jedblanks; Feb 10, 2010 at 10:35 AM.
Burning Brakes
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 1,147
Likes: 1
From: Mohegan Lake New York
couple weeks ago out w/the vette little snow squall just a little coating,very small upward inclineto get home slippin and slidingtraction control cutting in and out but allowed me to progress and get home active/traction lite came on along w/noise like traction cntrl cutting in and out ,next day lite out car seemed fine drove all seemed ok... my driveway has slight incline and brake off will slowly roll down driveway now needed inital clutch engagement to get going also in my area long hill which when going down will pick up a certain MPH now it picked up half of what it did.Jack up car rears spin normal fronts could spin by hand but free spin 1-2 revolutionswheels off ,visual insp e-thing looked okcracked bleeder open no residual pressure close bleeder.. pads ok...pushed caliper piston back slightly in bore both sides now ok hit brakes couple times to reseat piston and check for d dragwent 4 test ride ok3 weeks now still ok my guess...working the traction control/active handling whilst slipping and sliding into a frenzy might have something to do with it but it seems to be fine... any active hand/traction cntrl. electronic guru's out there can shine a light on this odd behavior??? HEY BILL C.can you help with this one??
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 24,160
Likes: 78
couple weeks ago out w/the vette little snow squall just a little coating,very small upward inclineto get home slippin and slidingtraction control cutting in and out but allowed me to progress and get home active/traction lite came on along w/noise like traction cntrl cutting in and out ,next day lite out car seemed fine drove all seemed ok... my driveway has slight incline and brake off will slowly roll down driveway now needed inital clutch engagement to get going also in my area long hill which when going down will pick up a certain MPH now it picked up half of what it did.Jack up car rears spin normal fronts could spin by hand but free spin 1-2 revolutionswheels off ,visual insp e-thing looked okcracked bleeder open no residual pressure close bleeder.. pads ok...pushed caliper piston back slightly in bore both sides now ok hit brakes couple times to reseat piston and check for d dragwent 4 test ride ok3 weeks now still ok my guess...working the traction control/active handling whilst slipping and sliding into a frenzy might have something to do with it but it seems to be fine... any active hand/traction cntrl. electronic guru's out there can shine a light on this odd behavior??? HEY BILL C.can you help with this one??
Burning Brakes
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 1,147
Likes: 1
From: Mohegan Lake New York
You're right ,Long winded post....As Jack Webb from Dragnet used to say "Just the facts" that's what I gave.... I think this prob. may affect more cars if two guys notice same thing...if auto trans. may never know but I know this gotta cost performance,gas mileage,brakes,just making forum aware and put in all facts in case somebody can diagnose....got any ideas ?
Pro
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 679
Likes: 4
From: TremontonUT UT
Ditto what striper posted. My 02 Duramax with 116K won't spin three times. The push-pull method is the proper way to check wheel bearings. Depending where you put the jack, you will get a little upper ball joint wear if there is any. If you get any play, get someone to push-pull while you look. Later! Frank
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 768
Likes: 6
From: Newport Beach, Southern California
couple weeks ago out w/the vette little snow squall just a little coating,very small upward inclineto get home slippin and slidingtraction control cutting in and out but allowed me to progress and get home active/traction lite came on along w/noise like traction cntrl cutting in and out ,next day lite out car seemed fine drove all seemed ok... my driveway has slight incline and brake off will slowly roll down driveway now needed inital clutch engagement to get going also in my area long hill which when going down will pick up a certain MPH now it picked up half of what it did.Jack up car rears spin normal fronts could spin by hand but free spin 1-2 revolutionswheels off ,visual insp e-thing looked okcracked bleeder open no residual pressure close bleeder.. pads ok...pushed caliper piston back slightly in bore both sides now ok hit brakes couple times to reseat piston and check for d dragwent 4 test ride ok3 weeks now still ok my guess...working the traction control/active handling whilst slipping and sliding into a frenzy might have something to do with it but it seems to be fine... any active hand/traction cntrl. electronic guru's out there can shine a light on this odd behavior??? HEY BILL C.can you help with this one??
