Front Wheel Bearing Noise
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 3,323
Likes: 142
From: Green Valley Arizona
Front Wheel Bearing Noise
In my new to me '04 with 29k miles, I hear a fluttering noise everytime I drive next to a wall or something...sounds like I have something really sticky on the tire.
With the front lifted, when I spin the right front wheel, I hear it. I removed the brake caliper and the noise is still there so must be coming from the wheel bearing.
There is no grinding or movement from the bearing, just this fluttering noise. Rotating the hub it is not really smooth but I do not feel any flat spots or anything.
So I am guessing it is already time to replace the front wheel bearings?
Have not checked the rear ones yet.
Autozone no longer carries the Timken 513139 bearings.
With the front lifted, when I spin the right front wheel, I hear it. I removed the brake caliper and the noise is still there so must be coming from the wheel bearing.
There is no grinding or movement from the bearing, just this fluttering noise. Rotating the hub it is not really smooth but I do not feel any flat spots or anything.
So I am guessing it is already time to replace the front wheel bearings?
Have not checked the rear ones yet.
Autozone no longer carries the Timken 513139 bearings.
Last edited by LannyL81; Mar 4, 2016 at 06:44 PM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 2,800
Likes: 456
From: USA
I had a bad wheel bearing on the rear of my 2001. It had a 144,000 miles on it. I changed both sides as well. the other side was as smooth as it could be with those miles on it.
I think it is possible that you could have a bad bearing , but if there is no roughness or loose feel to bearing when spun it I believe I would run it for a while before I just changed it if it was mine.
You should be sure and have the tire on it for leverage when you test it for looseness.
The fronts are not near as hard to replace as the rears and that is a good thing.
Good luck with your job.
I think it is possible that you could have a bad bearing , but if there is no roughness or loose feel to bearing when spun it I believe I would run it for a while before I just changed it if it was mine.
You should be sure and have the tire on it for leverage when you test it for looseness.
The fronts are not near as hard to replace as the rears and that is a good thing.
Good luck with your job.
Safety Car
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 3,757
Likes: 1,215
From: Wisconsin
In my new to me '04 with 29k miles, I hear a fluttering noise everytime I drive next to a wall or something...sounds like I have something really sticky on the tire.
With the front lifted, when I spin the right front wheel, I hear it. I removed the brake caliper and the noise is still there so must be coming from the wheel bearing.
There is no grinding or movement from the bearing, just this fluttering noise. Rotating the hub it is not really smooth but I do not feel any flat spots or anything.
So I am guessing it is already time to replace the front wheel bearings?
Have not checked the rear ones yet.
Autozone no longer carries the Timken 513139 bearings.
With the front lifted, when I spin the right front wheel, I hear it. I removed the brake caliper and the noise is still there so must be coming from the wheel bearing.
There is no grinding or movement from the bearing, just this fluttering noise. Rotating the hub it is not really smooth but I do not feel any flat spots or anything.
So I am guessing it is already time to replace the front wheel bearings?
Have not checked the rear ones yet.
Autozone no longer carries the Timken 513139 bearings.
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 3,323
Likes: 142
From: Green Valley Arizona
Yep that is where I ordered them from.
The rears seem to be fine, but they are alot more difficult to spin since both wheels spin.
The Timkens will be here next week so I will probably just replace them next weekend. It is a bit embarassing rolling up to a stop with cars on my right and hear click...click...click....click....click. ..etc.....getting some "looks" and pretty sure they not in admiration of the car.....LOL.....
The rears seem to be fine, but they are alot more difficult to spin since both wheels spin.
The Timkens will be here next week so I will probably just replace them next weekend. It is a bit embarassing rolling up to a stop with cars on my right and hear click...click...click....click....click. ..etc.....getting some "looks" and pretty sure they not in admiration of the car.....LOL.....
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 3,323
Likes: 142
From: Green Valley Arizona
UPDATE:
Got the front in the air, took right tire/wheel off; turning the hub I could hear the "clicking" noise. Removed caliper and rotor, turning hub..."click" still there. I had ordered and received the Timken bearings so I was ready to go ahead and replace it. Got the shock lower bolts off and the lower ball joint separated (had floor jack under lower control arm) and began to remove the three bolts securing the hub assembly to the spindle.
Now here is where it got weird....about midway of removing the three torqx bolts I again spun the hub and the "click" was gone. Went ahead and removed the hub assembly and it seems to be fine....no "click", turns smoothly...just a very slight difference between the OEM one and the new Timken.
I put the OEM hub back in the spindle, just snugged the three bolts and still no "click." Quite puzzled as to what it was.
I am going to re-install the OEM hub since it is not all that difficult a job if I have to do this again.
Since I do not have a Service Manual for this car, what are the torque values for the three hub bolts, lower control arm ball joint, sway bar bolts??
Appreciate it.
Got the front in the air, took right tire/wheel off; turning the hub I could hear the "clicking" noise. Removed caliper and rotor, turning hub..."click" still there. I had ordered and received the Timken bearings so I was ready to go ahead and replace it. Got the shock lower bolts off and the lower ball joint separated (had floor jack under lower control arm) and began to remove the three bolts securing the hub assembly to the spindle.
Now here is where it got weird....about midway of removing the three torqx bolts I again spun the hub and the "click" was gone. Went ahead and removed the hub assembly and it seems to be fine....no "click", turns smoothly...just a very slight difference between the OEM one and the new Timken.
I put the OEM hub back in the spindle, just snugged the three bolts and still no "click." Quite puzzled as to what it was.
I am going to re-install the OEM hub since it is not all that difficult a job if I have to do this again.
Since I do not have a Service Manual for this car, what are the torque values for the three hub bolts, lower control arm ball joint, sway bar bolts??
Appreciate it.
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 3,323
Likes: 142
From: Green Valley Arizona
Thank you NealB....interesting....on the lower ball joint stud nut...can you tell me what the book says is supposed to be performed between each pass? A bit at a loss as there is only one nut to tighten...???....not like I am doing a head bolt tightening sequence here....???
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer
Brett Foote
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years
Joe Kucinski
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 2,800
Likes: 456
From: USA
Thank you NealB....interesting....on the lower ball joint stud nut...can you tell me what the book says is supposed to be performed between each pass? A bit at a loss as there is only one nut to tighten...???....not like I am doing a head bolt tightening sequence here....???
The second pass in in degrees and you turn the nut 210 degrees.
Then on the final pass the torque is 41 ft pounds.
I purchased a degree wheel from a auto supply to use when I rebuilt my motor. It was around $10.00 and served my purpose.
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 3,323
Likes: 142
From: Green Valley Arizona
zachaeous: OK got it....wanted to make sure that by "pass" there was not something else that needed to be done in between...could not imagine what it could be....so better to ask.
I was just going to get my protractor out but will look for this degree wheel. Have used a degree wheel for degree'ing a cam before, but way too large for this.
Thanks
I was just going to get my protractor out but will look for this degree wheel. Have used a degree wheel for degree'ing a cam before, but way too large for this.
Thanks
Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 1,163
Likes: 19
From: Not far from COTA
but the book says on the final pass to be sure torque is 41 minimum.
Maybe someone smarter than me can tell us why they say to go thru those steps instead of just saying 41 ft lbs
Last edited by NealB; Mar 21, 2016 at 09:42 AM.
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 3,323
Likes: 142
From: Green Valley Arizona
That is why I asked the question I did....does not make much sense to turn the nut 210° and then to the final torque of 41.
Like NealB...if someone could explain this to me as well......
Oh and I just put two dots on the nut itself; one at 0° and then CW at 210°. So wherever the 0° dot is when 15 ft-lb is obtained, I can put a piece of tape as a marker and then turn to the 210° dot...and then to 41 ft-lb.....still does not make much sense to me.
Like NealB...if someone could explain this to me as well......
Oh and I just put two dots on the nut itself; one at 0° and then CW at 210°. So wherever the 0° dot is when 15 ft-lb is obtained, I can put a piece of tape as a marker and then turn to the 210° dot...and then to 41 ft-lb.....still does not make much sense to me.
Last edited by LannyL81; Mar 22, 2016 at 06:28 PM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 2,800
Likes: 456
From: USA
I asked the same question to my nephew who is a 30 year ase certified tech at the local Chevy store.
He said as far as he knew the 210 degrees is to make sure the taper is seated in the knuckle. Then the 41 ft lbs is to be sure that the nut has the proper torque.
I do remember on mine that the nut did turn on the 41 ft torque, but I do not remember how much.
Hope this helps
He said as far as he knew the 210 degrees is to make sure the taper is seated in the knuckle. Then the 41 ft lbs is to be sure that the nut has the proper torque.
I do remember on mine that the nut did turn on the 41 ft torque, but I do not remember how much.
Hope this helps
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 3,323
Likes: 142
From: Green Valley Arizona
Taper seated in the spindle....okay guess I will buy that.
I will likely have my small floor jack under the lower control arm pushing the taper into the spindle. Doing this because in order to use my torque wrench/socket I will not be able to have a 6mm hex key in the stud to keep it from turning.
Waiting for a 12mmx1.75 tap to arrive so I can chase one thread on the OEM wheel bearing and then re-install it since the "clicking" stopped....just to see if it re-appears.
Should be here for this weekend.
I will likely have my small floor jack under the lower control arm pushing the taper into the spindle. Doing this because in order to use my torque wrench/socket I will not be able to have a 6mm hex key in the stud to keep it from turning.
Waiting for a 12mmx1.75 tap to arrive so I can chase one thread on the OEM wheel bearing and then re-install it since the "clicking" stopped....just to see if it re-appears.
Should be here for this weekend.
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 3,323
Likes: 142
From: Green Valley Arizona
Ticking noise returns....re-installed the OEM wheel bearing, torqued the three bolts down and spun the hub...no ticking noise. However I noticed that I had the ABS connector bracket backwards......removed bearing, flipped bracket around, torqued bolts and then spun the hub....ticking noise RETURNS!
I then loosened one hub bolt at a time and spun the hub....and it is the bottom hub bolt, the one by the lower ball joint stud that makes the ticking noise return when torqued along with the ABS connector bracket.
Still trying to determine what is the problem at this time.
I then loosened one hub bolt at a time and spun the hub....and it is the bottom hub bolt, the one by the lower ball joint stud that makes the ticking noise return when torqued along with the ABS connector bracket.
Still trying to determine what is the problem at this time.
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 3,323
Likes: 142
From: Green Valley Arizona
FINAL UPDATE:
I went ahead and just replaced both front wheel bearings. Once the new ones were on and torqued down, there was quite a difference between OEM and the new TIMKEN....with the TIMKEN bearings much, much smoother.
This car came from Ft. Myers, FL and I think water must have gotten into the bearings. I suspect that I will need to replace the rear bearings as well before too long.
Oh well....such is life.
I went ahead and just replaced both front wheel bearings. Once the new ones were on and torqued down, there was quite a difference between OEM and the new TIMKEN....with the TIMKEN bearings much, much smoother.
This car came from Ft. Myers, FL and I think water must have gotten into the bearings. I suspect that I will need to replace the rear bearings as well before too long.
Oh well....such is life.
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 3,323
Likes: 142
From: Green Valley Arizona
Just wanted to do another update to this; the "clicking" noise I was hearing when driving next to a wall turned-out to be coming from the rear. Found several threads about this after using various search terms.
The "fix" was to remove the rear axle nut and then spray some motorcycle chain lube from the inside around the axle stub and wheel bearing.
"clicking" noise has been gone ever since.
The "fix" was to remove the rear axle nut and then spray some motorcycle chain lube from the inside around the axle stub and wheel bearing.
"clicking" noise has been gone ever since.
Last edited by LannyL81; Jan 16, 2018 at 08:53 AM.
