Rear wheel noise
Thread Starter
Cruising
Joined: Jan 2024
Posts: 10
Likes: 1
Rear wheel noise
I have a 2004 C5 with about 72,000 miles on it. About a year ago I noticed a low hum, not really a whine, coming from what I believe to be the right rear wheel. It only happens between 50 and 70 miles per hour. I had a shop check the general area but they couldn't find anything. It doesn't appear to affect the driving or handling. One time I hand checked the heat on the right rear area and it was fine. Cool to the touch. I read on another site that the tire might be causing the noise. They are a brand name tires with about 16,000 miles on them and about 8 years old but have no cracks, etc. as the car is always stored in the garage out of the sun and elements. I was wondering if anyone has ever had a similar problem and what the fix was. Thanks.
Tom
Tom
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 3,028
Likes: 1,439
From: New Jersey
2025 Corvette of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2024 C2 of the Year Winner - Unmodified
2024 C1 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2023 C2 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2023 C5 of the Year Winner - Unmodified
St. Jude Donor '25
Safety Car
Joined: May 2015
Posts: 3,680
Likes: 1,040
There is no "wheel bearing" in/on the rear of a Corvette... You are missidentifing the "axel" bearing! ..which is pressed onto the rear axel before being assembled into its drive location... Axel bearings ware out.. One knows it's bad because one or both axel bearings will humm when worn out. Replace BOTH sides with new Axle bearings ... About 3 hundred bucks....then no more noises!.... If they make racket and fail... gonna lock-up that axel and put you and your C5 in a real pickle.
Administrator
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 368,384
Likes: 24,790
From: In a parallel universe. Currently own 2014 Stingray Coupe.
C7 of the Year - Modified Finalist 2021
MO Events Coordinator
St. Jude Co-Organizer
St. Jude Donor '03 thru '26
NCM Sinkhole Donor
CI 5, 8 & 11 Veteran
Moved to C5 Tech for more discussion.
Drifting
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 1,722
Likes: 138
From: Florida
St. Jude Donor '09
There is no "wheel bearing" in/on the rear of a Corvette... You are missidentifing the "axel" bearing! ..which is pressed onto the rear axel before being assembled into its drive location... Axel bearings ware out.. One knows it's bad because one or both axel bearings will humm when worn out. Replace BOTH sides with new Axle bearings ... About 3 hundred bucks....then no more noises!.... If they make racket and fail... gonna lock-up that axel and put you and your C5 in a real pickle.
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
Thread Starter
Cruising
Joined: Jan 2024
Posts: 10
Likes: 1
Thanks for the response. I have had some people tell me the C5's do have wheel bearings and others like yourself say they don't. Some say the wheel bearing are called axle bearings. I did check Rock Auto and a couple of other places and they do have wheel bearings available for both the front and rear. As much as I hate to I guess I will contact the local Chevy dealer and see what their service department says, although my past experience with them has not been stellar. Thanks again.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 19,470
Likes: 1,170
From: Dyer, IN
Thanks for the response. I have had some people tell me the C5's do have wheel bearings and others like yourself say they don't. Some say the wheel bearing are called axle bearings. I did check Rock Auto and a couple of other places and they do have wheel bearings available for both the front and rear. As much as I hate to I guess I will contact the local Chevy dealer and see what their service department says, although my past experience with them has not been stellar. Thanks again.
Safety Car
Joined: Mar 2017
Posts: 3,771
Likes: 940
From: Orlando Florida
Where abouts are you located?
Safety Car
Joined: Mar 2017
Posts: 3,771
Likes: 940
From: Orlando Florida
Outstanding google reviews. Definitely worth a run by to talk. If you get a quote, be sure if it includes parts, and where they come from. Shops like this will often allow for customer supplied parts, but won’t warranty the installation of them.
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 11,152
Likes: 890
From: South Western Ontario
Rock Auto has them under "wheel bearing & hub", which is the bearing and hub assembly the holds the wheel to the car. Those are one of the parts that go bad and causes noise while driving.
Safety Car
Joined: May 2015
Posts: 3,680
Likes: 1,040
You can look it up... Where dose that bearing live?
In engineering parlance the "wheel bearing" sorta means bearing for a wheel...
In engineering parlance (speak for you) "axel bearing" sorta means bearing for the axel...
However....notice that the two "different" things are the Axel and the Wheel... Now, when the primary design intent is for a fast C5 Corvette type person ...non technical Corvette folks sometimes get...... Confused. 🙄 Sorta cute.
In engineering parlance the "wheel bearing" sorta means bearing for a wheel...
In engineering parlance (speak for you) "axel bearing" sorta means bearing for the axel...
However....notice that the two "different" things are the Axel and the Wheel... Now, when the primary design intent is for a fast C5 Corvette type person ...non technical Corvette folks sometimes get...... Confused. 🙄 Sorta cute.
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 11,152
Likes: 890
From: South Western Ontario
The common name for them is wheel bearings. Everyone calls them wheel bearings, including manufacturers and suppliers.
So, all your pedantic-ness about axle bearings did was confuse the OP of the thread resulting in a follow up post of confusion about the part actually needed. It didn't contribute anything useful.
So, all your pedantic-ness about axle bearings did was confuse the OP of the thread resulting in a follow up post of confusion about the part actually needed. It didn't contribute anything useful.
Safety Car
Joined: May 2015
Posts: 3,680
Likes: 1,040
The common name for them is wheel bearings. Everyone calls them wheel bearings, including manufacturers and suppliers.
So, all your pedantic-ness about axle bearings did was confuse the OP of the thread resulting in a follow up post of confusion about the part actually needed. It didn't contribute anything useful.
So, all your pedantic-ness about axle bearings did was confuse the OP of the thread resulting in a follow up post of confusion about the part actually needed. It didn't contribute anything useful.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 19,470
Likes: 1,170
From: Dyer, IN
