RichieRoo

Hi chaps

The sound is coming from the rear left wheel. It changes frequency in corresponding to road speed and disappears briefly whilst going around a left hand bend. Applying the brake doesn't affect the sound.

When jacked up the wheel turns freely. There is a very small amount of play when you wriggle the top/bottom of the wheel hard whilst elevated.

It sounds like this.

Can I get a few confirmations that all this points to the wheel bearing.

Cheers for your help and have a Merry Christmas!

Livefreeandrive

Wow, it sounds like somebody is killing a turkey! I would check CV joints as well. I would not drive it too far mate.
Steve

kurquhart

Sounds to me like the parking brake is not retracting fully. Try carefully lifting up on the parking brake handle while moving to see if the sound changes.

RichieRoo

Thanks for your input. I did try the handbrake test before whilst moving, but tested it again - no change to the sound.

I've just jacked the car up again... have a look at the amount of play I'm getting in this video clip.

velocitylover

Your wheel bearing is shot,there is some info here on replacement
(use the search function).Follow the info closely or you may need to replace more than one(ask me how I know)

Good luck !!

kurquhart

From that amount of motion it could also be that the rear hub itself is broken. Mine moved just like that, but maybe a little bit more.

RichieRoo

So I decided to take the plunge bought two new wheel bearings and all the tools, namely; a complete wheel bearing removal tool kit, 8" hub extractor/puller, extended hex socket to get those awkward bottom bolts out of the caliper and finally a very deep 32mm socket for the big hub nut.

I was expecting a real fight to get the hub nut off so I had a blow touch and penetrating oil on standby.

I put the socket on the breaker bar and slipped it on to the hub nut and watched open mouthed as it gently glided round under it's own weight!

460Nm it wasn't!

Tightened it up... just test drove it... no noise.

So, advice for anyone who thinks their wheel bearing has gone: buy a deep 32mm socket FIRST and test it's tight.

chrisoutzen

I would invest in a new hub nut. They are pretty much one use items.

dfinnegan

I would also find someone with a suitable torque wrench and get those nuts torqued to the correct spec. Too tight and the bearing will fail. Too loose is obviously not good either.

velocitylover

There should be no reason for the nut to become loose on its own...Did you have any work done near rear axle any time in the past? IMHO: I would replace the bearing anyway there could be some internal damage. +1 on new nut.

kurquhart

I have heard of many instances of the hub nut coming loose, at least on track cars. Mine is double nutted for this reason. This has caused some consternation for tech inspectors that see a nut half hanging off the axle.

I borrowed friends ~4 foot torque wrench after my bearings/hubs were last replaced. I retorqued several times during the first track weekend; the first two times the nuts did turn some more, but not after that.

Livefreeandrive

Do the hubs have to come off for wheel bearing replacement? i just bought a bearing puller....is there another tool I need?
Steve

RichieRoo

Hi Steve

I found this helpful:
http://p-car.com/diy/bearing/bearing.htm

Rich

Livefreeandrive

Thanks, I forgot about that sight. I had RSRs on a 95 C4=awesome sound! Robin knows his stuff!
Steve