Does this indicate a bad wheel bearing?

[lizpat]

If I have the wheel off and the brake drum off, if I try to spin the wheel bearing hub by grabbing the lug studs----the question is how much resistance should there be? In my case, there is a little bit of resistance. If I were to try to spin it real fast with my hands, as soon as I let go, it would stop. Question is: should a good wheel bearing be able to spin on its own after I give it this push? Because mine do not. There is some slight resistance, does this indicate a bad wheel bearing.

I am asking because this area makes some sound but doesn't sound like humming or a bad wheel bearing, it more like the occasional dragging of various brake parts.

BTW, this is a torsion beam suspension and the this is FWD vehicle, so the wheel hub isn't attached to anything---just spins freely.

I don't what I did exactly to break things but in trying to fit in the new brake shoes, I had to compress and move the wheel cylinder piston around. I don't know what I did wrong but based on the reference pics I took, I did the job right but the brakes are now worse: initially spongy and less bite overall which suggest the front is doing all the braking.

I think the wheel cylinder has to be replaced and possibly the wheel bearings too.

 

[HangFire]

Usually when putting on new (thicker) shoes, the brake adjuster can be screwed down to accommodate the thicker friction material, but I can see the possibility that compressing the wheel cylinder might also be needed. Did you do both?

Did you bleed that wheel? I would do that before replacing the wheel cylinder. Usually it can be done without pulling apart the brake again.

As for draggy drums... the Factory Service Manual for some vehicles involves a break-in of running at 35mph for a few minutes at a time with the parking brake lightly on, to wear-in the new shoes to the proper shape. I would not suspect wheel bearings until this is done, and a suspended, spinning wheel (not just hub) is still draggy.

 

[eljefino]

You're fine. The scratchy noise is probably grit working its way out. While I'm sure you knocked the drum and cleaned everything, grit reappears magically.

With your tire mounted (more weight) you should get a couple turns when you whip the tire. Not infinite, and not zero.

It is normal to shove the wheel cylinder around while fitting new shoes and their springs.

You could have an adjustment issue with the new shoes, but they also need time to break in. I'd pull the drum in a week and see where the lining is actually wearing.

 

[supton]

With nothing on the hub it should spin, but it will likely have some amount of drag--there is a seal to keep dirt out, and it will have some drag. Plus bearings have some amount of preload. So without any mass on the hub, it may feel a bit draggy.

Now with all the weight off the hub, it should not feel gritty or notchy. If it does, then it's bad.

Interesting on your brake problem: recently I had the same problem my truck--a bit spongy and not much braking. I took apart the front brakes and found the pads frozen in place--as in, I had to take out a hammer and drift them out of the caliper. Once I got them out, knocked off all the rust, put some grease on the pad ears, and got it all back together, I had normal braking again. This might not be your problem, but if it's been a while since you've checked the front end, it might not be time wasted. In my salty area I take apart my brakes once a year to make sure stuff is working (the truck, guess what? I didn't do that last year as I have been driving it very little, and had someone else install the brakes, and guess what? they installed the pads without any grease).

 

[Lubener]

If you are not getting a noise while driving or play, your bearing is fine.

 

[Billbert]

Did you bleed the brakes ?

 

[tomcat27]

if you spin the hub while the drum is off, you should have a slight, consistent drag. if it's uneven or noisy with no drum, then your bearing is suspect. spongy? did you open up the hydraulics?

 

[lizpat]

Thanks for the tips fellas.

I have mostly determined that the wheel bearings are NOT bad (and thus I cancelled the wheel bearings order I placed on RockAuto.)

With the car lifted, and the brake drum removed, I placed the wheel on the hub and screwed in the nuts and then spun it freely: it made no noise and kept spinning for a while freely. I think based on what you have told me, this does not indicate a bad wheel bearing at all.

 

[Kestas]

Wheel bearings have a lot of drag from the seals. Some wheel bearings have seals on both ends. Most wheel bearings are designed with four lips on each seal. They have a tough job to do... keep the grease in and all the mud out. If you ever had a new one in your hands, you'd notice it takes quite an effort to rotate one.

 

[lizpat]

That makes a lot of sense, I appreciate the input.

Thank you.