This will be my third wheel bearing replacement. I replaced the fist 2 because the thought was maybe i just got a faulty one. They were the same brand bought from the same place. It sounds just like a bad bearing. I doubt I just have bad enough luck to buy 3 bad bearings in a row. What else could it be? It doesn't have to do with braking or taking turns. Noise increases with speed.
3rd wheel bearing. Still grinding noise.
- Thread starter Micahmcmeen
- Start date
There are a lot of junk. Roll of the dice with cheaper brands. I've had 2 bad right out of the box. 3 is possible but not likely. Any play when trying to rock the wheel while lifted?
Have someone drive the car slowly past you while you stand outside and listen for the noise. It's easy to mis-identify the source of car noises. A truly bad wheel bearing will almost always make some noise when you turn the wheel by hand with the car jacked up. It gets a lot louder with the weight of the car on it of course.
2010 jeep commander commander 3.7 4x4 . I putbon 2 timken and the last one a moog. There isn't any play.
What bearings are you buying, and how long are they lasting?
not entirely surprising
do you have a stethoscope of any kind of electronic ear?
I presume the run out was in spec and it free spun by hand before installation?
do you have a stethoscope of any kind of electronic ear?
I presume the run out was in spec and it free spun by hand before installation?
Originally Posted by spasm3
What bearings are you buying, and how long are they lasting?
Stated above. When I originally replaced it the noise did go away almost. Over the next few months the noise got bad again. Assumed it was a bad bearing replaced it got a little quieter but picked up the noise to where it was with a day of driving. Same with this third one.
What bearings are you buying, and how long are they lasting?
Stated above. When I originally replaced it the noise did go away almost. Over the next few months the noise got bad again. Assumed it was a bad bearing replaced it got a little quieter but picked up the noise to where it was with a day of driving. Same with this third one.
Originally Posted by ABN_CBT_ENGR
not entirely surprising
do you have a stethoscope of any kind of electronic ear?
I presume the run out was in spec and it free spun by hand before installation?
Yeah in storage. They aren't expensive really i might just buy another. Yes it free spun.
not entirely surprising
do you have a stethoscope of any kind of electronic ear?
I presume the run out was in spec and it free spun by hand before installation?
Yeah in storage. They aren't expensive really i might just buy another. Yes it free spun.
I would make sure you have the correct torque numbers. If your numbers are wrong that could be the problem. The timken hub bearings have done fine for me.
Usually the axle nut to hub torque was around 130lb/ft.
Check somewhere else in case your source is incorrect.
Usually the axle nut to hub torque was around 130lb/ft.
Check somewhere else in case your source is incorrect.
Then spin it (installed) and listen- if "this" bearing has a grind you should hear it.
Then remove the nut ( free float) and see if there is a difference.
Process of elimination- this "grind" is either coming from the new hub ( it has a force exerted on it and taking the clearance out of the bearings) or another bearing/component is failing along the shaft.
Leaving them together and careful listening should help isolate it.
If it has a force exerting on the hub then it either has to be axial or radial. Grossly misaligned ( which I would think would be visibly obvious and hard to reassemble) or taking all the clearance out of the hub ( pushing out or pulling in)
Need to check all of those possibilities
Then remove the nut ( free float) and see if there is a difference.
Process of elimination- this "grind" is either coming from the new hub ( it has a force exerted on it and taking the clearance out of the bearings) or another bearing/component is failing along the shaft.
Leaving them together and careful listening should help isolate it.
If it has a force exerting on the hub then it either has to be axial or radial. Grossly misaligned ( which I would think would be visibly obvious and hard to reassemble) or taking all the clearance out of the hub ( pushing out or pulling in)
Need to check all of those possibilities
Something that I feel really stupid about is i replaced my front shocks and struts a short time ago. I planed to have an alignment done but got busy and forgot about it. Could this be the issue?
Originally Posted by Micahmcmeen
Something that I feel really stupid about is i replaced my front shocks and struts a short time ago. I planed to have an alignment done but got busy and forgot about it. Could this be the issue?
Definitely a possible contributing factor but to me if this was (is) the sole cause I would think if it was so far off ( to stress a hub assembly) that you wouldn't be able to drive the vehicle if you were able to fully reassemble it in the first place.
But every possible contributing factor has to be examined and confirmed/eliminated
The only "fact" we seem to have now is a statistical impossibility that the hub is the problem since you now have gone through 4 (this brings the original diagnosis now in question as well)
Something that I feel really stupid about is i replaced my front shocks and struts a short time ago. I planed to have an alignment done but got busy and forgot about it. Could this be the issue?
Definitely a possible contributing factor but to me if this was (is) the sole cause I would think if it was so far off ( to stress a hub assembly) that you wouldn't be able to drive the vehicle if you were able to fully reassemble it in the first place.
But every possible contributing factor has to be examined and confirmed/eliminated
The only "fact" we seem to have now is a statistical impossibility that the hub is the problem since you now have gone through 4 (this brings the original diagnosis now in question as well)
Check the ABS components. I don't know how these hubs are, but some have internal ABS reluctors and sensors.
Cupped tire?
Originally Posted by Micahmcmeen
Something that I feel really stupid about is i replaced my front shocks and struts a short time ago. I planed to have an alignment done but got busy and forgot about it. Could this be the issue?
If we are still looking for clues
Back at the beginning, what issue prompted the initial hub replacement?
Was there any type of incident ( even hitting a good sized pothole) or repair in the surrounding timeframe?
Something that I feel really stupid about is i replaced my front shocks and struts a short time ago. I planed to have an alignment done but got busy and forgot about it. Could this be the issue?
If we are still looking for clues
Back at the beginning, what issue prompted the initial hub replacement?
Was there any type of incident ( even hitting a good sized pothole) or repair in the surrounding timeframe?
Tire scrub can sound like a bad wheel bearing.
Last year a friend brought in an Accord that we were all sure had a bad wheel bearing from the noise. A front disc brake had a groove on the inside face, and matching shape in the pad. After a quick brake job, it was quiet again.
Last year a friend brought in an Accord that we were all sure had a bad wheel bearing from the noise. A front disc brake had a groove on the inside face, and matching shape in the pad. After a quick brake job, it was quiet again.
Originally Posted by ABN_CBT_ENGR
Originally Posted by Micahmcmeen
Something that I feel really stupid about is i replaced my front shocks and struts a short time ago. I planed to have an alignment done but got busy and forgot about it. Could this be the issue?
If we are still looking for clues
Back at the beginning, what issue prompted the initial hub replacement?
Was there any type of incident ( even hitting a good sized pothole) or repair in the surrounding timeframe?
It was just noisy and had some play.
Originally Posted by Micahmcmeen
Something that I feel really stupid about is i replaced my front shocks and struts a short time ago. I planed to have an alignment done but got busy and forgot about it. Could this be the issue?
If we are still looking for clues
Back at the beginning, what issue prompted the initial hub replacement?
Was there any type of incident ( even hitting a good sized pothole) or repair in the surrounding timeframe?
It was just noisy and had some play.
Originally Posted by Micahmcmeen
It was just noisy and had some play.
Fair enough, that's a textbook indicator of a bearing that's dimensionally worn
(if you ever wonder why no bearing manufacturer will give you the exact definition of a "bad bearing"- in terms of tolerance, this is why. These are fixed so any additional tolerance is out of spec and they cant be adjusted in the field)
Read a few bearing failure analysis publications out there (I recommend both the SKF and Timken manuals) to follow what I'm saying.
Assuming a properly built assembly......... there are only 2 root cause main categories of the condition you are describing
The lubrication film (boundary in this case) was lost for whatever reason ( lack of lube, improper lube for the application, improper level) and this changed the surface finishes which then led to grinding which let to loss of mass in either the rolling media or races opening it up to get the clearance.
( probably the most common^^^^^^)
The load ( axial, radial, thrust or any machining offset and/or shaft deflection) has forced the bearing assembly off of center axis rotation and changed the running geometry. ( misalignment in simple terms but to varying degrees combined with loading) Depending on the severity of this condition, no lubrication or method ( even oil mist) will compensate or overcome- the best you can hope for is to buy time.
The cause and cure for your condition is in one of those 2 headers
It was just noisy and had some play.
Fair enough, that's a textbook indicator of a bearing that's dimensionally worn
(if you ever wonder why no bearing manufacturer will give you the exact definition of a "bad bearing"- in terms of tolerance, this is why. These are fixed so any additional tolerance is out of spec and they cant be adjusted in the field)
Read a few bearing failure analysis publications out there (I recommend both the SKF and Timken manuals) to follow what I'm saying.
Assuming a properly built assembly......... there are only 2 root cause main categories of the condition you are describing
The lubrication film (boundary in this case) was lost for whatever reason ( lack of lube, improper lube for the application, improper level) and this changed the surface finishes which then led to grinding which let to loss of mass in either the rolling media or races opening it up to get the clearance.
( probably the most common^^^^^^)
The load ( axial, radial, thrust or any machining offset and/or shaft deflection) has forced the bearing assembly off of center axis rotation and changed the running geometry. ( misalignment in simple terms but to varying degrees combined with loading) Depending on the severity of this condition, no lubrication or method ( even oil mist) will compensate or overcome- the best you can hope for is to buy time.
The cause and cure for your condition is in one of those 2 headers
Similar threads
