I think I need new wheel bearings???

driving home last nite I noticed anything over 35 and it felt like my tires wee about to come off the rims, like all the lug nuts were lose.
Didnt notice it before cause of all the snow and traffic I rarley got it out of 3rd gear and over 20 mph.

on the way home I hit some clean roads and man was it scary feeling. Got out, check lugs, tires were ok, no mud or snow humped up in the rim.


Just went out now and when I jerk on the tire it moves a bit and you can hear it click/pop. left one is worse. and it did feel like the left front tire was about to fly off if I went any faster than 35.

 

Very, very possible. The click click could be caliper loose, or break pads loose. However with vibrations while driving would tend me to belive wheelbearings. Easy swap with some tools. Should cost around 20-35 (depending on brand) for all 4 bearings with seals.

 

I would inspect the bearings before I junked them out. A lot of time, they get loose, and just need some tightening up. I would look at the race, and at the rollers. If you see no pitting, gouging, or discoloration(mainly blue), in other words, if everything is round and smooth, with a silver color, then I would say that they are ok. I would change the seal in the back, repack them with fresh wheel bearing grease, and then tighten them properly. I always tighten mine so that you can grab the hub and spin it about 1/2 turn withouth the rim, tire and brake on there. If you do have bad wheel bearings, remember to press out the outer race and press in a new one, or your new rollers won't last too long.

 

Or just get a new set of rotors on there while they're off

 

maybe they are still good, went for a drive and it wont do it anymore. maybe it was snow build up or something???

oh but joy of joy another problem, my coolant froze. really just the upper hose. I had heat but it got hot real fast cuse the temp probe that controls my fan, just happens to be in the top hose.

got it all thawed out and drained out the nastiest brown gunk you have ever seen, where it came form i dont know. I keep my cars filled with good clean pre mix coolant.

now its getting close to dark and I dont have anything to drive and I need more coolant.

ahhh crap. fill it with water, drive it to the store then drain it all back out again.


maybe it will do the shimmy shake again on a longer ride.

 

ok back to wheel bearing, yea its gotta be them.

It will drive fine but do a real sharp left or right hand turn and it will start doing it again.

I remember messing with them before. you have to put that cotter pin through the hole, and on mine they are either lose or way tight.

the closest hole to tight is too lose and the next closest hole is too tight???

I went with the loser hole last time I was messing with them when i did my brakes.


So I went out and went with the tight hole. [BUt man
I really had to crank em down to get to that next hole, but its that or the one below it is kinda lose, letting it have that tad bit of play.]

drives fine and after doing a few sharp turns it still drive fine, no wobble.

Thinking I should tighten up the right side.

bearing looked good, plenty of greese, I dont know maybe driving in all that deep snow jerked them around and the lose hole is too lose now.

strange, I remember back in the day they hade more holse so you could get it just right. not too tightor too lose. but with this one hole Its either lose or tight.

 

just doon't tighten the bearings too much. I have mine more loose than tight when aligning the cotter pin. also:
check lower ball joints
&
control arm bushings

 

its either lose or tight, with em tight it won wobble anymore.

Id like to crank them back just a hair but, i dont know, it cold and im done ofr the day. maybe tomorrow ill play some more.

but like there is not half turn hole, just full turns.

 

Take it from someone in the bearing industry... You'd rather have them a little bit too tight than too loose. When they are too tight, they still maintain even contact across the face of the roller and the race. When they are too loose, they will twist some, causing uneven wear on both the roller and the race.

One good way of checking tightness is to adjust the nut until you can't feel any play or move the rotor up, down, or back and forth, everything is snug. I then tighten them to the very next hole available for the cotter pin, and forget about it.