ball joint vs wheel bearing

fetchitfido · 11-19-2012, 01:51 PM

So after going to a shop, being told I need to replace the muffler and RR wheel bearing for inspection then going back to be told the LF wheel bearing, and both ball joints are bad (when they did an ALIGNMENT the 1st time...) I'm rather pissed off.

I've fixed everything but the LF wheel bearing...yet now with the new ball joint there's NO play in it. At all.

WTF? Help? lol I'm so confuzzled...

spacemanspif · 11-20-2012, 12:22 AM

You should be able to hear a bad wheel bearing. I just had my RF done, it was making a "woop woop woop" noise when I drove. I've also done BJs and the only way I knew they were bad was when I'd hit a bump there would be a definite metal on metal bang. Jack the car up and put a pry bar between the spindle and control arm, if they move apart, the BJ is shot, can wiggle wheel/tire and look to see if the ball is floating around in the housing as well.

fetchitfido · 11-20-2012, 03:17 AM

Yeah, I know the wheel bearing is bad. Been making noise for quite a while. No play though, which is odd.
There was tons of play at 12&6 and 9&3 before doing the ball joint, now there's none, which has me confused. I still want to change the bearing just to get it to shut up but shouldn't there be play in it to indicate that it's bad?

bumpdraft · 11-20-2012, 08:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fetchitfido

...but shouldn't there be play in it to indicate that it's bad?

In each wheel bearing, there are two rows of balls. From what I've seen, only one race goes chunky and the other balls/race are still tight.

(Beware of scalloped tire tread fooling you into thinking the noise is bad wheel bearings)

S3aturnR · 11-20-2012, 01:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fetchitfido

Yeah, I know the wheel bearing is bad.

well, then, change it already...

s3aturnr

spacemanspif · 11-20-2012, 08:08 PM

My wheel had no play in it either when the bearing was shot, just making noise...

ShawnV · 11-21-2012, 02:59 PM

A bad wheel bearing will change noise as you're going down the road and turn the steering wheel back and forth. If the sound changes or goes away when you're going around a corner, it's probably bad.

You can also remove the wheel and just spin the hub with your hand and feel it gritty or loose.

shawn

11-19-2012, 01:51 PM	#1
fetchitfido Super Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 15,292 fetchitfido's Photos 2001 SC2	ball joint vs wheel bearing So after going to a shop, being told I need to replace the muffler and RR wheel bearing for inspection then going back to be told the LF wheel bearing, and both ball joints are bad (when they did an ALIGNMENT the 1st time...) I'm rather pissed off. I've fixed everything but the LF wheel bearing...yet now with the new ball joint there's NO play in it. At all. WTF? Help? lol I'm so confuzzled...

11-20-2012, 12:22 AM	#2
spacemanspif Advanced Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Dela...Where?? Posts: 705 1995 SL2	Re: ball joint vs wheel bearing You should be able to hear a bad wheel bearing. I just had my RF done, it was making a "woop woop woop" noise when I drove. I've also done BJs and the only way I knew they were bad was when I'd hit a bump there would be a definite metal on metal bang. Jack the car up and put a pry bar between the spindle and control arm, if they move apart, the BJ is shot, can wiggle wheel/tire and look to see if the ball is floating around in the housing as well. ... -Mike 1995 SL2 5spd - Stock/MP2 trans swap - 258,XXX miles - 38mpg @ 65mph 1987 Monte Carlo SS - 5.3/4L80E swap - 13.92@103mph - 19mpg @65mph - needs POSI

11-20-2012, 03:17 AM	#3
fetchitfido Super Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 15,292 fetchitfido's Photos 2001 SC2	Re: ball joint vs wheel bearing Yeah, I know the wheel bearing is bad. Been making noise for quite a while. No play though, which is odd. There was tons of play at 12&6 and 9&3 before doing the ball joint, now there's none, which has me confused. I still want to change the bearing just to get it to shut up but shouldn't there be play in it to indicate that it's bad?

11-20-2012, 08:08 PM	#6
spacemanspif Advanced Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Dela...Where?? Posts: 705 1995 SL2	Re: ball joint vs wheel bearing My wheel had no play in it either when the bearing was shot, just making noise... ... -Mike 1995 SL2 5spd - Stock/MP2 trans swap - 258,XXX miles - 38mpg @ 65mph 1987 Monte Carlo SS - 5.3/4L80E swap - 13.92@103mph - 19mpg @65mph - needs POSI

11-21-2012, 02:59 PM	#7
ShawnV Master Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Greensboro, NC Posts: 2,681 ShawnV's Photos 2000 SW2	Re: ball joint vs wheel bearing A bad wheel bearing will change noise as you're going down the road and turn the steering wheel back and forth. If the sound changes or goes away when you're going around a corner, it's probably bad. You can also remove the wheel and just spin the hub with your hand and feel it gritty or loose. shawn

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