Wheel bearing noise or tire noise?

have similar thoughts, might not be hub related at all. stock ride height? is it constant or like 1 sec droning, 1 sec not?

 

I just replaced mine at around 90k. The wheel did not move with the wheel shake test but I heard a hum on the highway around 50-60mph. I bought the bearing in the assembly for $275 and it just bolts right in no special tools or presses needed. http://www.marionbumper2bumper.com/store/index.html

 

I did both of my fronts at about 120,000. The growling was very noticeable, but it would vanish when making a right turn, which changed the loading on the bearing.

 

Just had both of my fronts done last month at after trying tire rotation and balancing. They sounded like my wife's Jeep with large Mud tires. Luckily I had the extended warranty and they were free ...

 

I had a similar issue on my truck. couldn't figure out where the hum was coming from, and the vibe was only at higher speeds. no play in wheel, just a super slight grind when i spun the wheel off the ground.

They're fairly cheap bearings on Rock Auto that look to be a crowd favorite. I brought them to a local guy in CT and a guy in VT to have hte old bearings pressed out and the hubs pressed back onto the bearings. really quick IMO. pull tire, hang brake, unplug and unbolt ABS from knuckle, loosen the axle nut (put car in 4x4 to lock front axle) and remove the 4 bolts holding the hub assembly. then use a slide hammer and slam that sucker off. I found the CV axle sometimes binds to the inside of the hub and makes life hard. just wack with a BFH and boom. done. reverse to replace after the new bearing is in. saved myself like 400$ from the shop.

if you brake the abs sensor they're pretty cheap to replace on Amazon. snapped mine clear off.

 

Hey Kingston, you can spend a lot of time trying to diagnose the problem, but when I did that the symptom tests didn't follow the usual faulty wheel bearing tests, so I ended up having a new set of Michelins installed at approximately $800, the tires were getting near replacement anyway, so i figured that was the problem, since the tests i tried didn't point to the wheel bearing.
I may be wrong, but in the end you will replace the wheel bearing, one or both.
Another word of caution: be careful of buying assemblies unless you know which bearings were used in the assembly. I decided to install myself, mostly bc if the dealer did the work the bearing woould fail prematurely again bc they would be oem replacement parts which had a bad design or poor quality steel, and/or bearings.
And I could choose USA made bearings if I did the work myself, and I can contr the quality of the work.
I took the steering knuckle from my wife's Camry, to a machine shop to have them remove the old bearing and press in the new bearing. They busted the steering knuckle bc they tried to press out the old bearing the wrong way lol.

The bearings are about $30 each for quality USA made bearings, you can do this job for less than $75. If u buy two new knuckle assemblies you're in it for approximately $350 (i clicked on the link provided by another person) If you take it to a mechanic/dealer you're in it for well over $1,000 to replace both bearings.

 

And a tip on removing the ABS sensor, get 2 stiff/ridgid thin blade putty knives, approximately 3/4" wide blade, with an end tapered to a beveled/knife edge, and take a die grinder or cutzoff tool and make a slot in the end approximately 11mm wide and 1" long. Use some pb blaster or liquid wrench to carefully spray around where the abs sensor meets the knuckle, let it soak for 10-15 min, and then use a small dead blow hammer to tap the putty knife under the abs sensor. Tap under the front first, then the side, basically working your way around the base of the abs sensor, and when the putty knife is under the sensor, use very very light lifting pressure, on the putty knife, as you work your way around the sensor. It takes some patience, but you will get it out without breaking it.
When you get a small gap inder the sensor, spray some more penetrating oil in the gap, then keep working your way around the sensor.

Once you get a gap around the base use both putty knifes at opposing positions, and lightly rock the sensor up and out of the sensor hole.

Once you get it removed, take a small round file, and clean up the sensor hole, so its easier to reinstall during reassembly.
Alternatively you can get 2 of these and they should work fine:
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0...oval+tools&dpPl=1&dpID=318LR3bOGGL&ref=plSrch

 

I just went for a drive and the sound definitely disappears or at least lessens in sharper right hand turns. So does that mean it's the right side front wheel?

 

Also seems most of you replaced both when you did it?

 

Yes, most likely if one is going the other will be soon to follow.

Edit: I guess it depends on your mileage. I'm at 100K+ and have one going bad so I am replacing both. If you are low mileage then it might just be a bad bearing and you can risk changing just one.

 

Yep replaced both. A heads up, I replaced the front wheel bearings on my wifes awd sienna, I swore I diagnosed it correctly as the drivers side, removed and reinstalled, and the sound was still there. And I was absolutely certain that it was the driver's side. As I was pressing in the new bearing, i thought i might've began pressing in the new bearing at an angle, so i thought for sure I slightly damaged the bearing.

So I remove the driver's side bearing again, installed another new bearing, and guess what? Yep noise was still there.

I decided to replace the passenger side, and yep it fixed the problem.

The point is, that noises are difficult to pinpoint exactly where they're coming from. Noises/sound travel, they bouce off the road, different parts of the car etc, and a sound you swear is coming from the front, can in fact originate from the rear of the car, or a sound you think is coming from the LF will actually be originating from the RF.

Just plan on replacing both bearings. It'll be much easier to replace the second bearing, while the process/procedures are still fresh in your mind.

Another note: After I replaced both bearings, my Tacoma drove smoother/quieter than it ever had.

Good Luck, Bill

 

Right around 95K my driver side went bad, soon after had to do the passenger side. Haven't done the rear yet? Maybe those last longer? It's GD EXPENSIVE to get fixed. Much nicer/smoother/quieter ride after both replaced though. Here's to another 95K hopefully!! Cheers.

 

Had one start groaning really loud a few weeks ago on my 09 at 88k miles and i replaced it...now i'm at 90k and the other is groaning. I should have done both at the same time.

 

Took it to the shop and sure enough, both front bearings are bad. Also the drivers side ball joint is ripped and leaking grease so that's gotta get replaced also. I read all the posts about the bearings and just fooled myself into thinking it wouldn't happen to me.

Seriously, I've had many vehicles and wheel bearings have never failed, wtf Toyota?

 

How much did they quote for the repairs?

 

Mine just arrived today. I only have 60K miles on my oem's. Can't wait to get them shitty bastards off.

 

This is good info. Still early on my oem.

 

For both sides and the ball joint it's going to be about $800. The shop manager said the system says it's a 3.5 hour job per side but he said he could get it all done n less than 5.

 

That sounds approximately the $ i was finding while researching online. Have u dealt with the mechanic before? If u trust him, and he has done good work for you before, then you'll be fine. I actually enjoyed doing it myself, it was a good learning experience. But if u don't enjoy mechanic work then definitely have it done by a mechanic.

 

Thanks again for the info. I've only used this shop for tires and alignment but they seem pretty honest. I do a lot of work myself and like doing it but this is something I don't have the tools or skills to do myself.