Wheel bearings or brakes?

2

210-816-Horn

250+ Posts
I have a 99 Honda DX....ocassionally when I turn right into a parking spot at a low speed, I hear a squeaking sound (outside the cabin). I think it's either the wheel bearing or the brakes. I know I can maintenance the brakes, but what about the wheel bearings? Does anyone know how to replace those? Could I replace them at home? Or is this something that needs to be done at a shop?

Thanks for your help.
 
I'm curious to see what accuratehorn has to say about this. I've never heard of wheel bearings going bad on a FWD car, although surely it must happen.

I had a 89 accord. I don't recall replacing the bearings when I did an axle swap. Accurate, are they part of the hub assy?
 
The wheel bearings are large roller bearings pressed into each hub. They are replaced by taking the whole suspension upright off and pressing the old bearing out, then pressing the new one in-not a casual driveway repair. But they rarely go out, it is usually after 200k, or if you hit something hard enough to blow out a tire and ruin the wheel, then the bearing may go out later. An impact can put a ding in one of the ball bearings and this will wear a groove in the "race" surface of the bearing which starts making a whining noise.
You first hear the bearing noise as a whining, growling or singing sound, much like worn tire noise. It gets louder as speed increases.
The wheel bearings like this which are pressed in do not need periodic maintenance, unlike the tapered wheel bearings on some other cars which need repacking every few years.
Your noise sounds like squeaky brakes, probably the pads are worn down to the wear indicator, which is just starting to touch the rotors to let you know it is time for new pads.
 
What's the danger or impact to a vehicle driving on a bad wheel hub bearing?
 
Eventually a bad bearing will overheat to the point that it comes apart. That will cause the wheel to wobble severely, and you better pull over.

I have seen it happen during corning during a race (SCCA) and the car usually ends up running off the track. Worst case the whole wheel comes off.

I had a bearing start squealing on my Celica a little past 200K miles and I had them both changed immediately.
 
They can get very hot, start smoking, weld themselves together, or fall apart. It can let the wheel wobble or even come off the hub, so don't ignore the sound.
 
Thanks for the info.

My civic has only 122k....its runs very well. That squeaking noise just started a few weeks ago and I figured it had to do with the brakes or bearing since it only occurs at 10mph or less when turning right only. I'll change my brakes this wknd and see if that corrects the problem.
 
Yes they will weld themselves. I spent an entire day with a hacksaw on my old Vega (no comments - I got 100k on the engine) cutting off a bearing that welded itself. I had to get it off and a new one instaaleed to drive to the Sugar Bowl that night. Not a lot of shops open on New Years weekend back then.
 
I have '97 Mountaineer with 165K miles and it makes a similar noise on the right front passenger side...it squeaks when the weather is warm...when it is cooler---like in the AM it doesn't make that sound...also it doesn't make the sound when I accelerate...only when I slow down and come to a stop. I think mine is a rear-wheel drive...I dunno.

this car runs really well besides this (knock on wood) and I have kept the car in good running condition otherwise...

Also, I did hit a curb a couple of years ago and blew out a tire (no comments from the peanut gallery regarding women drivers if you please!).

Any suggestions as to what that might be? I am thinking of getting a new vehicle come December or January so I don't know if this is worth fixing...but was thinking of keeping it as a second car...
 
Brakes tend to make squeaky noises because many places do not apply the "moly" grease to the antirattle springs and shims that hold the pads in place, or the caliper slide pin grease that goes on the pins-or that grease gets washed off after years of splashing through puddles, or the rotors get slightly uneven, stuff like that.
But if you have a whine that sounds like worn tire noise, and if the noise gets louder when you swerve from one lane to the next in one direction, but quieter when you swerve in the other direction, that is a good test for a noisy wheel bearing, and it should not be ignored. I recommend doing this test somewhere other than IH-35 at 5 p.m, or while leaving sixth street at 2 a.m.
 
Yep...was thinking it is a wheel bearing...it does make that sound like a worn tire...

better get that looked asap!

Thanks!
 
After 5 months of trying to figure out what was causing that grumbling/howling noise I finally figred out what was causing it to. It was the damn wheel hub bearing!!! I had been asking around trying to see someone had any ideas of what the problem was. One said it was just normal 4x4 noise. Another said its an old Jeep and its not going to run like new. But I refused to give up, took a guys advice who actualy was closest thing to a mechanic and replaced the hub bearing this morning...It just about killed me but I got er done!
smokin.gif
 
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