bgambino Posted September 27, 2009 Share Posted September 27, 2009 93 Legacy automatic First...I have torque bind Here's the dilemma tho...I have a rythmic groaning sound like a bad bearing Can here is at 5- 10 MPH and up. It's very pronounced (bought car this way). Makes the sound going straight and moving steering wheel to left...turn it right a bit and it subsides some So i'm gueesing a wheel bearing recent posts suggest grabbing the tire at top and bottom ...pulling top and pushing bottom simultaneousy and vice versa....I get no movement So I try spinning both front wheels to hear something...brake pads make it confusing so i remove and put tires on and spin...both wheels sound similar...not sure they sound abnormal...but I don't know what normal should sound like Looks like both axles are tightened the same (as looking from behind the wheel) Being bewildered...I come up with an idea that is sure to work I take a 5" diameter plastic funnel and a plastic hose to use it to listen while I drive. I listened to the outer CV/hub area....no rythmic sounds with hose to my ear (yet I can hear the sound with my other ear). I move it to the inner CV...then do same on other side....nothing! I say to myself...could it somehow be the rear? no because sound changes as I rotate steering wheel I am lost I don't want to waste effort and money without some degree of certainty...? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnceggleston Posted September 27, 2009 Share Posted September 27, 2009 a while back some one suggested jacking up the wheel in question and rotating it by hand while resting your other hand on the coil spring. i have also heard that the wiggle waggle test is not conclusive in these cars unless the wheel is about to fall off. but i have not tried either one so i don't really know. try the hand on the spring..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
logic23 Posted September 27, 2009 Share Posted September 27, 2009 Ok first of all wheel bearing are real hard to nail down. They are making the sound when the entire weight of the car+you+buddies is on them. Yes it could be from the back...as you turn the wheel from side to side you are shifting weight from one side of car to the other. The best way to test a wheelbearing is to remove the cv joint so you can feel/hear the bearing minus the transmission etc. grab one of the wheel studs and spin the hub as fast as you can. if the bearing is bad you will most likely hear or feel it>> either gravely sound or you wil feel catches in the rotation. Even after all this it still might feel good and be bad. Have someone drive and move around car to see if you can hear where its coming from. I have gone as far as to have a buddy drive the car and I hold on to car and skateboard next to it (dangerous but effective). DONT BE FOOLED - a bad tire (cupped) can cause a very very similar noise. I replaced a rear bearing on my first subaru legacy... turned out to be the tire I dont even replace teh bearings now. I go to teh junkyards and get the whole spindles waaaay cheaper/faster. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted September 27, 2009 Share Posted September 27, 2009 get a temp gun and keep hitting each wheel after some extended driving. the bad bearing will generate heat that will show a 10-40 degree difference. you're welcome! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john in KY Posted September 27, 2009 Share Posted September 27, 2009 Or just use your hand. Compare one side to the other. If the hub is hot to the touch, time for a new bearing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Log1call Posted September 27, 2009 Share Posted September 27, 2009 Try the finger on the hub as you turn the wheel, it works better than a finger on the spring. Since you can hear it at low speed it should be quite obvious. Try running up to about fifty miles an hour then swerving moderatly hard from left and right. If the sound gets noticably louder then it will be a wheel bearing rather than diff or cv joint. It will get louder when the weight of the car goes on the crook bearing. If it gets louder in both directions you may have two crook bearings. Disconnecting the cvs to turn the wheel will not be a good idea because the axle nut holds the bearings in place and keeps a little pretension on them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bgambino Posted September 27, 2009 Author Share Posted September 27, 2009 Try the finger on the hub as you turn the wheel, it works better than a finger on the spring. Since you can hear it at low speed it should be quite obvious. Try running up to about fifty miles an hour then swerving moderatly hard from left and right. If the sound gets noticably louder then it will be a wheel bearing rather than diff or cv joint. It will get louder when the weight of the car goes on the crook bearing. If it gets louder in both directions you may have two crook bearings. Disconnecting the cvs to turn the wheel will not be a good idea because the axle nut holds the bearings in place and keeps a little pretension on them. Log the only flaw in your statement was my test using the funnel with the tube in my ear...I did this at 0-45 MPH right at both hubs....the rythmic sound was not audible.....yet it definitely is affected by the turning of the wheel (gets loud or quieter)...sort of sounds front/middle Even if it is a bearing...figuring out which side is the hard part I am trying to avoid danger,,, laying across the open hood and listen while someone else drives about 10MPH...hahaha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted September 27, 2009 Share Posted September 27, 2009 again - temp difference via hand like john said or temp gun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.