Durania Posted February 6, 2008 Share Posted February 6, 2008 Taking a small trip the other day in my 91, I developed a front end grinding/rubbing sound coming from the front right wheel. The sound comes and goes at times and and it sounds like brakes a rubbing but the sound stays even when brakes are applied, even mashing the pedal doesn't change anything. I at first thought it was brakes so I jacked it up and changed that side, still no change in the sound. I started the car with it jacked up and watched the axle turning while in drive. The only thing that I noticed is that the axle seemed to be a little out of balance, like it was warped only slightly, but I haven't hit anything. Also checked for vertical play in wheel, nice and tight. So it shouldn't be bearings. I know how hard it is to try and diagnose these things online so I gave it a search and couldn't seem to find anybody who had anything described like I have. Let's give it a shot. Kyle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted February 6, 2008 Share Posted February 6, 2008 you wouldn't use "squealing or clicking" at all to describe the noise? steering has no affect on it either? do you know if the axle has ever been replaced? FWD, AWD, auto, or manual - and how many miles? if i had to guess right now it sounds like bearings on their way out....but i'm not confident with that on what i've read so far either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Setright Posted February 6, 2008 Share Posted February 6, 2008 YEah, bearings make some weird noises and I have found them to come and go....until they are really busted! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Durania Posted February 6, 2008 Author Share Posted February 6, 2008 Auto, FWD. I can jerk the steering wheel and it will quit for a second and then start right back again. I believe the axle was replaced a long time ago back when my grandmother drove it more; the car is at 217K. The sound just started all of a sudden while I was driving, and my experience with wheel bearings is that it is a gradual process before they make noise. It truly sounds like something hitting, but I know how hard it is to diagnose this crap online. It truly sounds like a brake pad dragging, but not. Thanks guys. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nipper Posted February 6, 2008 Share Posted February 6, 2008 Wheel bearing. Its time to jack up the car, spin the tire by hand, and see what it sounds like. Also check for any play. nipper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lostinthe202 Posted February 6, 2008 Share Posted February 6, 2008 Auto, FWD. I can jerk the steering wheel and it will quit for a second and then start right back again. I believe the axle was replaced a long time ago back when my grandmother drove it more; the car is at 217K. The sound just started all of a sudden while I was driving, and my experience with wheel bearings is that it is a gradual process before they make noise. It truly sounds like something hitting, but I know how hard it is to diagnose this crap online. It truly sounds like a brake pad dragging, but not. Thanks guys. I'll be following this thread closely as I had almost exactly the same experience... that is, if it's possible to be "almost exact":-p Anyway, the other day I was driving down my gravel drive in my '96 OBW (166k, 5spd) with my driver's window open when I heard a grinding noise start like someone flicked on a switch. I thought I heard a light "clunk" the instant before it started but it could've been my imagination. Since I was driving down a gravel driveway I assumed I kicked a rock up someplace and that was making the noise. Once I got out on the pavement it continued for about a 1/4 mile before I stopped to check it out. I got underneath and looked around but didn't see anything out of the ordinary. I got back in and continued down the road with sound still there. I could get it to go away for a second by swerving the wheel to the left, but only to the left and only for a moment, it wouldn't go away swerving to the right and also wouldn't go away brake or no brake. My front brakes are low and the sound is just like that of low pads so I assumed either a rock or low pads, but if low pads I wondered at how sudden the noise began. Whatever the cause the noise went away another 1/2 mile down the road and hasn't come back. Interesting... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Durania Posted February 6, 2008 Author Share Posted February 6, 2008 I at first thought it was a wheel bearing myself but I did the vertical wheel play test and there was no movement. I also thought it might have been a gravel stuck in the tire but there was nothing there as well. Ive never had a bearing be good one second then the next second it make noise, my understanding was they are a gradual thing. I also had the hub off of it about two months ago and bearing looked good, even had adequate grease. CV boots are not busted, could they be going bad on the inside? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Durania Posted February 6, 2008 Author Share Posted February 6, 2008 Upadte: Went for a drive and found that the sound is not as obvious as when turning but when driving straight. Also, I can NOT feel it in the steering wheel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
subaru360 Posted February 6, 2008 Share Posted February 6, 2008 Upadte: Went for a drive and found that the sound is not as obvious as when turning but when driving straight. Also, I can NOT feel it in the steering wheel. This sounds like a wheel bearing. Find a smooth straight road. Drive about 50 or 60 mph. Turn the wheel slightly left or slightly right. Just enough to barely move the car over. If the noise changes it's wheel bearings. When you turn it takes the load off one side bearing and the noise goes away. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nipper Posted February 6, 2008 Share Posted February 6, 2008 Wheel bearings will come and go initially. You can wait it out till it gets noiser if you want. nipper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevinsUBARU Posted February 6, 2008 Share Posted February 6, 2008 Just to throw it out there, but check the lug nuts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Durania Posted February 7, 2008 Author Share Posted February 7, 2008 Lug nuts are tight. When I started driving the Legacy again, I originally thought this side's wheel bearing was on its way out. That later turned out to be nothing more than a loose axle nut and that fixed all vertical movement. I will have my dad look at it with me on Sunday. This wheel bearing crap drives me nuts, I had just bought one the other day and since I didn't need it I took it back; looks like I will be buying that $80 thing back. Anyone have a hub and rotor with the bearing already in it laying around? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strakes Posted February 7, 2008 Share Posted February 7, 2008 I had a piece of gravel stuck between the dust shield and brake rotor. It was wedged in there pretty tight. Did you check to see if that metal dust shield is rubbing? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uniberp Posted February 7, 2008 Share Posted February 7, 2008 I had a piece of gravel stuck between the dust shield and brake rotor. It was wedged in there pretty tight. Did you check to see if that metal dust shield is rubbing? I also, had a dust shield that appeared to rust itself thick enoughto rub during left turns. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Durania Posted February 7, 2008 Author Share Posted February 7, 2008 Guess I am just gonna start seeing about finding another hub and rotor assembly. I will give the dust shield a third look sometime this weekend. Thanks guys. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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