Best way to tackle wheel bearings

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lucas
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Best way to tackle wheel bearings

Post by lucas »

So after an almost full front end over haul, I still have a clunk feeling on the front passenger side while turning right. Replaces both axles, Power steering rack, tie rods, motor mounts, tranny mount and a alignment.

It either a wheel bearing or the front diff is going tits up. Im not sure but ill go the cheaper route first.
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rallyak
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Re: Best way to tackle wheel bearings

Post by rallyak »

How are your sway bar bushings and end links? Wheel bearings normally don't clunk unless they are really bad, and at that point the car would be hard to keep in a straight line.

I need to do wheel bearings on my wife's right now, it has a lot of wheel vibration and the tires are not out of balance, when I swapped to winter tires it didn't change nothing.
Charles

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lucas
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Re: Best way to tackle wheel bearings

Post by lucas »

ill have to look at the end links but i do know the sway bar bushing are old as balls. It consistently pulls to the right even after all the work i did and the alignment.

Doest matter if its a hard right turn or just a slight right turn it clunks, so its not the axles they're both brand new.
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rallyak
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Re: Best way to tackle wheel bearings

Post by rallyak »

If turning right and your hearing the clunk on the passenger side I'm pretty sure it not a wheel bearing since all the weight is transferred to the drivers wheel.

I assuming your front diff is open and not locking correct. If it is a locking diff slight tire pressure difference ( as little a 2lbs) makes mine pull.
Charles

90' White/Gray Outback DD workhorse (670,xxx) miles
92' Onyx Metallic (430,xxx) Wife's DD
68' Barracuda formula S 340 4spd coupe (ongoing project)
66' Mustang 2+2 4spd wife's (ongoing project)
ACVWguy
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Re: Best way to tackle wheel bearings

Post by ACVWguy »

I would second the sway bar links/bushings as a source of the clunk. They can cause a racket no matter what the speed or size of bump. They wouldn't have any affect on alignment, however. I would also check front ball joints if you haven't yet, check front tie rod ends, and steering rack bushings.

I once drove a 99 Escort that pulled to the right (and was very sluggish when turning left) and made a terrible clunk when turning or going over the slightest bumps. The culprit was a FUBARed passenger side strut mount. I'd inspect those as well.

Doesn't sound like wheel bearings to me either, as they usually make terrible groaning noises long before they affect alignment.
allnines'
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Re: Best way to tackle wheel bearings

Post by allnines' »

^^ second that on checking the ball joints-my '99 continued to clunked after I had a friend replace all my (complete) struts-He told me even though they had no play-(I checked the entire front end before I bought the car) the rubber around the joint was pulling away and dry-rotted and that was the noise I was hearing-had him replace those as well-no more front end noise! Good to have friends with 30 years of subie experience!
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lucas
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Re: Best way to tackle wheel bearings

Post by lucas »

Hmm makes sense, everytime the wheel bearing goes bad in my s10 it gets wonky like that. I did reuse the rubber bushings for the power steering rack.

So strut mounts means Top Hats? cause if your talking about the bottom part i just took all that apart all seemed fine. Guess ill start with the cheapest parts. Work up to ball joints.
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lucas
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Re: Best way to tackle wheel bearings

Post by lucas »

Its not a locking diff or anything just regular 5 speed. I mean at least i don't think it is, its not the 4.11 gears or whatever the awesome ones were.
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ACVWguy
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Re: Best way to tackle wheel bearings

Post by ACVWguy »

If the rubber rack bushings haven't deteriorated, then they probably aren't the culprit. My sisters outback's rack bushings were literally falling off and causing a clunk when turning full lock.

And by strut mounts, I mean the part that bolts to the strut tower. The top hats don't really wear out, the rubber mounts (and bearings) do.
lucas
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Re: Best way to tackle wheel bearings

Post by lucas »

Sway bar bushing is good then they still seem to be intact. I reused the powersteering rack bushing and those were old as balls...

As stated earlier they car would clunk turning right/ even the slightest right turn would cause a clunk. Now if I even move the wheel barely right itll clunk and you can feel it in the floor. I have no idea what would cause this problem.
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lucas
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Re: Best way to tackle wheel bearings

Post by lucas »

So digging through all my old records that I got with the car in 2008 I found that at one time both the front axles were replaced with Reman ones and the front right wheel bearing was replaced because it was noisy. I wonder if its an aftermarket bearing that's just not to spec and is on its way out.

Previous owner paid 607.57 for two axles and a wheel bearing in 2007. From a " Subaru independent service " shop in N. Hollywood CA.
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jefferson
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Re: Best way to tackle wheel bearings

Post by jefferson »

Check your subframe and tranny mounts. Maybe something loosened up or the rubber is shot.
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lucas
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Re: Best way to tackle wheel bearings

Post by lucas »

brand new group N tranny mount, literally just took all that apart and cleaned it plus new mount last week.
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Legacy777
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Re: Best way to tackle wheel bearings

Post by Legacy777 »

If you're barely moving the wheel and you get the clunk then I would suspect something with the subframes or possibly other mounts. Have you jacked the car up and tried moving/shaking the wheel?
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lucas
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Re: Best way to tackle wheel bearings

Post by lucas »

I guess I'll have to jack it all up again. But I just put in new motor and tranny mounts. I don't know what else to look at.
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dillonr92
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Re: Best way to tackle wheel bearings

Post by dillonr92 »

Could be your spring twisting on the strut. Mine did that before I git rid of them
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thewaterboy
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Re: Best way to tackle wheel bearings

Post by thewaterboy »

My cut springs caused this. Replaced the struts with D2 coilovers, and now its silky smooth.
lucas
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Re: Best way to tackle wheel bearings

Post by lucas »

stock springs. This was a problem i had before i pretty much replaced the whole front end. Ive run out of ideas and before i dump more money into just replacing parts I'm gonna take it to the shop and have them take a look at it. Im hoping its something simple.
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cj91legss
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Re: Best way to tackle wheel bearings

Post by cj91legss »

If I had the time and the space I would try to save you some money and give it a look over.
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lucas
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Re: Best way to tackle wheel bearings

Post by lucas »

meh its ok man i appreciate it I have a feeling the front diff is pooping out but ya never know, I'm thinking its something simple that I've overlooked or done know about.
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cj91legss
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Re: Best way to tackle wheel bearings

Post by cj91legss »

Did you check your front top hats?
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lucas
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Re: Best way to tackle wheel bearings

Post by lucas »

they seem fine. No movement when i push on the front end
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cj91legss
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Re: Best way to tackle wheel bearings

Post by cj91legss »

Ok, but did you lift your front off the ground and unbolt the top hats and spin them to listen for how the bearings sound?
91 L-TW Wagon with a full Swap -RIP
92 SS Prefaced, GD dash swapped, 22T/205 Hybrid 20 psi - BEAST!
93 SS Bone Stock Gone!
94 TW Bone Stock Gone!
91 SS 4EAT Sold!
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lucas
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Re: Best way to tackle wheel bearings

Post by lucas »

I didn't get that far but i have some time before i take it to the shop on wednesday ill try that. They are 21 years old its possible that the problem. Although the "clunking" problem has now started to happen while just driving straight in addition to turning right. Guess i should do nascar left turns only.
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cj91legss
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Re: Best way to tackle wheel bearings

Post by cj91legss »

Probably the best solution lol
91 L-TW Wagon with a full Swap -RIP
92 SS Prefaced, GD dash swapped, 22T/205 Hybrid 20 psi - BEAST!
93 SS Bone Stock Gone!
94 TW Bone Stock Gone!
91 SS 4EAT Sold!
98 LGT 4EAT
98 LGT Wagon 4EAT
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