Hey everyone, while I was driving the other day I realized my car was making a noise I hadn't noticed. Im quite the worrier when it comes to automotive repair (my last car did that to me lol) so I figured I would ask on here to get some ideas. So here is a description of the noise:

-noise only occurs when turning left at a higher speed (~25+ mph)
-noise does not occur when turning right or going straight
-noise is pulsing, not constant
-it does not sound of grinding, banging, clanking, obvious metal on metal
-it has a *whom whom whom whom* type sound
-the car just passed inspection in Febraury
-I just checked tire pressure and made sure they were all good
-I just did brake pads/rotors but it does not sound like brake noise or brake rubbing noise
-the noise sounds like its coming from the right front (and that would make sense since it occurs while turning left and the weight is on it)
-both front and rear wheels are of equal temperature after driving (so wheel bearing cant be completely shot haha)

so thats really all I can think of to describe it. I would go outside and take the wheel off but its pouring right now so I thought I would post up here. My biggest concern is its a wheel bearing but I am curious of any other ideas. Any help is appreciated. Thanks guys.

 

Kinda sounds like wheel bearing. Lift car and test spin each side, with calipers off. See if you hear or feel the bad bearing.


Good luck!

 

So I took the wheel off the suspect problem side (front passenger) and I took the caliper off. The hub is unable to spin freely and feels very notchy when moving it by hand. I suppose this means my wheel bearing is on the way out so I purchased a new one and will install it whenever it gets here. Thanks for the help

 

You may need to replace the hub as well. I suggest you get both for a long term solution. Check out the axle nut tsb factory tq settings for the axle nut is 242 ft/lbs for the fronts but it's safer at ~400 ft/lbs. This goes for the rears as well.

 

Due the differential, the hub will spin but not "freely", there will be a noticeable resistance, certainly if you take the wheel off and then try and just turn the hub, isnt going to happen. Its also normal to feel some free play back and forth when spinning the wheel, this could be construed as "notchy" but could be something else also. I had an old diff that made this whirling noise when turning from a stop, its was noisy and a fluid change was all that was required to eliminate it. Before you go assuming you have a bearing problem, I would have first replaced the diff fluid, and highly recommend the heavier 75/140w. Unless its readily apparent to you that you do indeed have a bad wheel bearing, I would try the fluid change first.

 

First of all, there is no front axel nuts to titen, second, 400lb trq is way over kill on the rear nuts INMOP. Its possible to get them too tight and create a bearing failure, so saying that’s safer then the more reasonable 242, isnt. I have had no issues running the last factory updated trq spec of 223. Billman came out with his own recommendation of taking that 223trq spec and tuning an additional 60 degrees etc which may/may not have surmounted to the equivalent of 400trq, I don’t know, may have just been what someone else had deducted and passed on. Either way, I find this to be excessive and unnecessary and wont do it myself.

 

Porsche tightens all their axle nuts to 400ft lbs, I've used a 1" dial tq wrench and ~60 degrees + 181 ft lbs is close to 400 ft lbs, not quite there, around 388'ish. I've done it on my car and a couple others, no problems either. If you go way over like an extra 50-60lbs you can damage the stub hub on the axle. In some cases you can pull the axle out of the diff, but I think 400 is safe. Wheels that use a center locking nut also use 400ft lbs to tq down, which makes sense since on a 5 lug wheel each lug is fastened to 80 ft lbs so 80 * 5 = 400

 

Well I see this as risk vs reward here, and at 400lb trq I see the risk for damaging rather then preventing is much higher. Until I have an issue at the factory recommended 223, that’s where I will continue to run it. For those that have clicking noises (which I believe prompted this trq revision) making sure the axel nuts are greased prior to torquing will solve the problem, wile providing a more accurate factory trq spec.

 

A little confused here. Wasn't the OP talking about front end wheel noise?

 

I appreciate all of the reply's!

haha yes I was referring to the front passenger side wheel, I was a little confused when talk of a differential came into play. Like I said the hub does not spin freely, even with me forcefully trying to get it to spin on its own it stops as soon as my hand stops touching it. I think its in the early stages of going bad as it doesn't make loud noises or warm the rim up. Im going to do my best to not drive on it until the part comes in and I have time to install it.

I cant imagine it not freely spinning being normal?