Wheel Bearing Check

[Celica Man]

Hey guys,

Can’t I simply jack up one side of my car so the tire is free-rolling and then roll the wheel with the tire on to test for a wheel bearing grind noise? If I hear grinding from rolling the tire, which may be from a bad bearing, isn’t that good enough? Why do I have to take the tire, brake pads, and caliper off to roll it for sound?

Thanks!

Topic

[Steven Cummings]

You can try with the tire on. The tire can add weight which at slow speeds will “hide” the noise. The second reason is that you won’t be able to get your ear as close to accurately hear the noise. Sometimes wheel bearings can be bad with no noise at low speeds. A lot of this has to depend on how far gone and the type of bearing you have on your wheel. Eric is pointing out the most complete method to look for noises.

I’d start with the tire on, look for wobble by moving it back and forth. Then look for wobble after spinning the tire. If all checks out, it still may be a good idea to remove the tire and put your ear or better a stethoscope near the bearing and listen for noises.

[Lorrin Barth]

Last fall I was doing a clutch on my car and had the axles out. I’d been hearing noise from the front which I thought was tires but it could have been a wheel bearing. But with everything off, to check, all I was turning was the hub. I wasn’t turning the transmission internals or the final drive gear or the differential, or the opposite axle or the axle. Torn down like this I could feel the exact condition of the bearing. Like this I could feel the slightest imperfection. I couldn’t have learned more if I had had the bearing in my hand.

So, to answer your question, shaking a wheel will tell you if the bearing is shot. However, if not shot it won’t tell you it’s exact condition.

[Author]

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