Wheel Bearing?

**passatkid** · 11-06-2008 07:00 AM

Makes a noise from the front right, dissappears when turning right, gets louder turning left . Has new brakes, CV's are good, tires a good, fresh alignment. Thoughts, 02 with 100k

**fitch303** · 11-06-2008 07:48 AM

Can you describe the noise?

**passatkid** · 11-06-2008 08:02 AM

wurhling, almost like soft card in spooks sound

**lookaught** · 11-06-2008 08:05 AM

Originally Posted by passatkid

wurhling, almost like soft card in spooks sound

Sounds like the bearing. CV's clunk, and nothing else is rotating.

Take off the wheel and move the hub with your hand, if you feel it is slighly rough when turning, then its the bearing. This can be tricky though, b/c it turns the trans as well when you are moving the hub. Its best to turn two separate wheels and feel for a difference between them.

**b5rs4** · 11-06-2008 08:23 AM

my friend has the same problem and I think is the bearing but in the rear, how hard is it to replace? anyone know.

**lookaught** · 11-06-2008 10:42 AM

Originally Posted by b5rs4

my friend has the same problem and I think is the bearing but in the rear, how hard is it to replace? anyone know.

You have to take off the rear upright. The steps are:

Remove the axle bolt (the big one in the middle of the hub)
jack up car
remove wheel
remove brake caliper/rotor
remove upper bushing bolt
remove swaybar bolt
remove the lower ball joint (can be a pain without a ball joint separator)
Remove lower bushing bolt (eccentric)

You have the choice to either remove the ABS sensor from the upright, or unplug it and keep it in the upright with the cables in tow. I chose the latter.

If you live in a dry climate, its a cakewalk. If you live where they salt the roads, it can be an absolute BEAR. Living in PA (the rustbelt), its very common for the bushin bolts to seize in the sleeves and you have to either drill or hacksaw them and then replace the bushing.