Bad wheel bearing?! HELP?

[gotta240]

How do you know for sure if a wheel bearing is going bad? I KNOW what a completly bad one sounds like, but is there a way to tell when they are just starting to go bad?

The reason i ask...it SORT OF sounds like i have a bad Right REAR wheel bearing at times, but it could also be one of the many other noised my car makes from having stiff suspension, welded diff, and exhaust close to the subframe.

When i turn RIGHT it sounds like the right rear clicks a little. That doesn't make sence to me because when turning right, the R.R. wheel has the LEAST pressure on it. How do i tell for sure? I'm driving 4 hours north to willow springs, and will be racing all day,then driving home..needless to say i dont want to get stuck!!! also, how long can one usualy drive on a bad bearing before it seizes?


PS- i have a spare 4 lug hub/bearing.. Will that be of any use as a spare for my 5 lug se?

[Team Rootbeer]

im pretty sure that the 4 and 5 lug hubs use the same bearing sets.

your problem sounds more like an axle broken maybe..ive never heard of a wheel bearing making clicking sounds....but i dunno.

[drift freaq]

bad wheel bearings sound like a airplane and cause suspension or wheel shimmy. You hear them more in hard corners as well.

[S14DB]

Clicks would be the axle joints. Whining noses would be the bearings.

[gotta240]

hmmm. I had a front wheel bearing that clicked... a bunch of really light, rapid clicks when turning opposite of the wheel(ie putting weight on it)

So i should be fine for a race day then...I'll take a spare axle to be sure..thanks!

[S14DB]

Jack it up and shake the wheel then.

[infinitexsound]

should sound like a grinding scrape.. kinda like when brake rotors are being turned..... u can also check the tolerances by setting a dial indicator to see how much play u have.... or even jacking up the side of the car... and checking how much movement there is by rocking the tires...

new bearing can be costly... and service work too if u dont have a bearing &race driver set and a hydraulic press.... but its totally doable... HF sells bearing and race drivers for cheap as a set... or u can just take the part off and have a service shop press new ones in...

another note... if ur going to do bearings... might as well do them all...

[S14DB]

Why would he need a bearing & race driver set?

[infinitexsound]

to press the bearins out so that they fall thru the stand on the hydraulic press...

[S14DB]

to press the bearins out so that they fall thru the stand on the hydraulic press...
240's use sealed bearings...

[sky53line]

Just do what i did and get a hub assembly.

[infinitexsound]

so how do u get the front ones out? or even press out the spindle???? maybe use a computer and keyboard for inputs right? off of zilvia...

[Dream240]

The easiest thing to do is buy new hubs all together. They already come with the bearings installed. Here:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ICHIBA-240SX-S13-S14-300ZX-5-Lug-Conversion-Hub-Rear_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ33749QQihZ012QQite mZ220073596485QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWDVW

Just throw these in and you're set. No press, driver, etc. needed. And you get new lugs! :)

[infinitexsound]

you guys are not understanding... disregarding the new complete set... you still have to pull the front ones off... and press out the rears....

[nrg]

gotta240, I have the same exact problem with my car. Rear right wheel makes a clicking/clunking sound when i'm under throttle. I could let go of the gas and it goes away. So it's torque sensative. Also happens when i make a hard right turn or going up a incline. When I have a car-load of people, the sound is much louder. The should showed up right after I got an alignment. I've checked my wheel bearing and it's fine. It must be my axles. So i'm going to get a set of axles and swap them out to see if it goes away. If not, then it might be my RUCA or Toe arm. At first, i really thought it was busted subframe bushing, but after putting the ES bushings in, it's still there. The sound is very stedy and has a perfect rhythm. Bad bearings sounds like metal scratching against metal and it's really loud all the time.

[Dream240]

you guys are not understanding... disregarding the new complete set... you still have to pull the front ones off... and press out the rears....

No I understand what you are saying, but it's just that for the price of new bearings, having them installed, or even doing it himself....PITA..... he is better offjust getting new hub assemblies with the bearings already installed.

Rears, 4 bolts a side (6 counting the locking nut and upper arm) and your done. The fronts are even easier, 1 bolt (3 counting the brake caliper) and your done. So really why wouldn't you just get new assemblies? I've persoally never heard of anyone taking the time to press out the old races and bearings. Just too much work for the average DIYer lacking the necessary equipment.

[nrg]

A friend pressed out bearings from a 4 lug hub and pressed them into his 5 lug hub. only reason is because he had access to all the tools and equipment.

[Dream240]

....only reason is because he had access to all the tools and equipment.

EXACTLY. Having access to tools/equipment makes all the difference. I don't, which is why I recommend the hubs for sale.

[ManoNegra]

Been there before.
I kept getting a slight sliding motion with clunking in the driver side rear on one of my old cars. Turned out to be the axle nut was tightened properly.
As already mentioned, swapping bearing is cake if you have a press.

Later, on a different car - S14 as a matter of fact, my front bearing was bad and when I went to the dealer by my house the guy behind the counter told me they only didn't sell the bearings separately. ~$280 pers side iirc for the hub w/ bearing.

[gotta240]

Thats wierd... i replaced my front wheelbearing and payed 120 for the hub/bearing from nissan. Went back and now they want about 260 or 280 each...wtf!?!?!?!

But yes, you guys were right... i believe its my axle...

[nrg]

um.. the front hub/bearing is about $95 MSRP each. You guys are getting ripped off.
http://www.mynismo.com/products/?id=3578&rsku=0

[gotta240]

thanks for that link! I think nissan doubled the price or something...wtf?!

[infinitexsound]

because on average.. most bearing and race sets.. for just those part... the price is roughly 30 bucks.. with out paying labor if ur going to do it ur self....
if people want to buy sealed bearing and whats so forth i understand.. but if someone is going to tell me parts just magically go bad and doesnt need labor to be installed with new ones... im assumin BS... honestly if someone wants to shell out 300 bucks for an assembly.. then thats their thing... i just wont..