Expert: Roland Finston - 10/24/2011

Question
QUESTION: -Roland
A couple of days ago the straight arm lower ball bearing broke loose from the wheel hub on my way out of the driveway.

After jacking the car up, I noticed that the inner cv axle had been pulled from the joint and the inner boot was ripped.

I replaced the straight lower control arm with attached bearing and replaced the boot (single boot, had a bit of trouble with the snap clip on the shaft).

There was a very small nick in the shaft near the snap clip and the clip doesn't seat as well as I'd like it too, but everything went together okay.

I took the car on a slow speed test drive around the subdivision and am experiencing a noise from the passenger side. It's not a clicking noise, but a more or less constant whirring that intensifies when turning left.

I'd hate to throw a bearing at the car to see if that's it. What are your thoughts?

Thank You
Shawn

ANSWER: Hi Shaun,
Whirring sounds that are clearly not clicking, and which vary both with speed and also depending upon which way you are turning (or going straight) are typically due to a wheel bearing that has a rough spot on one of the rollers. You can wait a bit to see if it gets louder and more like a grinding sound which would verify that diagnosis.
You could check the end play of the hub by removing the caliper and disc and then use a dial indicator to check the end play of the hub which should not exceed .002" (.05 mm)
Also, did you tighten the hub nut to 188 foot-lbs?
Roland

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Actually I never took the hub off. The two lower arms bolt to the assembly with one nut each. The straight arm attaches to the body throw a couple of bolts. I just took the whole lower straight arm off and used a pickle fork to pry the defective ball joint.

There is major corrosion on the cotter pin and the nut. I don't have a dial indicator. How involved would it be to remove the bearing and inspect by sound by turning it?

Answer
Hi Shawn,
Unfortunately the bearing and hub appear to be a single unit for disassembly/replacement service. You have to loosen the connection between the upper arm and the knuckle (unless you want to repeat what you have done at the lower connection of the ball joint to the knuckle.
The hub assembly unbolts from the knuckle. If you don't have the manual I can xerox copy and postal mail you the pages.
Roland