Bad wheel bearing - symptoms?

[NAiL05]

can you explain that?

12 and 6...is that where i should be grabbing a hold of the wheel?!

Yes thats where you should be grabbing.

Dont confuse Tire hum with wheel bearings. Anyway it will be pretty obvious.

[Ralphie]

Yes thats where you should be grabbing.

Dont confuse Tire hum with wheel bearings. Anyway it will be pretty obvious.

thats what im trying to do is decipher whether its tire hum or wheel bearings...

[Fake Thug]

Wheel bearings make a humming .whurring, whoo , whoo, whoo sound when they START to go bad. When they are bad, they will grind, you'll feel some vibration. When really bad you'll feel it in your steering wheel.

A couple of tests that I use to pinpoint bad bearings(i Already know just from the sound..LOL) . While crusing or driving on a straight road, swerve your car from left to right agressively. Like a slalom course. if the humming sound cuts in and out, chances are your bearings are shot.

Thats a ballpark test. To pinpoint which bearings are bad, I jack up the front end or the rear end of the car. Grab the wheel at 3 and 9. Push in and out, side to side. Any play at all that wheel bearing is bad. Make sure the tierod end is not moving. If it is, then thats bad also. while you are at it might as well check balljoints. 6 and 12 postion on the wheel. In out and out. Pull out on the bottom, push in on the top and reverse. Should be no play at all.

[HondaFan81]

Symptoms are a slight vibration/wobble at running speeds.

So easy to check, no need to waste time with symptoms. Jack up front of car, check both wheels holding it at 12 and 6 o'clock, push and pull. If you get a wobble = bad wheel bearing. Do the same in rear.

[HondaFan81]

If you have both bad front wheel bearings, now is the time to consider doing a rotor over hub conversion if you have the cash or save up for it. Buy 90-93 front wheel bearings as normal, but get 98-99 Acura 2.3 CL hub assemblies, press the wheel bearing onto the hub and you are ready to rock. Then, just go through the rotor removal/replacement procedure and take it from there. I personally like removing entire knuckle assembly, easier to work with out of car, etc.

[starchland]

damn your helpful^ that was so easy to understand. Yeah maybe I will do that when my brakes are toast...cause wouldnt I need new rotors to fit on the new hub? and arent the hubs pretty $$$ to buy?

[SN2BH22CB7]

If you have both bad front wheel bearings, now is the time to consider doing a rotor over hub conversion if you have the cash or save up for it. Buy 90-93 front wheel bearings as normal, but get 98-99 Acura 2.3 CL hub assemblies, press the wheel bearing onto the hub and you are ready to rock. Then, just go through the rotor removal/replacement procedure and take it from there. I personally like removing entire knuckle assembly, easier to work with out of car, etc.

Hmm...I learn something new everyday on here!

thanks Hondafan81.... thats what Im talking about!

[HondaFan81]

damn your helpful^ that was so easy to understand. Yeah maybe I will do that when my brakes are toast...cause wouldnt I need new rotors to fit on the new hub? and arent the hubs pretty $$$ to buy?

There is a reason to my madness man. It IS the time now if you want to do the rotor over hub conversion because you have to PRESS the new wheel bearing onto a hub anyhow, why not let it be the 98-99 Acura 2.3CL hub?? You're being efficient, this is key. A bad wheel bearing is not a safety issue, but it annoying. I say DEAL with the vibration for now, save up money as fast you can for a rotor over hub conversion

shopping list:

- 98/99 Acura 2.3 CL hubs (QTY:2)
- new OEM 90/93 Accord wheel bearing assemblies (QTY:2)
- new rotors for 98/99 Acura 2.3CL or 98/02 Accord 4-cylinder (QTY:2)
- new brake pads for whichever stock calipers you have, Nissin or Akebono (QTY:1 set)

I am efficient, I see you have the opportunity here, take it. Also, if you have enough money you can upgrade the rotors and pads to aftermarket brand stuff like Powerslot, EBC, HAWK HPS pads, AEM pads, etc.

[starchland]

Hmm...I see your point and DOES sound tempting , however after reading all the replies, I don't think my wheel bearing sounds like a culprit. But when my wheel bearing and brakes need redoing I will find this thread.

[Fake Thug]

A bad wheel bearing is not a safety issue, but it annoying.

And you came to this conclusion how? A bearing failure can be dangerous because it may cause the wheel to separate from the vehicle, sieze, or and/or cause a loss of steering control! It's not something I would ignore or put off because there aint no way to know how many miles the bearings will go before the unit fails completely.

[SN2BH22CB7]

And you came to this conclusion how? A bearing failure can be dangerous because it may cause the wheel to separate from the vehicle, sieze, or and/or cause a loss of steering control! It's not something I would ignore or put off because there aint no way to know how many miles the bearings will go before the unit fails completely.

^ Yup like I stated earlier...

not only is it DANGEROUS..but bad wheel bearings ....( cough )..( repeat ) "causing stress on other suspension parts due to it being loose...the other parts have to compensate for that wheel bearing being bad"......

DO NOT IGNORE suspension wear indications!

ball joints....wheel bearings...tie rods ends.....shock absorber fork ends....etc..etc...

you ignore those....and you're a glutton for an accident

[Fake Thug]

^ Yup like I stated earlier...

not only is it DANGEROUS..but bad wheel bearings ....( cough )..( repeat ) "causing stress on other suspension parts due to it being loose...the other parts have to compensate for that wheel bearing being bad"......

DO NOT IGNORE suspension wear indications!

ball joints....wheel bearings...tie rods ends.....shock absorber fork ends....etc..etc...

you ignore those....and you're a glutton for an accident

WERD!!

[soon2bdropped]

well we figured out a wheel bearing was bad by holding it at the 9 and 3 position..

[soon2bdropped]

well we figured out a wheel bearing was bad by holding it at the 9 and 3 position..

is this grabbing position still good? i mean it did indicate bad wheel bearing..

[HondaFan81]

And you came to this conclusion how? A bearing failure can be dangerous because it may cause the wheel to separate from the vehicle, sieze, or and/or cause a loss of steering control! It's not something I would ignore or put off because there aint no way to know how many miles the bearings will go before the unit fails completely.

Introduction:

I like challenges, especially when I specialize in CB7 suspensions & brakes. I have restored many completely. I will reference the appendices/diagrams below through this explanation.

Note: I am not stating to entirely put off the replacement of a wheel bearing assembly, however if there are other important suspension and/or brake related parts of higher safety concern and you're on a budget, do them first.

Setup:

Wheel bearing is pressed onto the hub. Hub has 4 screws that attach it to the rotor (reference Appendix A). The wheel bearing/hub assembly presses into the knuckle assembly and is attached with 4 screws as well (reference Appendix B). The CV shaft, respective to that side, then slides into the internal splines of the hub, which is now attached to the knuckle & wheel bearing assemblies. The CV shaft also has some press fit, indirectly as you achieve proper torque of the CV shaft nut.

Explanation for Each of Your Points:

1) Can cause wheel separation from vehicle - Not true. Reference "setup" section. There are many connection points holding the wheel bearing directly and indirectly to the suspension. Mainly, wheel bearing is pressed onto hub, hub is held on by CV shaft nut & indirectly to entire knuckle assembly, which will not extend because all front joints hold knuckle to rest of suspension (upper/lower arms & outer tie-rods).

2) Seizure - This is true. The more a wheel bearing deteriorates, eventually seizure can occur. I have driven on bad wheel bearings for a period of time (my car & other's cars), I have not had one seize up yet, but yes it can happen. Generally, you will have enough time to replace them, they will annoy when bad though with vibrations/wobble.

3) Loss of steering control - Your suspension will not run smooth, from the vibration/wobbling. However, I have yet to have a bad wheel bearing cause the car to loose steering control. Obviously, if you have bearing seizure (which doesn't happen instantly when wheel bearing is bad, takes time for seizure to occur) the car will not handle/steer properly because the seized wheel bearing will cause drag, eventually.


Appendices:

Appendix A: front wheel bearing/hub assembly:

http://www.hondaautomotiveparts.com/...+%28AKEBONO%29

Appendix B: front knuckle assembly:

http://www.hondaautomotiveparts.com/...tcgry5=KNUCKLE