Wheel bearing or joint?

[LiquidBlackDZL]

Decided to check my pads today and found them to be pretty thick. Bad news was I discovered the front passenger wheel to be wobbling. I took the wheel off, held the brake rotor with both hands on each side, shook it, and it wobbled. Did the same holding the top and bottom of the rotor and it wobbled.

The rotor was secure onto the hub, but I coudn't tell which point the wobble was coming from. When I wobble the rotor, the axle moves or shakes accordingly. So I don't know if the wobble is from a joint for the axle deeper into the engine bay, or at the joint right by the spindle, or if its just the wheel bearing. I didn't hear anything unusual. And I am familiar with the sound a bad cv joint makes when you turn the wheel while in motion, but I didn't hear that either. Thoughts?

 

[ymz]

Do you get any shaking of the steering wheel or pulsating sensations when you apply the brakes at highway speeds ???

It sounds like a bearing, but they usually howl at you when they're going bad... (try the shaking test with the wheel on...)

Yuri.

 

[whitedog]

If I were allowed, I'd take the joint. Wheel bearings just aren't any fun.

 

[LiquidBlackDZL]

Car drove fine. Didn't feel anything unusual. Actually, the past week, whenever the car was cold, I heard a grinding noise as I applied the brakes approaching the first stop sign. But I wouldn't hear it after a few minutes of driving. This lead me to think I was down to metal on my brake pads, but upon inspection, found them to have alot of pad material left.

 

[whitedog]

Car drove fine. Didn't feel anything unusual. Actually, the past week, whenever the car was cold, I heard a grinding noise as I applied the brakes approaching the first stop sign. But I wouldn't hear it after a few minutes of driving. This lead me to think I was down to metal on my brake pads, but upon inspection, found them to have alot of pad material left.

That's just surface rust that collects overnight and gets cleaned off with the first brake application.

 

[Matt-98AHU]

Decided to check my pads today and found them to be pretty thick. Bad news was I discovered the front passenger wheel to be wobbling. I took the wheel off, held the brake rotor with both hands on each side, shook it, and it wobbled. Did the same holding the top and bottom of the rotor and it wobbled.

The rotor was secure onto the hub, but I coudn't tell which point the wobble was coming from. When I wobble the rotor, the axle moves or shakes accordingly. So I don't know if the wobble is from a joint for the axle deeper into the engine bay, or at the joint right by the spindle, or if its just the wheel bearing. I didn't hear anything unusual. And I am familiar with the sound a bad cv joint makes when you turn the wheel while in motion, but I didn't hear that either. Thoughts?

You have a bad wheel bearing.

 

[whitedog]

You have a bad wheel bearing.

Oh yeah? Well, your mother was a hamster and your father smelt of elderberries.

 

[toothtaker]

had the same problem last week it was wheel bearing

 

[LiquidBlackDZL]

Good. Cuz I was going to be swapping spindles anyway. Thanks guys!

 

[jobob307]

I have had many bearings lately no noise but you could move the tire in out a half an inch. And wheel bearings ARE FUN .

 

[jasonTDI]

Gotta' start stocking axles.....

 

[Franko6]

I usually check wheel bearings with the tire in place. Simply jack the car off the ground and rock the wheel vertically. If it moves, you'll feel it, and it's always bearings.

 

[jasonTDI]

or bad ball joints.

 

[Antsrcool]

make sure axle nut is tight as well

 

[jasonTDI]

Well....that'll cause a bad bearing for sure!