wheel bearing, how to tell

[dark_knight]

fellaz.. how do you tell your wheel bearing(s) have died, or maybe, are on their way out..?
i recently developed a noise from the left side - kinda like a notched grinding noise (almost as if you are grinding something in a pestle and motar) - and it's only more evident around 40mph. the faster you go, it seems to fade into the road and exhaust noise but i know it's still there. i call it a notched noise coz it's not consistent, but it's more of it's louder at one point in the tires' rotation that at other times. my steering stays steady even at speed and it does not drag/pull to one side. brakes also don't pulsate or drag to either side

i changed both my wheel bearings on march 11th this year at 147,209km mileage. i'm now at 154,914 but i was more of the opinion that bearings are supposed to last a lot longer than ~10k km..?

i have also excluded my brakes or CVJs as i only recently serviced/replaced these so they're out of the way as possible suspects

 

[madman]

jack the car up and wiggle the wheel from side to side if it moves its the wheel bearing. also is it a whining noise rather than notchy?

 

[dark_knight]

uncertain

did the wiggle test. that passed. it's pretty firm tbh. & no, it's not a whining or whirring noise. it is indeed notchy -- closest thing i can relate it to is a steam train.. and the way it goes chug-chug-chug.. so the 'chugs' increase with your road speed..

just wondering.. what else usually causes such other than the wheel bearing. maybe i missed something altogether..? i can attest to my CVJ and inner-side joint being helathy though. not sure what else it could be..

 

[madman]

could be a bearing inside the box or on the inner cv cup has ran out of grease im just throwing the ideas out for you to check and rule out. did you pack the outer cv joint with sufficient grease and sealed the boot correctly?

 

[dark_knight]

box bearing?

@ madman: my first thought went to the inner-side joint and so i took the entire shaft out, inspected and re-packed the CVJ & booted it properly -- used black molyslip, enough of it. same to the inner side joint. removed. cleaned (in kerosene, flushed with hot water, thoroughly dried). packed in enough grease (also used molyslip on this. i'm dreading that it's the transmission bearing.. :/ how much effort is required to get one of these swapped..?

 

[madman]

ok that rules them out so... did you check the brake disc guard isnt rubbing off the disc or anything i might sound silly but its worth a shot. it depends who is doing the bearing shouldnt cost too much really

 

[madman]

or possibly a stone caught somewhere

 

[dark_knight]

possible suspect

@ madman: i did check the brake rotor shield too.. but nada.. nothing seems caught in-between.. :/
since i have an open diff, i even elevated the car & had it in gear spinning that wheel in the air. also took the wheel off and same thing. it seems to be coming from the general area around the wheel, not the transmission side. #baffled..

 

[dark_knight]

culprit found!

fellaz.. my hunch was right. it was indeed the wheel bearing. took it apart and saw that some of the bearings had grooved and notched their runners/tracks thus the reason each time the bearings got to that bit (the notch), it would grind/crunch. have replaced the sick one but i'm now a bit anxious as to whether the other side will give way too.. & when.. :/

will go on the road later on and see if this is/was indeed the culprit. i have a good feeling about it though..
thanks all, repped..

 

[weeJohn]

You took it apart, do you mean you pulled the wheel bearing out of the hub?

 

[dark_knight]

pressed out

@ weeJohn: yes. more like (hydraulically) pressed it out of the assembly. you know it comes off entirely and you are left with the steering knuckle and the actual rotating hub (where the studs fit) separately.
have a replacement bearing in there and it's running sweet -- no drama. let's keep it that way shall we..