Wheel hub check?

[2001FZ1]

I think I have a wheel hub going out but not sure. I have the front end up in the air and don't ear any grinding or unusual noises when I spin either wheel. There is no play when I grab the tire at 3&9 or 12&6.

Driving noises: Faint growling noise when going straight and can feel it some in the steering wheel. Take curve to the right and there is no noise. Take a curve to the left and the growling gets worse but its not super loud. I have to turn off the HVAC and radio to hear it.

My thought is passenger wheel hub. Its original with 112k miles. Drivers side was replaced at 76k.

What do you think?

 

[The_Roadie]

I think you diagnosed it correctly. Bearings sometimes don't make noise when the wheel is hanging on them because the damaged part of the race is on the other side.

 

[2001FZ1]

So I replaced the passenger side wheel hub and the noise is still there. I swapped tires from left to right and the noise is still there when turning left.

What now????

 

[rktb]

So I replaced the passenger side wheel hub and the noise is still there. I swapped tires from left to right and the noise is still there when turning left.

What now????

Just replaced wheel hub yesterday. mine started out as low roar. It eventually got really bad and obvious. Now the noise is completely gone. It was hard to tell which side it was coming from before it got really bad. So maybe you replaced the wrong one.

 

[2001FZ1]

Just replaced wheel hub yesterday. mine started out as low roar. It eventually got really bad and obvious. Now the noise is completely gone. It was hard to tell which side it was coming from before it got really bad. So maybe you replaced the wrong one.

I had that thought but USUALLY when you go around a left curve and the noise gets worse, the right hub is bad.

I guess I could take the one I just took off and put it on the drivers side and see if the problem goes away. I didn't ruin the old one taking it off...

 

[Wooluf1952]

I had that thought but USUALLY when you go around a left curve and the noise gets worse, the right hub is bad.

I guess I could take the one I just took off and put it on the drivers side and see if the problem goes away. I didn't ruin the old one taking it off...

We've been seeing this more and more. "USUALLY" doesn't mean always.

 

[hockeyman]

When my right (passenger side) hub was going bad, I'd be driving straight then start a slight right turn at 15+ mph and I'd hear the noise.

For me, the right hub was making noise as I was making a right turn. Quite opposite as to what others have mentioned when diagnosing a faulty wheel hub.

 

[2001FZ1]

This is my plan today..... If the "old hub" from the passenger side makes the noise go away when installed on the driver's side, I may just leave it there until it dies. The driver's side is a cheap Duralast from Autozone with 30k miles on it.

 

[hockeyman]

The driver's side is a cheap Duralast from Autozone with 30k miles on it.

Not 100% sure, but ➹that➹ might be your problem. I read on here that anything other than Timken brand is sorta a waste of time to install because they don't last too long. For me, the extra money I spent on buying a Timken Hub is well worth the piece-of-mind. Then again, not everyone has the money to spend like that.

Just my 2¢

 

[2001FZ1]

Well, I guess my duralast hub on the driver's side was the problem after all. Wonder how long that OEM hub will last being on the driver's side when it spent the first 111k miles on the passenger side.....

 

[2001FZ1]

Not 100% sure, but ➹that➹ might be your problem. I read on here that anything other than Timken brand is sorta a waste of time to install because they don't last too long. For me, the extra money I spent on buying a Timken Hub is well worth the piece-of-mind. Then again, not everyone has the money to spend like that.

Just my 2¢

If every duralast hub lasted 35k like mine, I would never buy them...

 

[rktb]

If every duralast hub lasted 35k like mine, I would never buy them...

I have heard alot about cheap wheel hubs not lasting very long. When I did mine i took the advice from here and put the timken in. I purchased it from autozone, which came with a 3 year warranty. Oh and by the way, I had a bad outer tie rod which may have contributed to the old one to fail.

 

[The_Roadie]

If every duralast hub lasted 35k like mine, I would never buy them...

If I got 35K out of Timkens, I'd rejoice! (Bearings are like disposable air filters with 80 pound tire/wheels flying down washboard desert trails.)

 

[rktb]

If I got 35K out of Timkens, I'd rejoice! (Bearings are like disposable air filters with 80 pound tire/wheels flying down washboard desert trails.)

My first tb had 157k on it with the original hubs before I totaled it. I guess knowing that mine are warranted for three years is a little peace of mind
. They were not that hard to change even being rusted on.

 

[CaptainXL]

If I got 35K out of Timkens, I'd rejoice!

Pretty sure you would. Timkens are the best. You aren't going to put 35K miles solely running down washboard trails.

 

[Indybp57]

Well, I guess my duralast hub on the driver's side was the problem after all. Wonder how long that OEM hub will last being on the driver's side when it spent the first 111k miles on the passenger side.....

I have purchased a couple Duralast hubs for my Olds van in the past, and I got about 25K out of both. If you are going to that much trouble spend a few extra bucks. My last purchase was Timken and so far so good. BTW, every time I have guessed which hub was making noise I guessed wrong, so I always take care not to tear them up when I remove them so I can use them on the opposite side. Or I could be like George Costanza and always replace the opposite of the one I think is bad.

 

[HARDTRAILZ]

Hubs are easy to change. I do them once a year with the balljoints n such as preventative maintenance. Buy the cheapest ones off Ebay and never have issues. $72 a pair vs $325+ a pair for Timkens. I will continue to change them out and have spares and keep my money in my wallet.