Wheel bearing?

[rain406]

When taking right turns, I get this quick-sounding "thunk-thunk-thunk" coming from the left wheel area. I'm assuming it's my wheel bearing. How important is it to replace this asap? What could happen?

Another issue is, I started hearing this grinding/humming coming from the rear of the car recently--could it be a rear wheel bearing as well? This problem is when I'm going straight and has nothing to do with turning.

[Pu241]

The Front I would suspect your left CV axle.
Front bearings make more a low continuous grinding noise.
Check your cv boots if it open or gone time to replace whole axle about 50-$75 for relacement axle.

The Rear, I think your right is the rear bearings make a humming sound that starts at low speed and gets louder with increasing rpm.
jack-up rear wheel and grab wheel at 9 and 3 position and try to move it, same when gripped in the 12 and 6 position.
If they move very much then bearings are bad.
Get new bearings before taking them apart, because if they are really bad they will not go back together and you are stuck!

[Damkid]

the first one about "thunk-thunk-thunk" when turning only, that sounds more like an axle to me

the 2nd one sounds like it would be a rear wheel-bearing

[scitzz]

I agree ^^^^^

[FestYboy]

outer bearings in the rear are the first to go, every festy i get, that's the first thing i do to them. the races are usually still good, but it really easy to replace those as well if you have a good punch and hammer.

[Dave G]

outer bearings in the rear are the first to go, every festy i get, that's the first thing i do to them. the races are usually still good, but it really easy to replace those as well if you have a good punch and hammer.

If the rollers are shot, the race is too.

[FestYboy]

^^ normaly i'd say the same thing but i've found that the rollers are of a softer metal than the races, so when the rollers gaul, they imbed(sp) the material into themselves or it floats free in the grease (whatever is left). also note, that i've only found this on festivas ONLY, no other car i've worked on has exibited this occurance.

[scitzz]

You should always replace the race......

[jglutz]

If one bearing component fails...change every thing on that axle...meaning...cages, races, inners, outers, driver side, passenger side....any less is asking for trouble.

[FestYboy]

i'm not debating that...

[rain406]

Well, I'm not really hearing the *thunk thunk thunk* anymore...but, now my rear wheel has a loud terrible scraping noise coming from it. My car is dying! My exhaust from the cat back fell off yesterday, and so I need to get that fixed as well. Any ideas on a cheap, reliable, decent-looking (so my employer feels the company is being at least a LITTLE represented rather than me driving a loud rust-bucket festiva) car?

[Skidmark]

Brakes

[Skidmark]

While you are inspecting/replacing brakes repack your bearings as scheduled.

[kzbill]

Have your boss supply a car for work related business. Most auto insurance doesn't cover your car if you have an accident while on company business. That way they don't have to pay out, The way they figure it is, you can sue your employer, which is a great way to keep your job and get future references.

[rain406]

Is it necessary I replace the axle? My CV joint boots are torn, and have been for about...9 months. However, I'm not hearing the thunking anymore. What could happen...?