Front wheel bearing question....

[fastivaca]

Hi all,

I think I have an issue with my front wheel bearings (92 Festie). I took off the axle nut and the brake disc just wobbles around. I think if the brake caliper wasn't there the disc would have fallen off.

I guessing that this means my front bearings are on their way out.

Your help is appreciated as usual. My wife and I are headed off on a 500 mile round trip next weekend (up to Westlock and back) and I don't want the wheel flying off and leaving us stranded!

Thanks

[rcottle]

Does the center wobble or does just the rotor wobble? Put the wheel bolts in and then see if it still moves

[jglutz]

Not good. Your diagnisis is accurate.
I'm going from memory....There are 4 bolts on the inner side of the memory the comect part of the eheel hub to the knuckle. they may be loose.

[rcottle]

Not good. Your diagnisis is accurate.
I'm going from memory....There are 4 bolts on the inner side of the memory the comect part of the eheel hub to the knuckle. they may be loose.

Yea - jglutz is correct getting my cars mixed up - sorry

[25Horseplay]

Are you sure the rotor is whats loose? When my bearing went this week it didn't wobble like that and mine was really bad.

[fastivaca]

Yeah... the rotor assembly is really loose without the axle nut on so basically that's what's holding everything together.

Here's another question... if the rotor assembly is already loose can I just make the repair at home seeing as I don't have to press anything apart?

[Levitan]

Ian,
I think the problem you might have is pressing it back together. I recommend you search sam.1956 and milehighbear threads because they got real good results and backyard style. I am highy confident you can do the job, though it might be slow tthe first time, you will forever know how to do it from this time forward. Take pics and document the job for on here.

[gdawgs]

It's been quite a while since I've had a Festiva front end apart, but I don't think the rotor moving with the axle nut removed means that your bearings are necessarily bad. Is everything tight when the axle nut is on? Did you suspect that the bearing was bad before you took the nut off?

Generally there are two dead give aways that front end bearings are bad(or bearings in general).

1) Usually it's the noise. When wheel bearings go they make a growling sort of noise. Are yours making noise? If not, the bearings are probably fine. If a bearing is making noise, often times it's difficult to tell which side is bad while you are driving. Here's an easy test that many people don't know about. Jack one of the front wheels off the ground, then put the car in 4th or 5th gear, and take the speedometer up to about 40 mph. I usually chock one of the rear wheels just to be safe. If the wheel bearing is bad, you'll hear it groaning. If there is no groaning, that side is fine. Then lower the side you just tested, and jack up the other side and repeat the test.

2) Sometimes a bad wheel bearing will have play in it, but they don't always do this(about 50% of the time in my experience). To test this, jack up one of the front wheels(and put a jack stand underneath for safety). On the tire, put one hand at the 12 O'clock position, and the other at 6 O'clock. Now wiggle the wheel back and forth. If there is any play, the wheel bearing is most likely bad. Again, not all bad wheel bearings will do this, but really worn ones will. If you do this test with your hands at the 3 O'clock and 9 O'clock posititions you will test the tie-rod ends. No play = good. Play = bad outer and/or inner tie-rod ends.

[fastivaca]

Thanks to everyone that responded! I bit the bullet and dropped the car off at a local service center that I trust. Don't have the time right now to mess with things. I'll let you know what they come back with.

Cheers

Ian