Ball Joints? Wheel Bearings?

[broox]

Yo, I drive a 95 Talon Tsi FWD. Lately my front passenger side wheel has been pretty loud. It sounds almost like the tire is rubbing a panel, or there is really low tread on the tire. Neither seem to be the case though? Could this be ball joints or bearrings or something? I had my lower lateral arms replaced less than 50,000 miles ago...

 

[johnk]

To check for wheel bearings just jack the car up on that side. Get the wheel off the ground. Then grab the top and bottom of the wheel. Try to rock it back and forth if there's a little bit of play then your bearings have started to wear tracks in the runs. I don't know how strict your state is but I failed saftey inspection for that problem.

I don't know a good test for ball joints. I checked them out when I had the hubs apart for the bearings. New ball joints are really stiff and hard to move around the post. So when I had everything removed from the hub (strut, caliper, axle) except the bottom nut where the ball joint is I checked it. Odds are those things are shot if you drive over pot hole infested areas like New England. You'll need to take the whole hub off the car to do the bearings any way so no point in not checking the ball joints, and you'll need a press to get the bearings in and out of the hub.

 

[turboholic]

I had my lower lateral arms replaced less than 50,000 miles ago...

-There's a recall on the 2g suspension.

 

[broox]

yeah, that's when i got them replaced. it was a nice free service

 

[pinknuggit]

To check for wheel bearings just jack the car up on that side. Get the wheel off the ground. Then grab the top and bottom of the wheel. Try to rock it back and forth if there's a little bit of play then your bearings have started to wear tracks in the runs. I don't know how strict your state is but I failed saftey inspection for that problem.

I don't know a good test for ball joints. I checked them out when I had the hubs apart for the bearings. New ball joints are really stiff and hard to move around the post. So when I had everything removed from the hub (strut, caliper, axle) except the bottom nut where the ball joint is I checked it. Odds are those things are shot if you drive over pot hole infested areas like New England. You'll need to take the whole hub off the car to do the bearings any way so no point in not checking the ball joints, and you'll need a press to get the bearings in and out of the hub.

you do the same thing to check for bad ball joints also. grab the wheel on the top and bottom and shake it up and down. If the wheel has any play up or down, your balljoints are worn.

 

[broox]

you do the same thing to check for bad ball joints also. grab the wheel on the top and bottom and shake it up and down. If the wheel has any play up or down, your balljoints are worn.

So, by wiggling it... which one is wrong? Bearrings or Ball Joints? Is there another method to distinguish?

 

[RallyChick]

is it a loud humming sound? my front passenger bearings are bad and that's the sound my talon makes.

Recall on 2g suspension..... when does that expire?

 

[broox]

That's the sound... Also every once in a while when I go over a bump is "knocks" like a rock hit my wheel well or something.

 

[pinknuggit]

So, by wiggling it... which one is wrong? Bearrings or Ball Joints? Is there another method to distinguish?

yeah, if the bearings are bad, it will barely move. If the balljoints are bad, it will move Alot up or down.

 

[broox]

OK so the more I drive it, the worse it gets. The humming stays the same but now when I hit bumps I feel and hear a knock. The same happens sometimes when turning.

I jacked it up tonight. It did have a some play, but not a whole lot.

I also found that my strut (tokico illumina) seemed pretty loose - it seemed like I had to jack it up higher to get the wheel off the ground. Plus I noticed that my little adjuster guage had popped off and the nut on top was really loose. It's making me pretty nervous to drive...

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