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Brake Hub Wheel

April 13th, 2010 admin No comments

Brake Hub Wheel

2002 Grand Am front end noise. CV or wheel hub bearing???

2002 Grand AM V6 new brake pads and rotors, new tires, but has a humming noise in front end drivers side. No vibration or 'clunking" Which is it: wheel hub bearing or cv joints/shaft?

A humming noise is indicative of a tire suffering from belt separation or a bad wheel bearing. Try this to help determine origin of humming noise. Drive vehicle on a straight road and listen for noise, when noise is heard, turn steering wheel slightly left and see if noise changes or goes away. Next try turning steering wheel gently right and see if noise changes or goes away. If the noise changes when turning I would suspect a wheel bearing. To confirm, try this: Park vehicle on level ground, apply parking brake and jack up front end of vehicle so front wheels are off the ground. Put a block behind the rear wheels to keep car from rolling backwards. Jack up front end. Put car in neutral and go to either front wheel and turn wheel by hand. Put your other hand on the strut coil assembly and with moderate force squeeze two of the spring coils (Its actually one coil) squeeze them together. You will only be able to squeeze then a quarter inch or so at the most. While squeezing, turn wheel by hand and see if you feel a vibration or growling in the coil spring assembly. If not, go to other wheel and try this. If you do feel a growling or a vibration in the coil spring assembly, that is the wheel with the bad bearing.(Hub assembly)
When you grab the coil spring, use your thumb under one coiled part of the spring and your forefingers on the next coil above it.
This is the best check for bearing "Noise" Try spinning thw front wheels in both directions when doing this. If the bearing is bad, you will feel it growling in the coil spring when the wheel is turning.
Never do this with the vehicle running. Put it in neutral and turn the wheels by hand.
When a CV axle is worn, it will generally make a clicking noise when turning. Inspect the front CV axles and look for grease coming out of the inner and outer boots. Or look for boots that are torn open and all or most of the grease is gone.
I have seen several bad new tires in my day as a technician.
I would not rule out a defective tire yet. Simply try rotating the tires in the front from side to side, see if the noise moves to the other side, also try rotating the front tires to the rear and see if noise changes also. I suspect a wheel bearing is causing this noise.