Need help!!! wheel bearings or ..... (1 Viewer)

[97cruiser]

Here's the problem. At 38 to 43 mph I get a slight vibration from the front end. I don't notice it in the steering wheel but more like in the floor board, gas pedal and seat area. Approximately 5,000 miles ago (currently at 99,000 miles) I performed my 1st full birf repack. The vibration started about 500 miles ago and upon noticing this I have had wheels balanced and rotated lubed all zerks and checked diff fluids to no avail.
So I tear back into the axle and immediately notice some odd discoloring of the outer ps wheel bearing(ds has same discoloring). It's only discolored on the inner part that contacts the spindle and only on half of it. The color is not blueish but more of a patchy darkish color. Grease looks fine as does the spindle as far as I can tell. Bearings were not loose nor was the hub hot after freeway driving. Have not tore in to the inner wheel bearings yet. Any help is mucho appreciated as my limited mechanical knowledge is used up.

Thnx in advance, Vince

 

[cruiserdan]

Did you do a complete job, to include trunion bearing replacement, where you removed the knuckles?

If so, it is possible that the lower steering arm mounting studs are loose. This is a very bad deal. You will need to check the nuts on the steering arms to assure that they are tight. If they are loose you will need to remove them and de-grease the studs and the holes in the knuckles and re-install the studs with Locktite so that you do not have to deal with this again.

 

[97cruiser]

Dan, I just checked that the nuts were still torqued to 71. Should I take off the nuts and check the studs? Yes I did the trunion bearings too.

Thnx, Vince

 

[cruiserdan]

If the steering arm nuts are still at spec I would conclude that you did that part of the job properly. I would then move on to suspecting that the wheel bearings worked loose. This can be checked by raising the front up and grasping the tire at 6 and 12 O'clock and rocking it back and forth. If there is movement it is likely that the pre-load changed.

You did say that you do not feel the shake in the steering wheel. This indicates to me that your issue may be associated with the REAR axle as front axle issues often expose themselves in the steering wheel.

 

[97cruiser]

Ok then what should I check in the rear? Wheel bearings were repacked by dealer at 90,000 and they feel tight with the tire shake method. I'm sure the front bearings are tight cuz I reset them after tearing into both sides this week. Any concern about the coloring on the inner ring of front bearing that contacts spindle? Looks as if maybe it is movin a lil bit. It feels nice and tight though when I put it back on the spindle.

Thnx, Vince

 

[scottm]

Any evidence of wear on the spindle? I use Locktite bearing locker on a lot of bearings at work, but it's easier on sealed bearings going into dry parts. I didn't use it on my wheel bearings since there was so much grease everywhere. Probably should've.

 

[97cruiser]

Scottm, I did not notice any wear but I was thinkin of lookin at that again. I can't imagine no wear on the spindle yet wear on the bearing surface that contacts it. Any help on what to check in the rear end other than loose bearings?

 

[97cruiser]

Ok just jacked up the rear axle and discovered a lil bit of looseness in rear ps wheelbearing. The degree of looseness was minimal but there none the less so back to the dealership it goes. Do you guys think such a small amount of looseness could cause this vibration I described?

Thnx, Vince

 

[scottm]

Could it be an out-of-round tire? I defer to the experts here.

My spindle looked great except for a hair-fine shaving almost separated from the top of the shoulder. It actually peeled off like a hair stuck to it. The bearing race was probably turning on the spindle but not enough to do real damage (yet).

 

[concretejungle]

Do you have a lift? Could be the u-joints beginning to show their first signs of wear. That is how my truck felt after the lift. I could only feel the vibration in the floorboard, and it only occured between 50 and 58 mph. Oh....and i'm no expert.

 

[RavenTai]

if the whell bearing does not fix it chack for "cupped" (sp?) tires, run you hand along the tread looking for uneveness you will feel it before you see it, ushually happens to tires that are run out of ballance for a good ammount of time

 

[97cruiser]

No lift. Original u-joints as far as I know. Tires are Toyo open country 275/75/16 with about 20,000 on them, will check for cupping and the dealer sees it at 1:30 pm pst today. Will let you know if the loose wheel bearing fixes it.

Thnx again guys, Vince

 

[Tooth Fairy]

You didn't mention if you replaced your bearings. If they aren't new I would still question the fronts too. When you pulled them out and inspected them did you also pull the race and spin the bearing in the race? I know it's pain in the butt, I just did it, but, the LX450 front end I just worked on had a vibration that I could not feel in the steering wheel but through the floor. It did turn out to be the p/s bearing which had been left just about dry by the last shop who had worked on it.

 

[97cruiser]

Toothfairy, They are new wheel and trunion bearings. As I mentioned in my 1st post there is some coloring on wheel bearings that I did not expect to see on bearings that are 10,000 miles new.

 

[97cruiser]

Ok so mechanic at the stealership said not to worry about the vibration 'til it worsens. FAWK can u believe that crap!!!!? One thing I forgot to mention in original post is that this vibe only happens under acceleration. I'm sure thats an important clue sorry I forgot to mention it earlier. The rear wheel bearings are just slightly loose and the mech. said it's within spec. so I am at a loss as to where to go from here. Oh he did speculate a pinion bearing.

Thnx, Vince

 

[ppc]

Sounds like U-joints to me if it is under acceleration.

 

[97cruiser]

ppc, u-joints seemed fine to me and mechanic second'd that opinion.

 

[e9999]

can't you just wait until something falls off? Much easier to identify the problem then...

E

 

[97cruiser]

hardy har har....Hey where are the smileys?

 

[acf]

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