Tire wobble...Bad bearing or loose bearing?? (1 Viewer)

[MtMan]

i was rotating my tires today (after 5 years and 40k miles...hehe) and noticed some vertical movement on the front passenger side. That's a bearing issue right? I rebuilt my front end 5 years ago and I'll take the time to open it back up tomorrow, but what's your experience with the vertical "wobble"? We're leaving Sunday for a 1500 mile drive. Just not sure if it'll need tightened or replacement.

 

[Hinterland]

It depends on what you mean by vertical wobble. Pushing in on the tire at the top and pulling out in a back and forth motion would point towards loose wheel bearings. Lifting from underneath with a big bar from outside and having upward movement points to the trunion bearings. If it's verticle you are talking about and not in and out it sounds like a trunion issue.

 

[BILT4ME]

I'm guessing wheel bearings. Since it's been 40k and typical service is at 60k I would pull the wheel bearings, clean and repack with new seals and reset the wheel bearings. Check the birfs. Could repack if necessary since you're that far into it.

 

[Whileemptyheadsdream]

My experience with vertical wobble, trashed bearings. Usually caused by setting bearing Preload with a chisel. Both nuts are loose so they back off and the bearing flops around like a fish on the beach. You also may find a Ft up spindle and badly scored birf axle. Or maybe you did It correct. ??? If the bearings were set correctly theres no way they would be bad at 40K unless there Is another serrious problem conected to this. Knee bone connected to the shin bone. 54mm socket a 5. fish scale and a FSM. I retorque after 3K. Hopefully there just backed off. Good Luck..!

 

[SUMMIT CRUISERS]

My vote is for the loose bearing. Remove, inspect, repack, retighten and drive it.

 

[MtMan]

Opened up today. The lock nut wasn't tight at all. Zipped it up per FSM and no more vertical play in the wheel. I'll check again in a few thousand miles.