Wheel Bearing question

[adasilva]

Okay,
Im not an idiot, but when diagnosing a wheel bearing.. Hard right and noise goes away means? Hard left and noise goes away means?
I had noise when I turned hard left, but not hard right so I rebuilt the whole right knuckle. Its still there, maybe worse? Not sure since it was out of commission for a while. Did I guess wrong, or is there something more sinister wrong?

Thanks,
Alex

 

[ottende]

I'm no expert on this particular subject, but I would think that wheel bearings would be largely non-directional with there noise. I would expect increased noise at various points of steering as the strain on the wheel bearing changes, but I think that if the bearings are shot you would hear noise at all positions of steering. This is going back to the old ford escort days, but a warn bearing sounded like amplified road noise, and when it got REAL bad it started to sound like you could hear the pieces of bearing grinding around inside the race.

What sort of 'noise' are you hearing? Since I don't have anymore symptoms for diagnosis or what kind of experience you have I'll lay out a few things to check/guess about though:

1. Simple, but it would be a kick in the pants if I didn't mention it... Check to see if you are rubbing tire against anything when you turn. Some mods that POs have done (lifts, tires) can cause this. There are tons of mentions about this in various threads, but generally I've found them associated with large tire threads.

2. If its a clicking noise, you may be dealing with the birfield. I know nothing about these so maybe someone else can pipe up? I think I read that this is only a possibility when the front drive/hubs are engaged.

3. I've had a disc break pad wear unevenly as well (again, the good old '84 Escort), and the noise was horriffic when I was turning as the bare metal of the pad would gouge the rotor on tight turns (the brakes aren't suppose to flex like that... , but I was keeping a crap car alive long enough...)

That's all I can think of now. Might be a lot of wasted characters, but maybe it'll help too... best of luck
D

 

[Poser]

Did you investigate the left side of the axle at all? Is there any play in the wheel bearings? Jack the truck up, grasp the top and bottom of the wheel, and force the top hand in, and pull the bottom hand out, if you have slop there, this is not good. ? ? ? ? ? ? ?

 

[Poser]

When you say "rebuilt the whole right knuckle", what parts were replaced?

 

[adasilva]

I did all new wheel bearings, and new knuckle bearings and all new seals and grease.

But I swear It's just as loud or louder. I know bearing noise I think, loud, like a droning.

Also, I am getting a sound like rocks in a pot when I am starting to move slowly. With or without accel. I know the rear U is bad, could that be the reason? It is def coming from middle to rear of car, and has nothing to do with the other noise.

Is it possible for the left bearing to make that noise under a hard left turn? It goes away under hard right. Maybe I put it together wrong?

Alex

 

[Poser]

Ok,

We "know" that we have a bad u-joint. Which shaft is this in, and at which spot? Have you inspected this to see that it has not grenaded completly? Have you checked the fluid level in the gearboxes or axles? I think that you have something else going on that is giving you this noise.
Inspect the other side, and look at the other components in your system.


Good luck!

 

[adasilva]

Well, the bad U is the rear one, rear shaft.

I saw it when I was changing the rear pinion seal.

The transfer and rear diff were low, and I drained and filled.

Will a bad U give you that rattle in a can sound when not under full load and moving? I can make it go away by accelerating quicker, and putting more load on it. Or could it be transfer, rear diff?

The droning sound, it goes away on hard rights, and worse on hard left. Is there anything besides a wheel bearing that can sound like this?

I am so confused... I am having a shop do the left knuckle, 250.00 just labor. Is that fair or am I getting reamed?

Anyone want a 1987 HJ60 diesel registered in the US?

AHHHH!!!

 

[Poser]

Most shops around here(MN), that are worth taking anything to, are going to charge at least 60.00us an hour, and many are over 80.00us. The main dealerships around here are all over 100.00us/hr.

I would be impressed with a mechanic that can R&R one whole side, repacking the birf, and changing all seals and repacking wheel bearings, bleed the brakes, change out knuckle bearings, properly reset their pre-load, who has not done it before, or at least done one once, in less than four hours.

-Steve

 

[adasilva]

This guy is familiar with old American trucks, the solid axles should be all pretty similar.
The dealership quoted me 360.00 They charge 78.00 an hour here.

Of course I know it will be a half-ass job, he is a mechanic. No need to go overboard if its not your own.

But why is the wrong bearing making noise? And the rattle? U or worse?

 

[CruisinGA]

I used to get all kinds of crazy noise from a worn out u-joint and an out of phase driveshaft. Fix the u-joint, you know its bad, and check driveshaft phase.
Could the "that rattle in a can sound" be a busted birf in a dry knuckle rollin around? Kind of a far shot, but what else can loosely rattle around like that?

 

[Poser]

[quote author=adasilva

Of course I know it will be a half-ass job, he is a mechanic. No need to go overboard if its not your own.




Been one of those "mechanics" for 15+ years now. Does not matter what I work on, I take pride in doing the best I can, and work on everything as if it was my own. Did not matter if it was working field service for my main job, or working at my own shop. My name goes on everything, and doing something half-assed has not ever been an option. I have taken care of many people, not just in the Land Cruiser world, and have many who will not allow anyone else to touch their trucks, and requested that I be the one dispatched to repair their equipment. I am not cheap, but I provide a quality of service that is not matched by anyone in this area, who deals with Land Cruisers, and you will find that anything worth having, or keeping, is not going to be cheap, especially a Land Cruiser.

I would try and find someone that you are comfortable with, and who may be familiar with your vehicle, or at a minimum, has a good reputation, and build a relationship with that person. Explain to them what your intention is, and that you want one person to work on your truck. I would not take a truck to a shop, especially one that you think before you even have it there, that they are going to be half-assed.

Of course, there is another variable here, the customer. You could be one of those people that no matter what anyone does for you, you are not satisfied. Complaining that you are getting screwed over no matter what you having done, or who is doing the work, and that all shops are thieves, and only out to take everyone that they can. Perhaps this has happened to you, or someone that you know. I am sorry, get over it, and move ahead. Use the knowledge gained, and do not allow history to repeat.


Good luck!

-Steve

 

[adasilva]

NOT meaning to offend anyone. :whoops:

I have had bad and good experiences, but I am not the type that complains about everything. Back when I rallied in old Audi's what I could not fix I took to my mech. And he charged a lot more than the dealership, but I swear he could tell what was wrong and fix it. Example: I tried out two dealerships and my other mech, they all said it was perfect. He listened to it idle and knew the timing was off a tooth, ignition off and fuel mix to rich. My prob is he will NOT touch anything that does not come from germany.

I am going with this guy because he recognizes a solid axle. I had a bad experience with him once with my samurai where he charged me 200.00 in labor to change the motor mounts. If you know sammies, you know that it should be an hour tops, with a nap. I was working 70 hour weeks then and had no time.

But the guy before him told me that I would have to change the ball joints at the same time, and that would be another 100.00 ????? Ball Joints?? Total estimate= 500.00+

And the dealer was honest, they had not done one of these in at least ten years, and the guy that had was probably pushing 60, and did not want to do it. At least they were honest.

When I said half-assed I meant a proffesional would not spend an hour sanding the knuckle and painting it with graphite paint and such like I did. But then again, having already done it before on the sammy, it still took me a full 6 hours. I recognize good work, but It is unrealistic to think that the job will mean as much to someone else.

I am hoping he does a solid job, thats all I ask for, but I think that if I had time I could do it better. After the "sammy incident" I would rather try out someone else. But my choices are limited. Connecticut is a wasteland when it comes to shops that work on 4 wheelers. If I offended anyone I am sorry. I am just frustrated and want this to be done already.

Alex

 

[Poser]

I was not offended, simply pointing out that there are people that work on other people's things, and do so as if it was their own, and take pride in their work.

I cannot blame your German wrench for not wanting to mess with your Land Cruiser. He is not interested in working on them, and at least he is honest with you about it. These trucks are not very interesting to people that do not own them, and are not infected with the Land Cruiser bug.


Good luck!

-Steve

 

[adasilva]

Is there any chance the howl that goes away could be in a diff or maybe the U-Joint? I mean, it goes away, but maybe its not in the Wheels. Neither one has ANY play top/bottom or side/side. The bearings I removed in the right side were fine. I am thinking I am looking in the right place.



Alex

 

[CruisinGA]

THERE IS!
If you know it is bad, by all means replace it!!! Even if it didn't fix the howl, it is bad and needs to be replaced! I had howling from a horribly worn rear R&P, and from bad u-joints and from out of phase d-shafts. (Though the out of phase d-shaft wasn't so much of a howl, just violent vibration etc)
Fix the u-joint, put the d-shaft in phase(if it is out) and see what its like.