I just replaced my front drivers side wheel bearing today, lets just say i had a great time...Either way, I got everything back together and tightened down, and I still have a grinding/vibrating noise coming from the same spot!To be fair, it is a slightly different noise, not as pronounced. I know the bearing I replaced was bad, it was fairly seized up. So my question is this, could I have managed to damage the CV joint while I was going at the hub assembly? Also, when the car is turning in reverse, there is a distinct grinding going on, which leads me to believe it could be a brake pad getting hung up. One last note, is it possible that the spindle nut wasn't tightened enough to pull the axle all the way through the new hub? Sorry for all the rambling, but it bugs me that I can't figure this out.

Probably the best way to find out, and this is kinda dangerous, raise the front tires off the ground, start the car, put it into drive and just let it idle. Allow the wheels to rotate.
While they are spinning, get close enough without putting yourself in danger and watch where the noise may be coming from.

Before doing that I'd see how fast you can do it with your hands first.
IF you do do what mike suggest.

• Make sure the car is level on both sides (two jack stands)
• have the E-Brake on
• Put a chock in front of and behind both wheels
• Then take a ratchet strap or such and tie down the rear frame to a tree.

.
Also do not put your self in from on the car ever. So What I am saying that doing this is really dangerous.

You were talking about the brakes. Does it vibrate when you put the pedal down and does the steering wheel shake? Then you might have warped front rotors.

are ur CV boots damaged at all?

Update, when I crank the wheel to the right at low speed there is now a distinct scraping sound, leading me to believe that this is a cv joint problem. The sound doesn't go away when coasting in neutral or if I apply the brakes. Any opinions? Also, is there a writeup for replacing the cv shaft?

Also, the boots are undamaged, but the cv shaft had a lot of strain and heat applied to it so we could remove the old wheel hub assembly.

I just did one.. Its fun.. LOL

jack the car up and place stands under the frame on both sides remove your wheel take off the axel nut and the unfortunate truth is your going to have to pop the ball joint out of the spindle and then the old shaft SHOULD pull right out if not get in behind it with a pry bar and pry it out but be careful not to damage anything else and then re assemble is reverse order

Scraping noise after doing a bearing. Hmmmm take a look as the disc brake backing plate. It'* common for these to become slightly bent when in there muscling things around. When you turn the rotor deflects a bit and rubs.