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Wheel hub failure symptoms?

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Old Aug 22, 2006 | 10:40 PM
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Default Wheel hub failure symptoms?

Today, while on the road (where else?) The B starting making a sound like when you drive over a rumble strip on the highway. It is most prounced at about 35-45 mph, goes away instantly when brakes are applied in the least, and seems to diminish ever so slightly at 65. At its worst, it shakes the outside mirrors into a blur, kinda like when you have a big speaker in the car. I drove home like that (about 70 miles) seems none the worse for wear. I jacked up all 4 corners, shook all the wheels around, they seem tight. Hopefully I don't have far to go tomorrow and get time to get it into the shop if I cant figure out what for?

I have all the tools to change the hub assy> just dont want to dump $$ thats hard to come by if I dont have to yet.
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Old Aug 22, 2006 | 11:29 PM
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I'll have to check that out. More to come....
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Old Aug 22, 2006 | 11:54 PM
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I'm betting it is the wheel/tire balance. It makes a huge difference to get them spin balanced by a tire shop that knows what they are doing. Look for signs of a missing wheel weight. Also if you have a tire that has belt issues inside it may not show on the outside at first. That could make one shake noticably. Or it could be worn tie rods.
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Old Sep 19, 2006 | 08:54 AM
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Check your strut to knuckle bolt torque.
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Old Sep 19, 2006 | 09:22 AM
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Wheel bearings make noise when the car is steered right or left and the weight shifts to that wheel. Iisten for a change around corners, also inspect the wheel weights as mentioned, the brake calipers, rotors etc. Let us know what you find.
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Old Sep 19, 2006 | 11:18 PM
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Strut bearing can make the most awful squeak at almost any time but most common on a straight road at 60-65 mph. CV Joints and wheel bearings are most pronounced in turns. Just to be safe yu might also check the harmonic balancer for cracks but that is usually the most promounced at idle.
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Old Sep 20, 2006 | 12:35 AM
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Well guys, I still havent found my noise. After a few days of coming home from the road, jacking it up in the air and shaking the wheels, never finding anything loose, spinning the wheels with the trans in neutral, could FAINTLY hear something from the drivers side. It tends to vibrate the outside drivers side mirror and vibrate the floor worse on that side, so I changed that hub. No change.

The noise and vibration disappear if the brake pedal is touched in the least, my theory is that the caliper is not releasing all the way. Either way, it isnt getting worse and doesnt seem to affect the way it drives, just doesnt feel like a Bonneville should. Brake hoses were my next thought, they need changed anyways. Pads and rotors are new. Slides were cleaned and greased so hoses shouldnt be that bad a job.

I hadnt posted because I hadnt really found the source of the noise yet. Still working on it
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Old Sep 20, 2006 | 10:18 PM
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I still say wheel/tire balance. While you are at the tire shop, tell them what it'* doing and let them look at it to see what they think. I pay like $12 per wheel to have one balanced, if it'* already mounted.
If your rear tires are in good shape, you might try switching them to the front for free in your driveway to see if that changes anything.
Balance makes a huge difference.
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Old Nov 11, 2006 | 11:00 AM
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I replaced my back passenger wheel hub, it was real noisy especially when you drive beside a wall you hear the noise bouncing back at you. Easy to do udner 1 hour of work, 150 in parts
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