New to the sight and need some help. I have an 05 envoy with 123 thousand miles on it. I have developed a hum in the left front that sounds just like I have agressive mud tires on it. Im pretty sure it is a wheel bearing. I jacked up the front and spun each one by hand and the left side definatley has a faint ticking sound somewhere. I have always been under the impression and in the past that any time you have a bad wheel bearing do the steering wheel shake. I was always told if the noise gets worse when turning left it is a right bearing and turning right it gets worse its the left wheel bearing. In my case here when turning left it gets worse and turning right it goes away. Ive done the steering wheel lock to lock while driving in a circle and have no clicking or clunking from the CV joints so i don't think they are bad. The boots arent leaking and no leaks from the front differential. The fluid is full. I have found these hubs for 300 down to 65 dollars. I know you get what you pay for and one with at least Timken bearings would be the way to go but I am off work for the next 8 weeks with a broken foot and can't afford a good one. Has anyone ever had a left bearing go bad and steered left and got worse. I just don't want to spend a bunch of money right now trying to fix it and replace the wrong part. I rotated the tires just to make sure it wasn't a tire and the noise stayed in the left front. It doesn't change wether its in 2 wheel or 4 wheel drive either. Thanks in advance.
05 front humming
- Thread starter grtrnd1
- Start date
C-ya
Member
- Aug 24, 2012
- 1,098
On these trucks, it seems that the "steer test" doesn't always work the way it does on other vehicles. People here on the site have reported that they replace the one the test said to and the noise was still there. What I have seen done is to jack it up and grab the spring while rotating the wheel to feel the vibration being transferred through to it.
As far as price, do it once, do it right, but do what you can afford. Timken is right around $135, and that is the benchmark brand around here.
As far as price, do it once, do it right, but do what you can afford. Timken is right around $135, and that is the benchmark brand around here.
JamesL3
Member
Check ebay. I got 2 hub assemblies each for the wife's grand am and my rainier for 125 total and free shipping. If you're in a bind I think that's the way to go. Seller was fastautosource or something of that nature.
I gotta ask is your time worth so little that you won't complain when you have to change them again in a few months? And the consequences of a wheel departing the vehicle are so low that's it worth the risk?JamesL3 said:
For me and many others, there is no "bind" that makes low-quality Chinese $30 hubs a justifiable choice.
Non-structural parts of the truck, maybe. Suspension and steering parts - no.
YMMV.
HARDTRAILZ
Moderator
- Nov 18, 2011
- 49,665
I have found it easiest to determine the failed one by jacking up each side and listening as I rotate the tire. The change in noise from side to side while driving has fooled me before.
Luckily it is a relatively simple swap.
Check you ball joints and tie rods while you are in there.
Luckily it is a relatively simple swap.
Check you ball joints and tie rods while you are in there.
JamesL3
Member
Well Roadie, making sure the wheel doesn't fly off with my wife and kids in the truck are my priority. If putting some cheap Chinese hubs on in the meantime until i can afford 600 +/- to replace them with higher quality ones on both vehicles is what it takes, then obviously that's what I had to do. Not all of us have that spare money hanging around. If that makes me a cheapskate and horrible person, then so be it. I guess ill keep my opinion to myself from now on in lieu of being scrutinized.The_Roadie said:I gotta ask is your time worth so little that you won't complain when you have to change them again in a few months? And the consequences of a wheel departing the vehicle are so low that's it worth the risk?
For me and many others, there is no "bind" that makes low-quality Chinese $30 hubs a justifiable choice.
Non-structural parts of the truck, maybe. Suspension and steering parts - no.
YMMV.
I said YMMV, and it seems it does. Kyle and I disagree on this as well. TImkens or Michigan Bearing units we both used to use are around $150 each, but we're not paying anybody else for installation labor.
A lot of folks see cheap Ebay stuff and mistakenly believe the quality is the same and the higher cost vendors are just ripoffs with no essential difference. My mission is to fight that misconception. Apologies for hitting you in the crossfire.
A lot of folks see cheap Ebay stuff and mistakenly believe the quality is the same and the higher cost vendors are just ripoffs with no essential difference. My mission is to fight that misconception. Apologies for hitting you in the crossfire.
IllogicTC
Member
- Dec 30, 2013
- 3,452
I'd just like to add that sometimes there's a reason a certain name on the exact same part makes it worth the price. Better clearances and tolerances, better overall workmanship, better materials. This isn't always the case, we all know while Apple is generally a quality product the name is a bit overinflated by fan boys, but this particular part isn't exactly something the masses are standing in line outside a store for days at a time to hope to get a new version of.The_Roadie said:
JamesL3
Member
Don't apologize, my fault for getting up in arms over a comment. Kyle is actually the reason I ventured toward EBay. I guess this is one of those to each his own situations. Hey if they fail you can say I told you so. Truce?
IllogicTC
Member
- Dec 30, 2013
- 3,452
I'd say you had an easy misunderstanding. He generally picks those up because he'll probably break them on a trail before their expected lifetime anyway, and it's cheaper to break one of those than a name-brand one. That's the reasoning on that front.JamesL3 said:
JamesL3
Member
I see. Well it'll buy me time to get the better ones so it works regardless. I don't mind wrenching as long as I know what I'm getting into.
