Front End Noise (not likely the hub assembly)

tbags4ever

Original poster
Member
Jan 13, 2013
10
Found the new site finally, thanks to a PM from somebody (from OS, not sure what his new name is). Here is my issue:

I've already replaced both front wheel hub/bearing assemblies in my 2004 Envoy, as they both went bad before 65k miles. So, I feel like I know what a bad bearing sounds like and how to diagnose it (turn in direction of noise, if it goes away, likely the bearing, etc, etc)

However, I just replaced the hub on the side the noise was on, and the noise did not go away. I tried some searches in the forums and see a number of different ideas, but wanted more opinions on my specific issue. Here are some details:

- Noise goes away when I turn to the right and gets louder when I turn to the left (should be the right hub, right?)
- noise typically starts up around 20-30 mph
- with the new bearing, the noise quiets when I go over bumps in the road that cause the front end to rise up
- noise is a consistent grind for the entire wheel revolution, it does increase in volume with speed
- I did buy a cheap Chinese bearing from Dearborn Axle, frankly because my factory bearings BOTH went out by 65k miles

I did contact the seller of the hub assembly. I suppose it's possible that the new part is bad because it's cheap.

I have heard that possibly a CV joint or carrier bearing could be bad. How would I diagnose that?

Thanks for looking!
 

seanpooh

Member
Jan 24, 2012
461
Since you did use the Chinese brands for the replacing of hubs... most likely they are the hubs again but prematurely failing.

I would think that a failing bearing at 65K miles will sounds worse than a newer set of bearing.

In my experience, I used Raybestos instead of Timken, National, Moog and it failed within a year. When it did fail, it was a slight noise but of course my ears would hear it.

If you CV joints don't have any grease, that could cause noises. But you have brakes, the dust shield, the front differential with all types of bearing along with the axle disconnect. Check the fluids in there also since parts are moving in there regardless of 2wd or 4wd.

Personally I would lift up the front end and start spinning them wheels. Or lift up the whole vehicle and have a buddy put it in drive to get all the wheels going. Make sure to use jack stands.
 

CaptainXL

Member
Dec 4, 2011
2,445
tbags4ever said:
- Noise goes away when I turn to the right and gets louder when I turn to the left (should be the right hub, right?)

No. Bad hubs usually show their face when you turn into it because there is more stress on it. So the left is bad.

tbags4ever said:
- I did buy a cheap Chinese bearing from Dearborn Axle, frankly because my factory bearings BOTH went out by 65k miles

Foreign hubs can be a problem. You get what you pay for. Get a good Timken hub. They are sold at Autozone for about $160. Similar price on Amazon.
 

The_Roadie

Lifetime VIP Donor
Member
Nov 19, 2011
9,957
Portland, OR
CaptainXL said:
No. Bad hubs usually show their face when you turn into it because there is more stress on it. So the left is bad.
I think you have it backwards. Turning left stresses the right hub more due to weight shift and steering angle. But I was certainly fooled into changing the wrong one once because my bad one was on the inside of a turn.
 

seanpooh

Member
Jan 24, 2012
461
the roadie said:
I think you have it backwards. Turning left stresses the right hub more due to weight shift and steering angle. But I was certainly fooled into changing the wrong one once because my bad one was on the inside of a turn.

I read about the direction you turn, it would be the opposite side you would have to change. But it wasn't my cause. I heard the bearing noise on the driver side but chose to listen to the turning rule where I changed the passenger side. In the end, changing the passenger side was the wrong side. No harm though, new bearing for both sides.

All in all, change the side you actually hear the noise from if you can tell driver to passenger.

As for buying a new hub, Advance Auto has some nice coupon codes that saves you a bundle.
 

CaptainXL

Member
Dec 4, 2011
2,445
seanpooh said:
As for buying a new hub, Advance Auto has some nice coupon codes that saves you a bundle.

I wouldnt buy hubs at Advance Auto. Read the reviews. Autozone has the Timken hub.
 

seanpooh

Member
Jan 24, 2012
461
So far my Moog wheel hub is holding up so far. Then again, they make better suspension parts... The race is on between Moog on the driver side and Timken on my passenger side.
 

CaptainXL

Member
Dec 4, 2011
2,445
seanpooh said:
So far my Moog wheel hub is holding up so far. Then again, they make better suspension parts... The race is on between Moog on the driver side and Timken on my passenger side.

I take that back. Looks like the reviews for the moog are pretty positive.
 

CaptainXL

Member
Dec 4, 2011
2,445
the roadie said:
I think you have it backwards.

Pretty sure i got it right. If you turn right and hear the noise then its the right / passenger side one. Right? I have done about 6 of these and thats always been the case.
 

CaptainXL

Member
Dec 4, 2011
2,445
jrSS said:
Nope its usually the opposite.

Ok. I would get an alignment afterwards as well. In which case doing both sides at the same time would be ideal if you got the cash but not absolutely neccessary. It would prolong the life of the replaced hub if the other side is marginal and the alignment was corrected to account for it.
 

tbags4ever

Original poster
Member
Jan 13, 2013
10
CaptainXL said:
No. Bad hubs usually show their face when you turn into it because there is more stress on it. So the left is bad.



Foreign hubs can be a problem. You get what you pay for. Get a good Timken hub. They are sold at Autozone for about $160. Similar price on Amazon.

Thanks for the responses all. I would have to agree with the Roadie. I retained a bit of my physics from school, and when you turn right, the weight of the vehicle moves to the left, thanks to inertia. So, my noise occurs loudest when I turn left, which puts the weight on the passenger side bearing. Also, when I sit in the passenger seat, the sound is definitely louder right below me.

I may just try and change the other hub as well. I'm just afraid it's something far more complicated like in the front diff or some other suspension part that is causing extra stress on the hub. Anyone ever heard of anything like that happening?
 

CaptainXL

Member
Dec 4, 2011
2,445
tbags4ever said:
when you turn right, the weight of the vehicle moves to the left, thanks to inertia. So, my noise occurs loudest when I turn left, which puts the weight on the passenger side bearing

That's absolutely right. Not sure what I was thinking but your physics is sound. My apologies for being so stubborn.

Good thing you are thinking into the future. I plan on replacing both as well when one goes out. Just remember to get an alignment if you can.
 

tbags4ever

Original poster
Member
Jan 13, 2013
10
Late follow up and an important one! The bad bearing actually ended up being the driver's side. I can't understand why the noise would go away when I turned right, but I just replaced it today and the noise is completely gone. I did find one alarming thing while in there though: diff fluid leaking from the driver's side carrier bearing (is that the correct term for that part?). Has anyone had to replace that? I'm thinking I wouldn't try it on my own.

Thanks for all of the help with this!
 

mrphoenix80

Member
Jan 1, 2013
251
The bearings have an inner and an outer race. The rule of thumb is the side that gets loaded in the turn is the one that is bad(left turn=right hub). However if the inner race on the left gets loaded durring the left turn it would point to the right and really be the left. This has bit me in the ass several times, and no I still have not learned. Well what I learned was to check it with a stethoscope or something like that. However it is not very practical for a DIYer to buy a $700 set of chassis ears. At the same time it is not very safe to run the truck in 4x4 on 4 jack stands and get under it to find the offending bearing. So wosrt case is put another hub in if the noise won't go away,or the cheaper and harder method swap the hubs left to right.
 

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