Hi I was referred to this forum from a trailblazer forum. I have a 2003 tb ext lt 4x4 and recently i started to hear a humming noise like a bad tire coming from the front. You could only hear it when over 40km/h and whenever I would turn right it would get a liltle louder. So I thought it was the front driver side wheel bearing so I went and purchased one and changed it myself like I did in other cars before, I torqued all the nuts and bolts to specs and after it being all done the noise is still there the same as before! Could it be something else or could it be the passenger side bearing? Thanks
Wheel bearing?
- Thread starter Andrade
- Start date
Wooluf1952
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djthumper said:
There are a few members who used the turning test, but it ended up being the opposite side.
Since the bearings are interchangeable, you can put the one you removed from the Dr. side, on the Pass. side.
Could very well be the other side that's failing. I had one that was failing same as you. Changed both. Figured that if one was dying, the other can't be too far behind. And mine didn't change the noise when I turned.
smitty5150
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If you didn't trash the one you replaced, try swapping that with the pass side bearing. Should be the easiest way to tell. Wondering if your 4wd is working correctly as well....when I broke the fork in my front disconnect, the sound was very much like a bad bearing.
When I turn left ya the noise is still there but not as loud! And I purchased a new bearing for the passenger side figuring I won't loose anything by changing it! I'll let you know if the noise goes away after I replace it... Let's hope it does!!! And yes my 4wd works good just does a bit of a "whistle" like a plane landing almost and gets to a higher pitch the faster I go! I figured that when I purchased the truck the front dif and transfer case were almost dry with no oil and the rear dif was very low it caused some damage by the precious owners! But other than that noise the 4wd works mint! I'm gonna try switching the passenger side bearing for now... Let's see what happens!
tbuckalew14
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Mooseman said:
I agree. I had one going bad...so I just changed both. Most parts I treat like headlights. Just replace everything in pairs.
snowyredenvoy
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Just replaced mine. Very easy 1aauto has a great how to video on youtube for alot of trailblazer and Envoy part replacements. Helped me alot!
BarnieJekyl
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Hopefully the noise will go away when you change the other side....If not, it's somewhere else in the drivetrain....I don't like what you said about the t-case and diffs being dry......May have caused some damage to those parts...Hope it works out for you......
Just finished changing the passenger side and the noise is gone! Apparently the wheel bearings have an inner and outer bearing so when u turn left it puts pressure on the driver side inner and passenger side outer and if u turn right it puts pressure in the inner on the driver side and outer on the passenger side. So the driver side both bearings were gone and on the passenger side the inner bearing was all rustyfied!!! Therefor whenever I turned right the noise would come from both bearings!!! Thanks for all ur help!!! Next on the list is the rad fan lol another bearing gone on that!!
Andrade said:
Normally when I have to replace wheel bearings I replace the inner and outer together. So I assumed you did that. When you are ready to tackle the fan let us know.
That's exactly what I did because when u buy the bearing it comes the hub assembly all together with the bearings on it of course so when u replace the wheel bearing on a tb or envoy ur replacing both because that is how it comes! And I'll probably be tackling the fan in January if it doesn't fail me and flies onto my rad lol
I have the same problem with my fan. Two schools of thought on that:
1. Go with efans. Unless you do heavy towing or rock climbing or run in very hot climates, could be worth the effort and maybe increase MPG at the same time
2. You could use a fan clutch from a 2008-09, which is just a good old fashion fan clutch without the electronics. If you have the fan error codes turned off via a PCM tune, then this will work without getting a CEL.
If you just replace it with the same type, Dorman's don't seem to be that good with some complaints of failures (IIRC made in Korea).
1. Go with efans. Unless you do heavy towing or rock climbing or run in very hot climates, could be worth the effort and maybe increase MPG at the same time
2. You could use a fan clutch from a 2008-09, which is just a good old fashion fan clutch without the electronics. If you have the fan error codes turned off via a PCM tune, then this will work without getting a CEL.
If you just replace it with the same type, Dorman's don't seem to be that good with some complaints of failures (IIRC made in Korea).
Mooseman said:
Let's keep this thread on the wheel bearings and not clutter it with other chatter. If he want to discuss the fan then a new thread should be started.
CDN TBSS
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I've had the same front hub/bearing issue pop up recently. Also had the same problem on a 1999 S10 TB a few years back... 
Anyway... Having gone through this before and finding out then it was a sealed hub unit and not just a simple bearing swap, I knew what the cost may be to get it replaced at my favourite shop, but for fun, I called the Dealer (up here in the great white north) and asked for a quote to re and re a front wheel hub and they came back with two part options - OEM @ C$578.35 or an alternate AC Delco @ C$387.95 - and then another two to three hours labour plus taxes to bring it all in at a nice round C$1.200.00 or so
I just ordered an AC Delco FW121 replacement from Amazon. They had the best price I could find for it @ US$177.25. I also asked for expedited shipping and had it at my front door in Richmond BC within 36 hours for a grand total of C$288.48! A hundred bucks under any price I could find locally. My shop has no problem with me`supplying the parts and is quoting me an hour @ C$75 to swap it out.
And the dealers say they make their money off their service departments these days... Not from me!
Anyway... Having gone through this before and finding out then it was a sealed hub unit and not just a simple bearing swap, I knew what the cost may be to get it replaced at my favourite shop, but for fun, I called the Dealer (up here in the great white north) and asked for a quote to re and re a front wheel hub and they came back with two part options - OEM @ C$578.35 or an alternate AC Delco @ C$387.95 - and then another two to three hours labour plus taxes to bring it all in at a nice round C$1.200.00 or so
I just ordered an AC Delco FW121 replacement from Amazon. They had the best price I could find for it @ US$177.25. I also asked for expedited shipping and had it at my front door in Richmond BC within 36 hours for a grand total of C$288.48! A hundred bucks under any price I could find locally. My shop has no problem with me`supplying the parts and is quoting me an hour @ C$75 to swap it out.
And the dealers say they make their money off their service departments these days... Not from me!
Yea mines starting to show signs of a wheel bearing going. if im going straight no noise however if i turn left its a little wah wah right is def louder im thinking its the passenger side. I'm probably going to replace both because i too think its best to replace in pairs . any suggestions on decently priced ones?
. any suggestions on decently priced ones?
CDN TBSS
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Amazon.com still has six of these in stock @ $171.31 with free shipping
Just do a search for ACDelco FW121 Wheel Hub Assembly and it should pop up.Mine was the passenger side and I stopped at that, but, if funds aren't an issue, I agree, go for both. Book says labour at 1.5 hrs per side but my guy charged me 1 hour to do one.
Boricua SS
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Matt said:
you wouldnt be reffering to your spark plugs would you!!!!!
:banghead:
Matt
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Boricua SS said:you wouldnt be reffering to your spark plugs would you!!!!!
No smartypants! That's another story.
When I did the hub the first time, all tests indicated the passengers side...turned out, after changing it, it was the drivers side.
mubai
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Aaargh...I did this 2 years and about 30K miles ago and now I'm getting the same noise again...I couldn't figure out where I purchased these. It thought it was eBay, but I can't find any history in my email. My truck has about 176K miles on it, I'll just get another set off of eBay for like $80 shipped for the pair.
$80 SHIPPED a pair for CCC (Cheap Chinese Crud)? 
30K miles sounds like you got MORE than I would have predicted.
As long as you don't mind changing them often, you can save a couple of $$. For me, it might be a life-threatening failure if it happened 30 miles from pavement on a shelf road at 10000 feet. So I (as well as an economic protest) am not buying CCC wheel bearings. Why encourage them to victimize more of your fellow citizens?
30K miles sounds like you got MORE than I would have predicted.
As long as you don't mind changing them often, you can save a couple of $$. For me, it might be a life-threatening failure if it happened 30 miles from pavement on a shelf road at 10000 feet. So I (as well as an economic protest) am not buying CCC wheel bearings. Why encourage them to victimize more of your fellow citizens?
After replacing the front driver side wheel hub with a new unit purchased from autozone for 180.00, all seemed good. The humming noise went away. Now after about 4-5k miles, i have a new noise in the front drive side. It gets worse i noticed when i turn to the right, making me think it could be the hub again. This has a slightly different noise, almost like something rubbing. I have not mud flaps or anything else. Is it possible that the hub bearings went bad already on this new part? How would i tell if it is a bad CV joint? I have 86k on this 2007 envoy. I did just return from Michigan over the xmas break and we did use the 4x4 some on the ice roads.
It appears to only be noticeable at low speeds and when in am turning right so i believe it is something in the driver side front wheel area. The noise is like a rubbing sound. I can simulate easily by doing a circle in a parking lot turning right.
Thank you
Justin
It appears to only be noticeable at low speeds and when in am turning right so i believe it is something in the driver side front wheel area. The noise is like a rubbing sound. I can simulate easily by doing a circle in a parking lot turning right.
Thank you
Justin
the wheel hub was purchased via Autozone online and is a timken part. I looked specifically for Timken. The noise is so much different now. Previously it was a hum that got louder the faster i went. This is now more of a rubbing sound at slow speed turning sharply to the right. I notice it when making a right turn into a parking lot or at a stop light.
jrSS
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Mine was rubbing, so when I was changing my front pads I tried to bend it a lil so it'd stop and made it worse. So I kept bending it in and out till it almost stopped. Now it doesn't seem to be rubbing. (Well I can't hear it anymore) But wondered if taking the damn thing off if it would cause probs. Wonder if it also act as a heat shield too?
Mine ended up being the dust plate as well. I used a screw driver to bend it out.
I think what happens is they build up with rust and dirt.
I wonder how many wheel bearings have bean replaced when it was actually just the plate rubbing. Mine had similar conditions as a bearing like only making noise when i turned.
This could be the wheel well dampening the noise while going straight, but when you turn right, the wheel is then to the outside so the noise would carry out. does that make sense?
Just thinking out loud!
I think what happens is they build up with rust and dirt.
I wonder how many wheel bearings have bean replaced when it was actually just the plate rubbing. Mine had similar conditions as a bearing like only making noise when i turned.
This could be the wheel well dampening the noise while going straight, but when you turn right, the wheel is then to the outside so the noise would carry out. does that make sense?
Just thinking out loud!
