Do I Need New Wheel Bearings??
 

my ek has recently started making a LOUD rumbling noise in the front end.. it only happens when i let off the gas, and it doesnt stop when i break.. a friend of mine said it may be the wheel bearings..

.. if it is does anyone know also how much it may cost??

and is it safe to drive on???

Well, for starters, if it was your wheel bearing, it would only make that rumbling sound if the car is in motion. If the car is stopped on you're on the brakes, it will not make any noise. Secondly, if it gets louder as you let off the brake or cruising or on the gas, it could be an exhaust leak. If you are sure it is coming from the front, check the donut gasket just after the downpipe. There could be an exhaust leak giving you that sound. Just check all your exhaust gaskets and check your piping for holes. Don't ignore the possibilities tho - check your muffler and any included piping for rust damage or holes. From how you are explaining it, it sounds more like an exhaust leak than a wheel bearing.

sorry thats what i ment by let of the gas.. its when the car is in motion and decreasing in speed

How about when you are not moving? does it still make the noise?

nope

is it auto or 5spd ?

No its not safe to drive on.. and it would cost around $200-300$ depending on what the labour rate is, weither the part is OE or aftermarket, etc etc.

Now, you are going to get some backyard mechanics telling you to do it yourself. I don't recommend this, you sound like you wouldn't be able to handle it, let alone diagnose it. Bring it to any shop, and they'll tell you what the problem is.

You may also have a bad tire(s), but usually this will be accompanied by some steering wobble. Does the noise change when you turn the wheel from left to right? if so, its most likely a bearing.

It's hard to tell without hearing it personally, but, a wheel bearing doesn't rumble. Instead, it makes a 'whirring' sound when traveling at a constant speed at 50-60 kph. Try it and then tell me it it sounds the loudest at that speed. If not, it may be something else. Please elaborate with what you are hearing.

jack the car up and wiggle the tire, feel for play. if it's as bad as you claim (loud rumbling) I would suspect noticable play. I saw a VW with only 50K kms and easily about a mm of play in the wheel bearing! :eek:

or you could go to midas and just get a free inspection done.

oh yeah one more thing, if it was wheel bearings, it would stop under braking cuz they would load up differently... it would be unusually bad if they kept whirring under braking. does the noise change pitch under braking?

I had one front wheel bearing go. First it would clunk lightly over small rough bumps but then one day when I left work, it suddenly got worse and was almost grinding and making a noise like gravel...not good. When I got home I could actually wiggle the wheel on the car sitting on the ground!!!! yeah it was bad.

A wheels bearing will make noise while in motion during accelerating, at constant speeds and while decelerating (basically at all times). And mine was so bad it did it while under braking.

It doesn't sound like your problem is a wheel bearing.

Yes they do. Wheel bearings can make all sorts of noise. Whirring, growling/rumbling, they can squeek, grind, etc. Different circumstances and situations cause different sounds.

And to further elaborate on Bruno's post, sometimes you have to load bearings in order to see play, so don't be surprised with the wheel hanging if it doesn't have play.

Some good signs of a bearing failing are: noise at around 60km/h (usually a rumble/growl or a whirring/whine sound)

under moderate/hard braking the car will pull to one side

and when turning the wheel the note/pitch while change in the sound cause load will travel from one side to the other

muffler bearings