[Tr0n]

So I was driving home today and i heard this sound in the rear of my car. Didn't sound like a good sound well i checked out my mirrors and my tires was wobbling. So as soon as i got home I thought i mite tighten the lug nuts,but all of them were tighened. So my next guess was to come on here and see what you guys think it mite be???

 

[Tr0n]

Would it be a wheel bearing??? If so how could i fix that,is there a write up on it??

 

[Jonny_Black]

take a pic of it..we need more info

 

[ComposiMo]

Jack it up off the ground and see if you can shake it... if it won't shake, rotate it... if it wobbles when it rotates, remove the wheel, and see if the brake assembly is wobbling or not. If it isn't, then it is probably a bent wheel. If it is, then its something else. If you can't shake it, then it is probably a hub. If you can manually shake it, it could very well be the bearing.

You just need to do more troubleshooting than just tightening the lugs

In the meantime, i wouldn't drive it AT ALL until you figure out exactly what is happening, and fix it. I know you may need to go somewhere like Starbucks or McDonny's, but resist the urge... get rides with friends and family for a bit 8)

 

[ollie]

Just as a quick observation I'd steer towards a wheel bearing going bad.

 

[Tr0n]

Just as a quick observation I'd steer towards a wheel bearing going bad.

IF thats the case of the wheel bearing going bad,how do i go by out fixing this problem? Has anyone done this before on an 88 Si? Is the wheel bearing in the hub? I don't have disc brakes bc its an 88 Si. Looking for some help..Thanks Guy
Evan

 

[bobski]

Is the wheel bearing in the hub?

Yes. Take the wheel and brake drum off and pry off that center metal cap. Inside, you should see the spindle nut. I forget if it's staked down or not... probably is. Anyway, remove the nut and the washer under it and the whole hub should come off. The outer bearing races are machined into the hub, so you can't just replace the bearing - you need a new hub.
Here's the majestic page with the hub.

 

[88DXCRX]

Just as described above..
I just replaced my fronts and now all I hear is the back ones..
Over 286,000 miles..
I have the parts but have not replaced them yet..

I will try to take pics when I do get around to it
which I should have done on the fronts...

It was one of those things that once you get into,
you don't bother documenting it..
The backs should be a piece of cake though..

 

[Tr0n]

So i finally got my parts in today for the hub bearing. I put the left side hub bearing it. Everything when smoothly,besides when i was takin the left side off the bearing cap(u could call it) stayed onto the shaft. Now i can't put the new hub bearing in properly untill the other cap slides off the shaft. How can i get this peice off??? Need help ASAP. In other words,when i took the old hub bearing off i could see the bearings on the back side of the hub,meaning the case that covers those bearings is still on the shaft. How can this come off?????

 

[ollie]

Not all autoparts places do this,but check with your local AP place and ask if they have a specialty tool rental service.
I have used 3 jaw pullers on stuck hub bearings like this.
Pic of what I am talking about.---->

GL and let us know how it goes.

 

[bobski]

Eh, yeah I know what you're talking about. The inboard, inner bearing race is stuck on the axle. On my car, one side does the same but the other comes off just fine. IIRC, there isn't enough space behind the bearing race to hook a puller (or much of anything for that matter) onto. Since you have a complete replacement hub/bearing, I would suggest cutting a notch into the old race with a dremel and a small diameter bit (so you can cut a deep groove without hitting the axle). Then see if you can break it loose by tapping it with a screwdriver and mallet so the race rotates around the axle... I think it should come off pretty easy once you break it loose from the film of rust that's undoubtedly holding it there.

 

[Tr0n]

Well i finally got around to fixing this problem. I sent allnite trying to figure this out but i didn't stop at it. When i thought of using the old inner bearing race instead of the new one,because isn't it just a cover to hold the bearings and grease in there?? So i took the new one off,came off pretty easy and just slide the old hub bearing onto the bearing race. Was that a smart idea im not sure what do you guys think?? It fixed the problem tho,not more bad noised coming from the back

 

[bobski]

isn't it just a cover to hold the bearings and grease in there??

No... It carries the weight of the car. That's why the race is machined to the profile of the ball bearings. The individual bearings have to contact and roll on something. Using the old race may work, but you're just putting more miles on an already worn part.

 

[ollie]

^^^ Agreed.
You could use the old race,but why reuse a old part like that?
If you dont have the room to get behind the race I'd suggest what Bobski did.
A dremel is your friend Tr0n.