Are there any mechanics in the house???

I am having a recurring problem with noise coming from my front right wheel on an 04 Chevy Malibu. I have had the wheel hubs (bearings) replaced just recently and the pads and rotors have about 10,000 miles on them. Replacing the wheel hubs corrected the problem, but only for around 500 miles. Now the noise is back loud as ever.

Any suggestions on what could be causing this? It is very frustrating.

Thanks,
Robert

If it is a continuous sound that changes with rotation speed then I think I would have another look at the hub.

From what you have said it was a bearing problem and today it's not unusual to get less than perfect parts or wrong parts for repair. Did you notice slop in the bearing that you replaced?. I wouldn't take any chances with that. My money is on a bad replacement part or lack of proper packing of the bearing.

GL
X..

How does the CV boot look? If it's torn and leaking grease you may need to replace the CV joint.

Faulty replacement parts are completely possible. Also look and see if the tin guards on the back of the brake rotors are rubbing the rotor. The tiniest rub can make the most gawdawful racket and can be fixed with some judicious bending.

:buddies:

Thanks everyone...I will check this out. The thing that has me baffled is that the new hubs fixed the problem for a little while.

Yes, the noise is definitely wheel speed related.

Thanks,
Robert

Could be a bad tire, bad cv joint, bad wheel bearing, tire is out of balance/tread is seperating, wheel bearing came loose/wasn't packed right, shock or shock mount, bal joints, sticking caliper, bent backing plate................. shall I go on?

I had a neighbor that complained about a noise her Blazer was making. I went for a ride and couldn't hear it. I had to stick my head out the window as we drove slowly down the road to hear it. I asked her to stop, I got out and used my knife to dig out the rocks in her A/T tires. She was happy.
A buddy worked a Saturn, little old lady (in her 80's) came in complaining of wind noise from the sunroof. He could never find a problem. The car was in five times. He finaly had her come for a drive. 65MPH and normal wind noise. "No young man, it doesn't get loud until you hit 85MPH."
Different things bother people differently!!

What kind of noise is it? Does it make a clicking sound at low speeds, and then turn into a roar at higher speeds? Is it more noticable when making turns? Sometimes it's easier to hear if you drive next to a wall or a line of cars so the sound reflect back into the car.

If replacing the wheel bearing fixed the noise for 500 miles, then my first inclination would be to suspect the wheel bearing again. If it was something else, changing the wheel bearing wouldn't have fixed it. It's possible that the part was defective, or even more likely somebody made an error during installtion. Wheel bearings are somewhat delicate, if everything isn't kept perfectly clean during installation, or you apply too much force while pressing them in, it's very easy to damage them. The problem wouldn't show up for a little while and then it will get progressively worse as the bearing chews itself up.

Since this has been going on for awhile for you, I'm thinking it's time to go back to the basics so I'll add a whole bunch of questions to try to narrow it down.

Is it a squeal, rumble, or grinding noise?
Does it show up or get louder when you make a turn?
Does it get louder the harder you make the turn?
Is it constant in a straight line and/or in turns in either direction?
Does it increase as you speed up?
Does it increase as you slow down?
Is it worse under acceleration?
Is it worse under hard acceleration?
Is it worse under braking?
Is it worse under hard braking?
Have you checked all the fluid levels?
Did any of the fluids look or smell odd?
Are you sure you have the correct transmission fluid in the car (as specified in the owners' manual -- don't assume, check)?

Suggestions --

Have a buddy ride along to try and determine if it really is coming from or is louder on one side or the other.

Try rotating the tires to eliminate a bad tire as the problem.

Drive slowly down the street and turn the wheel side to side to see when or if the noise increases or decreases.

Drive a few miles and stop. Check to see if one wheel is hotter than any other or if you smell anything different.

Check these things and make a few notes. Check back with the mechanic. Still no luck? Might be time for a second opinion.

Good luck.

Thanks for all of the suggestions, guys. I'm going to take the car out tomorrow and see what I can determine. I will post back.

I had a Subaru Impreza which had a reputation for chewing thru wheel bearings and I replaced the same one twice in a year.

Hi All,

OK, I took it out today and it is as loud as ever. I would describe it as a rumble more than anything and it is so loud, it makes it difficult to talk on the phone or listen to music without putting the volume up well above normal.

The noise is definitely speed sensitive. By about 30mph, it is good and loud. Braking, steering hard, and accelerating seem to have no affect other than the affect that the change in speed has (e.g. braking hard only affects the sound because the car is slowing down).

I'm thinking my best bet is to take it to a GM mechanic and having them fix the problem. I usually go my local mechanic, but he doesn't seem to be able to fix the problem.

Any other suggestions?

Thanks,
Robert

A rumble points to the bearings. Does it sound like you've got studded snow tires on, even though you don't?

:buddies:

YES!!! It sounds very much like studded snow tires only louder! Very good analogy. Does this point to the bearing? If so, would I have another problem on the right side that is causing the bearing to wear out? I just had them replaced less than a thousand miles ago and it was the right one that was the problem then.

Thanks,
Robert

One thing to consider also... If you took it to a local guy he may have gotten the hub assembly from a local auto parts store. Most hub's I have looked at have a 1 year warranty so he might be able to replace it again without any cost to you for the part. (Hopefully he warranties his work somehow also?) It is not terribly likely you would get two dud parts in a row, so at least it would narrow it down.

based on what has been come up with, I would point to improper installation of the bearing, sure it's possible it's a bad bearing, but the likelihood of improper installation is much higher. Some are housed within an assembly from the parts store and need to be tightened to 100+lb/ft of torque on the hub nut, while others use the hub nut to set the bearing pre-load. On the type that requires the mechanic to set the pre-load manually, there are a lot of complications that can screw it up. Like... what if he was testing for pre-load with the brake caliper still in place adding to the initial drag required to turn the hub?

Internet diagnoses is notoriously vague, but yes it sounds like wheel bearings to me. I'd take it back to the shop where you had the work done and ask about their warranty. Good luck.

:buddies:

Thanks all,

I've got an appointment for Monday with the mechanic. One more question...I need to drive a few hundred miles between now and then. Do you think this is safe, assuming it is the wheel bearing? Obviously, all responsibility is mine, I'm just looking for a safety opinion.

Thanks,
Robert

NO!!! I do not think that is a good idea!! I have heard too many horror stories of cars catching on fire from overheated bearings!!!

I wouldn't risk driving it, but I guess it also depends how badly it's making noise. There could be some safety issues, but you could end up making a simple wheel bearing replacement into a much more costly repair. If it gets really bad it can damage the hub, the brakes, or other things

Of course, one time my brother borrowed my car and drove it for 700 miles with a bad wheel bearing (I didn't know until he returned). By the time he got back, about the only thing holding the wheel on was the disc brake caliper. It was almost scary to think that he was driving at highway speeds like that, but then ignorance is bliss I guess. He's not much of a mechanic.

Make sure the parts that use are name brand not the cheap junk made in china and make sure to torque to spec.i use Timkin bearings and i don't have a problem.
good luck
Ed