Question for you Suspension Gurus…

Ok first of all I did a search for Rear Wheel Bearings and I found some interesting information. So I have a working theory that my Rear Wheel Bearing are bad.
Below is detail about my suspension and issues that I have had and issues that I currently have.

Since the email is so long I will put my question at the top and the deep details at the bottom just as background to my issue. Thanks!

My issue. I have a sound coming from the rear driver’s side wheel assembly. It is a sound that is dependent on speed and braking.

What would a bad rear wheel bearing sound like and is it safe(NO!) to drive the car until I can trouble shoot and get it fix or should I park the beast since I know I have a issues and don’t drive it until I fix it.

The sound that I have now sounds like a nail in the tire tapping against the pavement as the tire rotates mixed with having a tire that is flat flapping around in the wheel well. But not as loud.

Thanks guys!!


MORE : Deep Detailed info about The car and the suspension setup If you have extra time to read it..

I just want a second opinion.

Ok Let me give you a quick summary.

The car is a 96 built in July 95

The car is lowered. First with some :
Sprint Springs and KYB’s and AGX’s
now with
Ground Control Coilovers and AGX’s

My First issues… After I lowered the car the first time with the Sprint Springs and AGX’s I had the car aligned. One day I notice while going around a sharp curve I had Honda’s Four Wheel Steering… needles to say I got the toe bolts re-tighten by a shop that did good work. That was about a year and a half ago. I said all that just to say that I am very very aware of my suspension setup. I check to make sure things are tight.

My Second suspension issue… I would hear this metal on metal sound coming from the driver side rear strut mount area. IT turns out that the top bolts strut where not tighten to spec and it became loose causing things to move around. That was fixed and the system was and still is to spec.

My 2 new current issues are noises that come from the driver side rear that sound light a rattle every time I go over tiny bumps that you find on back roads and side streets. Highway driving is quiet. So I replaced the strut upper mounts thinking that the car the where worn since the car is older and now lower then stock.

I still have that noise!

As a side note… When “Kick” the driver’s side rear tire I hear a nasty rattle as if there is something lose in the assembly.

The new Noise that has developed tonight on the way home is a noise that is dependent on speed and braking. When the car gets to about 35 mph I start to hear this thud like clicking sound. As I go faster it gets slightly faster and louder. When I roll the windows up you can hear that what ever it is it is reverberating through out the whole Left strut assembly.

And when I put on Brakes it gets louder and a little more pronounced. It is not a good sound.

From the reading of issues posted my fellow E-drivers its not Rotors… It could be the upper control arm that gives the thumping sound when on roads and streets. But this new noise is something completely different.

So to those that know about Rea wheel bearings what would a bad bearing sound like and should I not drive the car until the issues is resolved.

I would describe the sound as being similar to having a nail in the tire mixed with having a tire that is flat flapping around in the wheel well. But not as loud.

Thanks in advance!

Soular Richmond VA

Sorry for any spelling or grammar errors…

dam, good luck bro... only thing i could think of is to look over everything really carefully, maybe even wanna look at your rear pass side suspension setup, and compare w/the dr. side, and see if there are any differences...

btw, i didnt seem to notice any spellin errors ;-)

it would help if you explained the "kick" part a lil more tho, i got confused.....

good luck bra

it seems as if you have already checked the things i would have...

might wanna see since you mentioned the brakes, if any part of the mounting brackets are loose, or if any part of the brake assembly is loose.... may wanna look into your drum, and see if thats wabblin around...

i dunno, i aint no suspension guru, but hope i gave u a cuple ideas to knock out...

Make sure the lug nuts are tight. Sometimes they come loose. Loose lug nuts can cause that thumping sound.

If your lug nuts are tight here's how to check the bearings. Jack the car up so the tire is off of the ground. Grab both sides of the tire and try to push/pull pull/push on it. Basically, try to jimmy the tire against the bearing to see if there is any play in it. Try it horizontally and vertically. You should be able to feel movement if the bearing is bad. If the bearing is real bad, you'll also be able to hear the slop.

But definately check the lug nuts first. The same kind of sound started to develop on mine a couple of months ago on a trip to NY. I pulled over and just grabbed the top of the tire and push/pulled on it and I could feel/see the movement. I tried turning the lug nuts, and they were all loose. Tightend them up and I was good to go.


ride__________95 Eclipse RS : 5 speed
power________Gude cams : AFX UDP : ram air : test pipe : Thrush glasspack
suspention___BOMZ F/R upper strut bars : ES inserts
shizzle_______AutoCommand remote start : Dual air horns : Kenwood KDC 5000 : Rampage sub
incomming___lower strut bars

Thanks guys, I will have a look at the Luggs.

On the kick thing I mean that I have Kicked the tire with my foot to see if there was anything loose back there. When I had the unoffical 4 wheel steering, I kicked the tire and it moved inward. So that it my test to make sure things are tight.

So now when I kick the tire just to see if things are tight, I can hear a rattle like sound.

But I will jack the car up to see if I can move the tire around thanks.

-Soular

I think your rattle might just be the collar from the coilovers rattling against the shock body, Im not sure how your coilovers go on but with mine there is a rubber o-ring that supposedly goes over the shock and under the collar to keep that from happening, but it sometimes falls off and I get a sound just like you are describing, Im taking my rear suspension off this weekend and am going to fill in the gap with silicone instead of that o-ring

Well on my new noise it was the Lug Nuts! Those boys where loose Really loose.. Dangerously loose!

I am thinking when I pulled my struts out 2 weeks ago to install the upper mounts that My check list did not include hitting the Rear lugs with the Torque Wrench. A newbie mistake for sure. Both sides where loose.

What are the Torque numbers for Lug Nuts?


On the rattle I think you are dead on. When I was installing my GC's I used smaller o-rings cuz we could not get the ones they sent me to work with the collar and the spacer... My Friend when we installed his used and old road racers trick.... Duct-tape... the bastard!

Well I will do the Silicon thing that you suggested.

To everyone that shared their knowledge and ideas Thanks a bunch!

I see a quieter Ride in my future!!!!

-Soular, Richmond VA

if it's a loud rattle like something hammering heavily and quickly on the underside of your car. it's the wheel bearings. they break loose at the joint on top. on top of your rear tires there's big ass thick metal bar. try and wiggle that from left to right. if it has play it would be the culprit.

so has the problem being fixed..
if it was your wheel bearing which when they go bad they do exactly what you have descrived at your first post and theonly way that i know of checking them is to make sure your wheel lugs are thight and try to wiggle your wheel,pusshing in from the sides??does this make sense..no...well there should not be anyplay in the wheel and if there is then your wheel bearing is bad..
cya



about my spelling .....i suck i know but i mean give me a break its 3 am in the morning i dont type much and hey im learning how to speak english cause im from mexico..

Hey guys,

Next weekend I am redoing the rear suspension and I will test the wheel bearings I have a feeling they might be part of my issue along with the coilover collar moving a little.

Iam also getting things setup to install my GSX sway bar...I have to re-route the exhaust a smig. So This time my check list will include all the things you all sugguested.

A 96 with 83k on it sounds about the right age for a bearing to start going bad.

if I have one bearing that's bad should I replace the other side also?


For now the thumping sound is gone since the nutz are tight? lol
I will post again abot my findings


Thanks Gang!!! -Soular

b

nah you can do bearings one at a time since they can last pretty long. also check the scrap yard for wheel bearings. it may not be a perfect solution but it's fairly easy to find one for our car and should save you some cash.

man.. it seems i might have this bearing problem too.. im not sure if i had thought of checking the bearings till now.. i have this weird kinda rattle when driving over bumps and such.. my old problem was the upper arm bushing but that is not the culprit.. i was thiking it was the accual strut itself.. i have fairly new illuminas, so who knows.. guess ill have to jack it up and check the bearings as i know the lugs are good.. well they should be :-)

my sound is kinda a weird clanging that is sorta metal on metal, but kinda muffled and can be heard on the outside of the car..

stupid cars.. ;-)