bearing or half shaft?

lilbrudder · #1 11-19-2007, 06:43 PM

ok, this car is damned! on my way to get new u-joints put in the main driveshaft i started to hear a clicking from the passengers front tire. after the u-joints were fixed i was on my way home and the clicking turned into a groaning then click. when i got home i noticed the axle nut was not fully tight so i tightened, now the groaning click is louder and pretty much constant(it's very loud). i don't really feel any binding so i'm kinda leaning toward the bearing, but maybe it could be the axle. so i don't know, what do you guys think? this car is killing me, it sems pointless to have a car that something breaks litteraly every time i drive it!

lhopp77 · #2 11-20-2007, 08:46 AM

With your explanation, I suspect you have both a bad bearing AND axleshaft. A properly torqued axlenut is essential for bearing life. The clicking of course points to the axleshaft and the "groaning" more than likely--the bearing. Did you torque the axlenut to proper specs and if so--do you still have a "groaning" or roar?

I am not a highly qualified technical mechanic but do have considerable personal experience with both of your problem areas.

Lee

PS--I just had to comment here as I am from the OLDER Las Vegas.

lilbrudder · #3 11-20-2007, 11:37 PM

oh, good l.v.ers helping l.v.ers, that's what i'm talkin' about. however that was a whole lot of bad news. well, i'm not sure if that one was torqued right, it was the only bearing i have not replaced in the last 8 months(or ever actually), i'm assuming it was not, being that it came lose. anyway i did tighten in up but the groaning got worst and more frequent(i was too pissed to noice the clicking). i was hoping the bearings were only bad, and the clicking was them(bearings) floppin' around against each other, do you think that's likely? oh, BTW the groaning wasn't really a roar(compared to bad rear bearings) it was like a heavy duty piece of steel was being pushed to it's limits and could be induced at very slow speeds(walking). is there any way to field test the axle shaft if i remove it? man, this is gonna get ugly again.

Suby Fan · #4 11-21-2007, 12:32 PM

By the sound of it your axle needs to be replaced so start with that... seeing that the bearing on the front wheel is a 4.5 hour job

lilbrudder · #5 11-24-2007, 10:32 PM

great advice, i pulled out the half shaft and put an old one in(had an extra layin' around) the sound is gone!! the one i put in isn't in great but it's just temp untill i can get the old one rebuilt. i think the problem axle was defective, it was rebuilt less than 10k ago, the boots are even still good. i've been through a few axles but they have never sounded that bad all of a sudden. thanks for the help guys.