Wheel bearing install?

**Mosh** · 12-08-2007, 08:08 PM

Hey all,

This is my first post but I have been reading the boards for a while. Anyway I have a noise coming from the rear. It kind of sounds like something is "wobbling". Gets worse as I go faster and at highway speeds it kind of sounds like it shakes or vibrates a little. My first guess is the wheel bearings and its the cheapest thing to fix so mine as well. I have never really looked at it on this car... im just wondering if I can do it myself. Will I need a press to press them back in?

Its a 99 TA btw.

Thanks

**Orcus79** · 12-08-2007, 10:48 PM

ahh, well I may ahve sosme bad news for ya, it may be your pinion bearing. If it starts as soon as you move having a constant waawaaa type sound you ahve your answer,

**Mosh** · 12-08-2007, 11:16 PM

Hmm ok thanks for the info. Is that a hard job to do my self? Is it costly? I have a good amount of tools.

**Orcus79** · 12-08-2007, 11:23 PM

If you can set up a rear end you can do it, i hada shop do it due mostly too lack of tools and space to do it in, ran me $1300

**01ws6er** · 12-09-2007, 04:13 AM

If it makes a constant sound, like a flat spot on your tire...very well could be wheel bearings!! If so it's not hard at all. Look in the drivetrain section cause there are a lot of threads that explain how to do it. I just finished mine yesterday...for the 3rd time!!!!! My axles actually got notched out by the bearings cause I let it go too long, so I got axles, new bearings/ seals, and did it again. And you can just use a pice of pipe to press in the bearings, seals. You'll need a bearing puller and slide hammer to rip them out.

If it's a constant humming sound, then it may very well be your pinion bearing. No experience here, but I don't think it's super complicated??? You gotta have the right tools though, as with anything.

**Mosh** · 12-09-2007, 08:37 AM

Wow 1300.... thats alot. Would I better off just gettin a new rear for that kind of money? Was that mostly the labor or are the parts real expensive? I may as well try the wheel bearings first then and hope thats my problem. How can you tell if the axles are bad?

**01ws6er** · 12-09-2007, 10:07 AM

Originally Posted by Mosh

Wow 1300.... thats alot. Would I better off just gettin a new rear for that kind of money? Was that mostly the labor or are the parts real expensive? I may as well try the wheel bearings first then and hope thats my problem. How can you tell if the axles are bad?

You could always have a mechanic drive/ look at it to narrow it down. To tell if the axles are bad you are going to have to take off your wheels, calipers, and rotors. Drop the diff cover, unbolt the pinion shaft, pull out the pinion shaft. If you have TCS you are gonna have to remove your speed sensors and unplug them. Push your axles in to let the c-clips fall out, remove them, and then slide out the axles. Your bearing/ seal surface should be clean and smooth. Mine had about 1/8" deep grooves the size of the bearing, on both sides. Since you already have it apart, and if you need new axles, just replace wheel bearings/ seals while you are at it. I just did mine for the third time (long story lol) but it took me 5 hours the 1st time, about 3 hours the 2nd, and just over an hour the last time. Get 75w90 gear oil, and GM limited slip additive and fill to recommended level (I believe 1.75 quarts).

**Mosh** · 12-09-2007, 06:23 PM

Ok thanks. Hmm yea maybe I will suck it up and get a mechanic to look at it before I do anything. I'd prefer to do the work myself though.

What axles did you end up buying? I read in another post you were considering Mosers but they didnt come with some ring or something?

And as far as the tools go.. could you possibly link me to what i would need as far as a bearing puller and slide hammer go? I tried searching on craftsman site and couldnt find anything that said it was for a wheel bearing specifically?

Thanks for the help

**z28punk** · 12-09-2007, 06:32 PM

another thing if the bearing went out is that it might have put a groove in the axle shaft so u might have to buy a new one of those. if u cant afford a new shaft, buy some axle savers

**Orcus79** · 12-09-2007, 06:38 PM

Originally Posted by Mosh

Wow 1300.... thats alot. Would I better off just gettin a new rear for that kind of money? Was that mostly the labor or are the parts real expensive? I may as well try the wheel bearings first then and hope thats my problem. How can you tell if the axles are bad?

Yea the majority of it was labour as the whole rear has to come apart and at 70+ an hour it doesn't take long as to that %15 in taxes, it's a big ouch.

Also the guys above have valid points too, start with axel bearings and see, cheap and easy to replace vs the pinion bearing.

**Mosh** · 12-09-2007, 08:51 PM

Is there a way to test the pinion bearing without ripping everything apart? I think i saw in another thread that someone mentioned spinning the drive shaft by hand?

**z28punk** · 12-09-2007, 09:39 PM

no u cant test it by hand unless the thing is SCREAMING!!!! u can jack up the back end, start it, put the cruise on and put a big pry bar/screwdriver on the case near the pinion and listen through the pry bar handle. u can do the same thing for the wheel bearing but be careful when doing this so u dont hurt yourself. it might help but it doesnt always work

even if it is the pinion, its not that hard to replace a pinion bearing if u got all the tools.

**hutch1999** · 12-10-2007, 01:07 PM

Originally Posted by Orcus79

ahh, well I may ahve sosme bad news for ya, it may be your pinion bearing. If it starts as soon as you move having a constant waawaaa type sound you ahve your answer,

Pinion bearing on mine went out, luckily i talked to two diff mechanics. The GM dealership want 1100 bucks to fix it, but I took it to a guy who installed a bearing kit for right at 500 bucks. labor is a bitch, the bearing kit only cost 125.00 then he put 70.00 brake pads

(my dad made that call without asking me) it sucked because that was 500 bucks i was gonna use for a tune

**Mosh** · 12-11-2007, 08:35 PM

Ive been reading the site some more... and I'm beginning to think it may be a bad U joint. Is there a way I can test to see if its bad? The semester is finnaly over so im gonna have alot more free time on my hands to see if I can fix this thing

**ws6drew** · 12-12-2007, 07:22 AM

Same thing happened to me about a year and a half ago, but mine was bad enough that the whole rear end needed to be replace. Thank god it was still under warranty... $2,200.00. Sorry man.