Wheel Bearing?

[branshew]

I have a loud "road noise" sound that is coming from my front driver side wheel well area. It sounds like a truck with big tires on it, but it is only coming from that side. I notice that the sound usually appears when I reach steady a cruising speed, but it is not noticeable when I am accellerating or slowing down.

The tire looks fine and is not crowning, nor is te car pullingin any direction. I'm guessing that it is the front driver side wheel bearing. Any ideas?

[steviej]

check the wheel bearing.

jack that side of the car and support it with a jack stand.

grab the tire and 12 and 6:00. Pull the bottom towards you and push the top away from you. Then reverse that. If you feel any play in the wheel or hear any thumping, it may be your wheel bearing.

if it sounds like a low pitched growl.......it smells like a wheel bearing.

steviej

[monarch]

If one of the front wheel bearings is going bad, typically the low pitched growl will be much louder when cornering in one direction or the other at moderate speeds of about 25-35 MPH.

[branshew]

If one of the front wheel bearings is going bad, typically the low pitched growl will be much louder when cornering in one direction or the other at moderate speeds of about 25-35 MPH.

You nailed it right on the head. That is exactly what happens - primarily when I am turning to the right.

[mburnickas]

Maybe I am all wet here but I thought you check for ball joints when pushing and pulling the tire (at 12 and 6)

[steviej]

you can find a bad wheel bearing this way too. mind you, you are only wiggling the wheel/tire. Don't try to rattle the whole suspension/steering.

sj.

[66zoomie]

I have a '94 ES300 with the same symptoms: noticeably louder "growl" when turning right at 25-35mph than when turning left. Since my vehicle has 135K miles, a front wheel bearing going south is a definite possibility.

Branshew had a thread of this subject with four replies back in April 2004 but there was no followup/ending: did you (Branshew) have one/both front wheel bearings replaced, and if so, was the work done by a shop or is the job relatively simple enough for most owners to do themselves? Since I may need to replace the bearings in my vehicle, I wanted to get a ballpark idea of what's involved and how $$ it is to replace these bearings. I've replaced several sets of front wheel bearings, but not on a front wheel drive vehicle.

Any inputs from other Lexus owners who have "been there, done that" will be appreciated!

[branshew]

You dug this one up out of the past....

I did have the wheel bearing replaced. I don't mess w/ the drive wheels or suspension components myself. I can't remember, but I think P&L came to @ $200.

[SKperformance]

WOW $200 is cheap as you usually have to get a new abs sensor as well as the hub has the abs sensor stuck in their and it crumbles when you try to remove it.

[banhbo]

[Did you say it was easy to replace the wheel bearing your self? what are the steps and the tools needed do you remember?

thanks