Is it wheel bearings?

[Renes86]

I am returning to the wonderful world of Corvettes after being away for several years due to kids, houses, etc. My wife and I have a 86 coupe that we bought this past summer. But now we have a little noise problem. Around 37 to 42 mph we hear and feel a grinding sound coming from the rear of the car. As you get on the highway it is still there of course, but now it has a slow pulsating, vibrating feel to it. Now here's the kicker, when I turn the wheel to the right just a little ( lane change or road turns) the vibration stops. But as soon as I turn the wheel back ever so slightly to the left, it comes back.

Tires have only 3000 miles on them and are all the same brand. They are inflated to proper pressure. Front wheels spin freely with no grinding or metal to metal sounds. Also no play side to side.

But now in the rear, I have play top to bottom and side to side when the wheel is off the ground. Is this normal? The play isn't much but it's still there. I get this from both left and right side. This is an automatic car.

Any ideas? Could it be the wheel bearing assemblies? The car has just 49k miles on it.

Jim

 

[Moonunit 451]

Welcome to CAC Minimal play in the bearings is normal, measured in low thousanths if I recall correctly. Frequently, it is a "chirp" you will hear with bearings in the rear, and they would have to be VERY bad for you to really feel anything.

I had a somewhat similar experience wheen I put in the D44, turned out to be that I had the wrong diff fluid, without the additive. Changed it and all was well. The other thing you should consider up front, and probly most likely is the U-joints with what you are describing. Spicer only for replacements, and you can do it yourself if you are so inclined. I have PN's if you need them

 

[tyrel]

It does sound an awful lot like wheel bearings. You didn't say how many miles are on your car, but wheel bearings are pretty durable, they usually last until the car has well over 100,000 miles. A tiny bit of play is normal, but if it's noticeably loose then yes indeed you probably need new wheel bearings. Not that difficult of a job, the two most difficult things about it are breaking the spindle nut, which will feel like your arm has broken once it finally gives, and lining up the three torx mounting bolts when you go to bolt the whole knuckle back together again. You know, the engineering of this car is amazing, after you remove the beautiful aluminum mounting piece, it's incredibly light in your hand, it feels like a feather. I'm always amazed at the amount of aluminum they used in this car, manufacturing these pieces must have cost a fortune.

BTW, I would also have your u-joints checked out, they could be the culprit as well if your wheel bearings are okay.

 

[Renes86]

Thanks guys. I will check out the u-joints. They are a cheaper fix if that's what it is. tyrel, the car has only 49,000 miles on it and was owned by a GM employee at the the Tech Center and serviced there also. We didn't noticed the vibration when we first bought it. But then again, maybe that's why he sold it. He might have known something was up.