Rear End Howling

[ICOMP]

My '04 coupe has nearly 90K miles under its belt and quite a while back I started noticing a howl coming from the rear of the car when driving along that got more pronounced as the car moved faster. I dismissed it as tire noise as the GS-D3's on the care had nearly 60K miles on them. Just put new tires on the car and guess what? Still howling! So, my first impulse is to replace the rear hubs. I changed the diff lube at 50K and the car ran quiet until it hit mid 70K miles. My question is, has anyone else experienced this, and what is the life expectancy of the rear hubs? Any advice is appreciated...

ICOMP

 

[gmjunkie]

Usually C5 wheel hub bearings will go 100,000++. I know of a couple cars that almost has 200,000 and still running the originals!

 

[Toms007]

Interesting post......This weekend we took the Corvette to KC (about 1000 mile round trip) and I was thinking I could hear a little rumbling and thought "Wheel bearing", too. Jesse, you think that it's something else? I'm going to jack it up tomorrow and check them out....I am pushing the 100K arena with the 01.

IF, it happens to be a wheel bearing, I was thinking replace all them with a premium bearing (Moog). Am I thinking in the right direction Jesse? I was also thinking beings I will have it torn down that far, that I may as well change brakes out as well. I've already got new Bilstein shocks on order,,, or should I say on "backorder".

Jesse, your opinion is greatly appreciated.

 

[gmjunkie]

My 03 has always had a howl running down the road and a Box of rocks sound idling in neutral in it that I've wondered about!

When new I had a small problem with 2nd sometimes on a up shift,never on a down shift!I took it in a few times and it wouldn't do it for the technician,he adjusted the shifter and told me he thought I maybe wasn't winding it up enough and the CAGS was kicking in!

So I started driving it like I stoled it! ("Same way I drive Vet Boys LS3 08"!otfl)

By 26,000 miles 2nd gear was grinding up shift and down shift and they tore it down and replaced 2nd gear,1st and 2nd gear syncros,hub,shift collar and rear case under warranty.
Still had box of rocks in neutral at idle and howl running down the road!

At 92,000 miles as you may remember,Big Bang and losing 5 and 6 going to my sisters Christmas Day.

http://www.corvetteactioncenter.com...formance/129722-c5-6sp-transmission-woes.html

At that time I spent about $2800. in parts and replaced All Torque Tube Bearings,Torque Tube Bushings,Pilot Bearing,Throw Out Bearing,Flywheel,Clutch Plate,Pressure Plate, (LS7 Matched Set) Main Output Shaft,5-6 driven gear,5-6 Syncro Hub,5-6 syncro Cones and Blocker Rings,5-6 Drive Gears and Bearings,Reverse Driven Gear,Reverse Gear Sycro Hub,Reverse Gear Cone, Blocker Rings and Bearings!

I have 116,000 on it now,(24,000 since) Still have the howl,But the transmission shifts flawlessly and doesn't sound like a box of rocks in neutral at idle!
My wheel hubs are still tight, I don't hear it over the Stereo,It's never gotten worse,It dose change frequency a little depending Acceleration, De-Celeration or just Cruising and I'm thinking it's in the differential somewhere. When it breaks,I'll fix it!~!!

 

[Toms007]

Thanks Jesse. Mines Automatic, so probably would not have the same implications. I'm going to jack it up today and check the wheel bearings for excessive motion, rough feel or tightness.

 

[dadaroo]

I would do an analysis on the rear end lube to see if it shows signs of a problem.