# noisy front wheel bearing... 78k miles '14 cruze eco



## fj5gtx (Sep 1, 2014)

Was on the highway, started noticing a sound - thought it was the pavement.... nope, its a wheel bearing. I ordered a new one. How do you tell which side is noisy? Only gets loud while driving over 20mph.


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## snowwy66 (Nov 5, 2017)

Usually you can tell which side it's coming from. But if not. Lift front up. Wiggle tires. Which ever one wiggles is the one coming apart. If both are still tight. Use a bar to pry up on the tires to see if one has any movement. Bar on ground prying on bottom of tire.

If you can't find any looseness in the tire/hub assembly. Then the noise is probably coming from a bad tire and not the hub bearing.


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## Patman (May 7, 2011)

fj5gtx said:


> Was on the highway, started noticing a sound - thought it was the pavement.... nope, its a wheel bearing. I ordered a new one. How do you tell which side is noisy? Only gets loud while driving over 20mph.


I got the same problem. Not sure which bearing if it is. My 2013 RS makes noise only at 40 MPH. Currently @ 69K Been doing it as long as I have had the car and appears not really to be an issue other than with me. Car runs and handles fine just a noise at @38-45 MPH. Can't get anyone to agree there is a problem. I guess just don't drive 40 MPH until it really becomes a problem.


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## fj5gtx (Sep 1, 2014)

There is a youtube video that uses a Steelman ChassisEar to find the offending side. Mine sounds exactly like that. Pretty cool tool, but it'd be cheaper just to toss on another wheel bearing than buy the tool. I'm wondering if I should buy a $20 microphone from Amazon that hooks up to my cellphone. 

I'm finding a predominate amount of people stating their passenger side is making noise, so if I have to guess.


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## Robby (Mar 1, 2013)

Two people required.......raise right front tire off ground. Set parking brake. Start engine (helper) and put in gear......allow the wheel to spin.

Hood open, from front of car (not side....spinning wheel, remember) put finger tip on top of strut shaft. Shut down and repeat for left front.

You will feel the bearing rumble through the strut shaft of the affected side.

Rob


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## 14'ecocruze (Nov 18, 2016)

Any suggestions for replacement wheel bearings. I feel like my front ones are starting to go as well "80,000 miles". I know end links are garbage and that's where some of my sound comes from but I can hear a slight hum.


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## alexhatcher (Dec 22, 2016)

They usually get louder on the side that has the most directional stress. lane change from right to left lane, ramp etc. 

at times, when jacked up and free spinning, they won't make the same noise.


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## snowwy66 (Nov 5, 2017)

The passenger side is usually the side that goes. 

And yes. They need to have pressure on them. Probably won't hear it free spinning in the air. 

If the bearing is getting noisy. It's coming loose. A tire shakedown will find it.


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## fj5gtx (Sep 1, 2014)

Couldn't detect the side, there was no movement at all. I went with what I thought I could hear (rather than statistics = pass side) and changed out the driver side. Wrong. So I put the used driver side on the passenger side, and the noise is gone!

I'll order another to have on the shelf, and change it when that used one gets noisy.

Thanks for the input.


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## fj5gtx (Sep 1, 2014)

14'ecocruze said:


> Any suggestions for replacement wheel bearings. I feel like my front ones are starting to go as well "80,000 miles". I know end links are garbage and that's where some of my sound comes from but I can hear a slight hum.


I just put an acdelco FW382 from Amazon on mine. They looked good, but only time will prove out its longevity.


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## snowwy66 (Nov 5, 2017)

I would change it out rather then store it on shelf. 

You've put thousands of miles going one direction. Now you've changed sides and it's going the opposite direction. It won't last long. 

Nice to hear follow up.  Most threads just come to a stop.


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## fj5gtx (Sep 1, 2014)

I put about 2000 miles on that used one, no problems. Swapped it because I was changing out the brakes/rotors and the hub was pretty easy to swap out. Plus I drive really long distances occasionally, its better to ensure longevity than gamble on old parts. If I didn't drive long distances, it'd still be on there.


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