At Mechanic Need Quick Assistance Please!

dunndarryn

dunndarryn

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Sorry for posting a new thread ill delete it later I just need quick advice. The mechanic should me the little bit of play my tire had while lifted, he said this is a sign I need a new wheel bearing, but everyone on here said if there's play in my tire it's the ball joint. Who's right?! Thanks in advanced!
 
dNyce LS said:
You could have play in the wheel bearing. Those go bad also.
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This would cause the wheel to have slight movement, if the bearing is bad? Because I was under the impression that if there's play in the wheel it's the ball joint. I just want to pay for the right repair lol. Thanks for the quick response!
 
Have to know how he is testing for play, grabing tire at 3 and 9 oclock and shaking back and forth or at 12 and 6 oclock and shaking or prying tire up and down while car supported by control arm.

by your description could be bearing, ball joint, inner tie rod, outer tie rod, rack???
 
when the car is off the ground, generally if you grab the tire top and bottom and can feel play in and out, it is a wheel bearing. Side to side movement is usually a tie rod end, or a ball joint. Wheel bearings also will usually make noise that gets alot worse when you turn the wheel one way or another when driving at normal speeds.
 
dunndarryn said:
This would cause the wheel to have slight movement, if the bearing is bad? Because I was under the impression that if there's play in the wheel it's the ball joint. I just want to pay for the right repair lol. Thanks for the quick response!
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Yes, it could be either one. We can't see it, so have to take the mechanics word that it is the wheel bearing. Wheel bearing failure is not unheard of on these cars. Normally, they do make noise before they get bad enough to have play, but you never know.
 
To test a ball joint you raise the front wheels and suppport with jack stands. Put a 2x4 under the tire and have someone move it up down while you watch the ball joint for movement. If it is good have the other person grab the front wheel at 9 and 3 o'clock and move it back and forth while you watch the tie rod ends for movement. If no movement then it's probly your wheel bearing/hub
 
Another way to check the lower ball joint is (while its on the lift) get under the wheel amd push up on it.

That mechanic should be able to see/feel which part is bad/has play.
 
toddrs93 said:
when the car is off the ground, generally if you grab the tire top and bottom and can feel play in and out, it is a wheel bearing. Side to side movement is usually a tie rod end, or a ball joint. Wheel bearings also will usually make noise that gets alot worse when you turn the wheel one way or another when driving at normal speeds.
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Yes, he let me do it myself and he had me grab the wheel at the top and at the bottom and feel the play. So this is the wheel bearing?

Also, there is no noise (that I know of) besides the thud that iv mentioned before and the slight creak I heard while parking my car today and yesterday. Thanks again guys!
 
I don't think they make ball joints for the upper control arm. You have to buy the conrtrol arm
 
Which side is being changed? The passenger side is a quick job while the driver side is way more involved with the degas bottle, master brake cylinder and everything else in there that is in the way.
 
Hawk03 said:
Which side is being changed? The passenger side is a quick job while the driver side is way more involved with the degas bottle, master brake cylinder and everything else in there that is in the way.
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It's the driver side. My total came out to $700 for the control arm, wheel bearing, and labor. I also am having him put in a stud and lug that I was missing which was 25 of that, so about 675.
 
Glad you got your issue resolved. Hopefully no more related problems happen.

By the way, you know YOU cant delete threads right?
 
dunndarryn said:
It's the driver side. My total came out to $700 for the control arm, wheel bearing, and labor. I also am having him put in a stud and lug that I was missing which was 25 of that, so about 675.
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Is it a front wheel bearing? Wouldn't it be easier and cheaper for him to install a new front wheel hub since they come with new lug studs and bearings?
 
Hawk03 said:
Is it a front wheel bearing? Wouldn't it be easier and cheaper for him to install a new front wheel hub since they come with new lug studs and bearings?
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I dont think the front wheel bearings are replaceable, you have to replace the entire hub assembly. I could be wrong, I have always just changed the whole hub assembly.
 
hite337 said:
I dont think the front wheel bearings are replaceable, you have to replace the entire hub assembly. I could be wrong, I have always just changed the whole hub assembly.
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They did replace the whole hub assembly
 
Wheel bearing test that always works! With the tire off the ground spin the wheel while touching the spring with your other hand. If the wheel bearing is bad you WILL feel it in vibrations in the spring. If the bearing is good there will not be any vibrations in the spring. Works with coil springs and leaf springs.
 
craigh said:
Wheel bearing test that always works! With the tire off the ground spin the wheel while touching the spring with your other hand. If the wheel bearing is bad you WILL feel it in vibrations in the spring. If the bearing is good there will not be any vibrations in the spring. Works with coil springs and leaf springs.
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Not always.. won't do much on a driven axle. Tried that when I had a bad bearing. I achieved better results by putting the car in Drive and jacking up one side at a time to hear the difference in sound.
 
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