Wheel bearing noise?? - United Bimmer Community

**frankzen** · 04-06-2010, 01:17 PM

My 1995 318i has developed a low level humming when driving over 30 mph..I have been told it's a wheel bearing on its way out. Problem is how do I tell whether it's front or back? I know it's on the right side as left hand turns seem to make it less loud. Front bearing would be an easy fix...but rear is a "bear" to replace.

The right front control arm on my car also needs replacing judging by the amount of knocking I hear over bumps. Could that be related ?

Thanks for any and all info

Big Evil · 04-06-2010, 02:40 PM

Could be related. However if you're going to replace one front wheel bearing, do them both. No sense in fixing it and then having the other side crap out a week later. The rears ARE a HUGE bitch, that is unless of course you have access to the 350 dollar BMW tool to do it. In fact doing the job once it's almost worth just buying the damn thing.......it's that much of a pain in the rear otherwise.

**frankzen** · 04-06-2010, 10:12 PM

Still need to know if there's an easy way to tell whether it's front or back.

**kevzep** · 04-07-2010, 01:31 PM

How's it going?
Jack up the back of the car and spin the wheels by hand, you should be able to hear a grinding noise. I think if the noise is less when turning left it could be your rear left because there would be more of a load on the right hand side when you turn left. Does that make sense? I have done a couple of them using a threaded bar to jack them out and refit the new ones. Its easy enough if you take the trailing arm off.

**frankzen** · 04-07-2010, 02:01 PM

Good idea. As soon as it stops raining...I'll get out the floor jack and give it a shot. But the strange thing is you don't hear anything at low speeds...just when you go over 30 mph...and it's a humming noise..not grinding. But I'll try it and see what happens.

Now to find a used cluster to replace mine which works only 20% of the time

Big Evil · 04-07-2010, 02:17 PM

The previous method will work if the bearings are really bad. Otherwise, with the car lifted grab the wheel at the 12 and 6 position and try to rock it on the axle shaft. you should get no movement. Movement=bad bearing and you may have more than one.

**frankzen** · 04-07-2010, 03:32 PM

Ahh. That makes sense. OK. Two things to check.
OK thanks guys.

**kevzep** · 04-07-2010, 05:40 PM

Yeah, with mine it was a humming noise at about 40-60mph, any higher and it went away again. The 12/6 oclock method is the normal test, but on my car there was no movement, even so the bearing was in a terrible state. Try rocking the wheel from a few different positions.
You could also run the car with the wheels off the ground, but be sure it is securely supported and the front wheels are chocked! Dont want it running away on you!

**frankzen** · 04-07-2010, 06:26 PM

OK we'll find out tomorrow...if it doesn't rain