Topic: Bad wheel bearing?? help!

[scyota]

ok so there is a ticking, kind of crunching sound coming from my passenger side wheel/hub area. i have a '93 4Runner that i have SAS using an '84 front axle. the sound happens as the wheel is rotating at slower speeds and around turns (kind of sounds like a playing card in the spokes of a bike). i took off the hub and checked everything and it looked fine.

could it be a bad wheel bearing? or what else could it be??

please helP!

[Shamb]

did you pull the whole assembly apart and pull out the bearings?

only way your going to know if the bearing is bad is to pull it out and clean it off really good, look at the bearings and see if there is any unusual wear. I'd pull the axles out as well and make sure you didn't break a birfield. If the birfield bearing housing is cracked or busted it will make this sound as well.

[_HOIST_]

     Definately STOP  and rip it apart. I had the same sound the other day on the way home from wheelin and just thought is was somethign rattling. So there I am going 55 on the highway and my drivers side fron tire just locks up all of a sudden. Its a good thing there was no oncoming traffic. When I pulled it apart there was about 1/2 a quart of water in there and my bearing/race melted themselves to the hub assy and spindle. If there is excess play in the tire with the truck on jackstands you definately have a problem. And after you pull your bearings run them through the solvent tank and check for unusual wear. If there is replace as necessary.

[_HOIST_]

Plus its an excuse to put backing plate eliminators on! 

[scyota [OP]]

ok thanks for the help guys.

there is no excessive play in the tire when the truck is on stands. plus i changed out my third member only 2 months ago and had the whole front end apart and everything looked fine. i guess i'll tear into it again and maybe i just missed something. oh and i dont think it is the birfield because it happens in 2WD.

[Shamb]

check the bearings in the top and bottom knuckle assembly as well.