Help! - Auto mechanic in NoVA
- Thread starter JGoodish
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wsuffa
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Sunday its tough. During the week, I can recommend a shop in Vienna.
Well, I figured that worst case I might have to wait until Monday, assuming places are open on the holiday. If you could recommend a shop, that would be appreciated.
If I determine that it's the wheel bearing and I can get the part from NAPA tomorrow, I may be able to fix it myself (assuming I can locate the right tools), but I'm not planning that things will work out that well.
Thanks,
JKG
TEFLONSEAN
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It's a 2006 Nissan Frontier with about 120k miles. The first obvious symptoms began yesterday on my trip from Pittsburgh to Leesburg, with a few momentary instances of vibration from the front end while on the straightaway at highway speeds. It was a very fine vibration which sounded like one wheel was riding on micro rumble strips, so I initially attributed it to the road surface. However, this morning I noticed a very obvious clicking/scraping noise while turning out of the parking lot, which seemed to go away when things "warmed up." However, today I also experienced more frequent instances of the fine vibration from one wheel while at highway speeds. I seem to be able to make the issue better or worse by altering the side load when it is occurring on the highway.
The noise isn't constantly present at this point, but I'm somewhat hesitant to make the 250 mile trip home if I'm likely to get stranded along the way. I don't yet have the telltale constant "whirring" sound that is common with bad wheel bearings, but I don't know if that's always a symptom, or how long I may have before catastrophic failure. Perhaps I'm being too cautious. Sure would like to get home tomorrow, but don't want get-there-itis to bite me on the road, either.
I thought that it could be CV joints, but the boots look good, and I'm not sure that bad CV joints would necessarily exhibit all of the same behavior. I've had bad wheel bearings on multiple vehicles in the past, but never a bad CV joint in all my years of vehicle ownership.
JKG
The same store that will sell you the axle and/or bearings will also have the tools for rent or sale. Pretty easy job regardless the car, a floor jack makes it easier, jack stand is required.
In my case, an impact wrench may also be required, and I don't have one of those with me. The bearing for this vehicle actually comes in a hub/bearing kit, so no need to press out/press in, except to get the hub loose from the split axle, which can theoretically be done without special tools and without disassembling suspension components. The key word there being "theoretically."
I just returned from the hotel parking lot where I jacked the vehicle off the ground, and I'm now 100% certain it's the wheel bearing, and even more certain that I can't make it home without the fix. There's a good bit of top to bottom play in the wheel, at least 1/4 inch and maybe more--it's very, very obvious. So at least I have the problem identified.
If I can't find the part tomorrow, I'll probably grab a rental car at Dulles, take the truck to a shop on Monday, and hope that someone will help me out and repair it the same day. I'm traveling with my wife and kids, so I have to keep them occupied until it's fixed, or make the decision to leave the truck at a shop for the week and drive the rental car home.
JKG
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5lb maul beating on a wrench or breaker bar typically gets it done when I don't have air, however a bit of SCUBA gear takes care of that. You'd be amazed at how much impact wrench time you get from an 80CF tank. I have a $10 pawn shop 1st stage with a whip on an LP port that delivers 120psi. Chuck up any tool.
TEFLONSEAN
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Rear wheel drive vehicle.
CV joints make noise only while turning normally.
If it's 4x4 you only would notice while in 4x4 or unless it's AWD.
If it's a wheel bearing...loading the steering from side to side will give you an indication of where the noise is coming from right or left side.
Drive it home...You will be fine. It's a non serviceable wheel bearing...might get louder before you get home....but the wheel won't fall off.
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Alexb2000
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I just read this. Yes, sounds like a wheel bearing the unit hubs can be challenging because they are a tight fit and often seize to the spindle.
Try this first. Remove the wheel, brake rotor, and 32mm axle nut. Loosen the four bolts that hold the wheel bearing in from the back several turns, but NOT out. Take a large punch and mini-sledge and whack the heads of each bolt. Turn the steering wheel back and forth to get an angle to hit them. Usually they will pop out. This can make it a parking lot job with tools from Autozone. No need for air either. If you can't get it out easy to reassemble.
BTW- I would not drive it. When it seizes the tire will fly off, or skid you to a stop possibly putting you in a wreck, you will damage your vehicle, or ??? NOT worth it man.
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Slide Hammers get them all apart and together no problem, the parts/tool guy has one. Should be able to be done in 1.5hrs in the auto parts store parking lot.
TEFLONSEAN
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They never seize to spindle. Just sometimes a little tough to get spindle out of hub due to rust. Nothing a little hammer, penetrant and coaxing can handle.
Hub assembly includes bearing. Which is what OP will need.
IMO drive it home....it's already bad...you will get home....you won't damage anything worse by doing so.
TEFLONSEAN
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Slide hammer won't work in this case.
Alexb2000
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TEFLONSEAN
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We are not talking about a bearing race riding on a spindle in this case.
No way to damage the spindle.
Do a little research for yourself or spend your life repairing vehicles....then the light may come on.
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Alexb2000
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I know exactly what we're talking about I have done 100's of these on many vehicles. I didn't say it would damage the spindle, I said it COULD damage the vehicle. I just fixed a 3500 Ram 2 weeks ago, wheel bearing locked up going down the highway, pulled the guy into a barrier. Thousands in damage. I've also seen the bearing separate and along with it the tire. If the bearing is moving 1/4" you really want him to drive on it?
TEFLONSEAN
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Hmmmm... Might want to rethink how it's designed and get back to me how a bearing separates and the tire goes along with it.
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I don't know whether they are there on Sunday, but C&C Auto Repair in Sterling is highly recommended my be and my coworkers. They are located in one of the little industrial buildings across from the Dulles Town Center.
http://www.candcautorepairva.com
http://www.candcautorepairva.com
You have a quarter of a inch of play already from the wheel bearing? Then I would not try and drive it.
If the truck is a southern or west coast vehicle you may be able to do it without air tools. If it's a rust belt POS then you will probably need a air hammer to get the hub out.
If the truck is a southern or west coast vehicle you may be able to do it without air tools. If it's a rust belt POS then you will probably need a air hammer to get the hub out.
Alexb2000
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Hmmmm... Might want to rethink how it's designed and get back to me how a bearing separates and the tire goes along with it.
You might want to rethink believing that you are the only one here who has ever turned a wrench. Some vehicles offered in both 4wd and 2wd use the same unit bearing/spindle assembly without an axle on the 2wd. Makes losing a tire a distinct possibility. Also a common failure mode is extreme heat as the bearing fails. That heat can easily weaken the metal on surrounding components, especially if they have been stressed. Plenty of sheared stub shafts as a result of heat. Regardless, of what is possible the most common is one tire just locks up going down the freeway which could also kill someone.
The most important point is not a mechanical ****ing contest. Telling someone to drive a vehicle on a highway trip in that condition is damn foolish, no two ways about it.
Gents,
Thanks for all of the input. I suspect that everyone would be in agreement that it would be best to fix the problem sooner rather than later. The fact that most of my trip is highway and would therefore generate more heat on a failing assembly has been one of my biggest concerns with trying to nurse it home. Doesn't seem like it's worth the risk of, at best, possibly being stranded in the middle of nowhere, which is where most of the trip would take place between here and home.
I was able to locate the part locally this morning, so I just have to see if I can locate the right tools and a place to work on it. If I can get it apart, I should be in good shape.
JKG
Thanks for all of the input. I suspect that everyone would be in agreement that it would be best to fix the problem sooner rather than later. The fact that most of my trip is highway and would therefore generate more heat on a failing assembly has been one of my biggest concerns with trying to nurse it home. Doesn't seem like it's worth the risk of, at best, possibly being stranded in the middle of nowhere, which is where most of the trip would take place between here and home.
I was able to locate the part locally this morning, so I just have to see if I can locate the right tools and a place to work on it. If I can get it apart, I should be in good shape.
JKG
Drive it slow to where you can repair it/get it repaired. If it's a delay, rent a car and deal with it later. Life happens, could be way worse.
wsuffa
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C&C Garage in Vienna. 334 Dominion Rd. N.E.
Excellent work, good pricing. We recently had front axles on a Honda replaced there.
http://www.candcgarage.com/
I was able to get a new hub assembly with Timken bearings, did the replacement this afternoon, and drove home this evening. The bolts all let loose pretty easily (shot them with PB Blaster), but I had to use a small sledge hammer to get the old hub assembly free. After that was done and the surfaces cleaned up, everything went back together fairly easily. About 1.5-2 hours total working time from start to finish.
The old hub assembly was generating quite a bit of heat, as the lug nuts and studs were very, very warm after several miles of driving at relatively low speeds. I am skeptical that the assembly would have survived the 250 mile highway trip home, at least without potentially damaging something else.
Thanks to all for your input. For those who recommended shops, I will hold on to those recommendations should I need them in the future.
JKG
The old hub assembly was generating quite a bit of heat, as the lug nuts and studs were very, very warm after several miles of driving at relatively low speeds. I am skeptical that the assembly would have survived the 250 mile highway trip home, at least without potentially damaging something else.
Thanks to all for your input. For those who recommended shops, I will hold on to those recommendations should I need them in the future.
JKG
Alexb2000
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Glad to hear you got it handled.
wsuffa
Touchdown! Greaser!
Glad you got it fixed & home safely!