tuffluck

iTrader: (4)

man i can't decide. i want to think it's my axle bearing, and so do some people who've listened to it, but at the same time, carrier bearings seem to be the more common thing to go out on these cars, so i really don't know...

anyway, a friend of mine will do the axle bearing replacement for $120, but doesn't know how to do the carrier bearing. i'd like to know if there is a way, or several ways, to attempt to diagnose precisely which bearing is bad? if i could do that, it would surely help me out here. i don't want to spend $120 fixing a bearing that isn't bad.

thanks for any help!

chicane

Spend the cheap dirt and pick up a stethascope from your local parts store or tool dealer. Throw some stands under the diff, drop it into gear and probe away. If your noise isnt as appearent with the diff 'unloaded' I would lean towards an axle bearing.....if not, laws of deduction would point inward to possible carrier bearings.

wrencher

iTrader: (2)

Exactly listen to it in the air w/ a stetoscope. On a test drive does it seem to change sound slightly if car is steered left to right at speed. Lot of times a bad axle bearing will change tone slightly in these conditions. My bet is it's a carrier bearing though those are consistant, up in the air under load side to side alway there.

~JOSHUA

iTrader: (92)

I don't mean to hijack the thread, but I am needing to make the same choice. The jackstand trick sounds a bit scary, but I will do it for a diagnosis.
Here's a question: When driving, I can hear the whirring/scraping sound@ 5 mph and up. It gets a BIT louder with speed. I was going to do the axle bearings, but I want to take care of it right the first time around. Any tips are appreciated!!!

tuffluck

iTrader: (4)

the guy that listened to the noise in my car was certain it was coming from the passenger side of the car. he even sat in my back seat and listened carefully. he thought it was the axle bearing, but really couldn't be certain.

this is very frustrating, since i have a friend at NTB willing to do the axle bearing for $120, and i can't find anyone to do the carrier bearing for less than $400. i don't have a press, either, so i have no clue how i would be able to master this myself.

oh, and i'll try the test drive thing later. my exhaust is loud (stock with cutout), and although i can hear the bearing over the exhaust, i don't know if i would be able to tell if it slightly changed pitches.

wrencher

iTrader: (2)

Lots of times up in the air w/someone getting the rear some speed you can "feel" where the bad bearing is. 99% of the time a bad roller bearing is also giving lots of harmonics. You should can also hone in on it this way. Listening for bearings w/o a stethoscope can be decieving. The noise can travel & apear to eminate from elsewhere. Been fooled by that B-4.....

tuffluck

iTrader: (4)

where could i get a stethoscope? and where on the rear end would i put it to be able to tell what the problem is?

man, this feat seems scary as all hell, lol. but, i guess i'll try it, and just make sure i am in a position where my car is safely in the air.

but, to answer your question, i don't believe the noise alters when i turn at speeds. it seems like it always maintains the same exact noise, no matter which way the wheels turn.

in addition, the noise gets deeper pitched when i put the brakes on and begin to slow down. this originally made me believe the problem was my rear rotors, but replacing them didn't make a difference regarding this issue.

i found a shop that will do the carrier bearings for $140, considering i already bought them for $35. so for $175 total i would get this taken care of. still seems a little steep to me, and i don't have a press to get the work done either, or i'd do it myself.

and, once again, i'd like to be a little more certain to what exactly the problem is before i spend possibly useless money. it's about $150 for both things separetely, so if i don't get it right on the first try, i may have to fork out another $150 to get the job done.

tuffluck

iTrader: (4)

it also seems to be coming from the passenger side. i know it's been said that noises CAN seem to come from somewhere they aren't, so i'm not judging what the problem is by this, but if you were to ask me, although it's difficult, i would say the passenger side has more noise than the driver's side, and it even seems like the far passenger side makes the most noise.

now, this could just mean that the passenger side carrier bearing is worn and is causing a vibration that could be heard throughout the entire passenger side axle, maybe, but i'm just explaining my observation.

tuffluck

iTrader: (4)

anyone have a good guestimation?

~JOSHUA

iTrader: (92)

My noise also sounds like it's located at the passenger side of the diff. I bet we have the exact same problem. I will start on mine this weekend, we'll see what I find.