busterbubbles
04-30-2008, 10:38 AM
My 2003 GT with 100k miles developed a whining/growl noise from the front at speed (25 mph+), and was not engine speed dependent (shifted to neutral, no change to the noise). With steering input, slight right turns, the noise increased so I targeted the driver side front bearing. However, there was also a slightly different noise that appeared with veering left.
Tires swapped front to rear to make sure the noise didn't follow the tires.
I've changed front wheel bearings on a Bonneville before, so I knew the drill. I checked the 'how to' write up on here to make sure I wasn't missing something.
One problem that I encountered that I did not see referenced here was how to remove the hub from the knuckle. I used a hub bearing puller to drive the axle spline out of the hub (at least loosen it to where it would slide), but the bearing was siezed in the aluminum knuckle. All fastners were removed, but the hub would not budge.
After many smacks with a rubber hammer, screwdriver (to separate) and scratching my head, I tried putting on the spare tire with the lug nuts half installed. This allowed me to use the spare tire like a slide hammer to begin loosening the bearing from the knuckle. I slammed the loose wheel & tire back and forth to impact the hub. One I saw separation, I drove a couple of screwdrivers between the bearing flange and knuckle to remove the bearing. I suspect there is a better tool (a real slide hammer), but I thought I would share this tip with others that might have the same problem.
BTW, I changed the driver side, and the noise was still there. Jacked the front of the car on stands, got the wheels up to speed, and used a breaker bar to touch the front struts and to my ear to determine the noise was coming from the passenger front. Changed the pass front bearing and all is good.
Tires swapped front to rear to make sure the noise didn't follow the tires.
I've changed front wheel bearings on a Bonneville before, so I knew the drill. I checked the 'how to' write up on here to make sure I wasn't missing something.
One problem that I encountered that I did not see referenced here was how to remove the hub from the knuckle. I used a hub bearing puller to drive the axle spline out of the hub (at least loosen it to where it would slide), but the bearing was siezed in the aluminum knuckle. All fastners were removed, but the hub would not budge.
After many smacks with a rubber hammer, screwdriver (to separate) and scratching my head, I tried putting on the spare tire with the lug nuts half installed. This allowed me to use the spare tire like a slide hammer to begin loosening the bearing from the knuckle. I slammed the loose wheel & tire back and forth to impact the hub. One I saw separation, I drove a couple of screwdrivers between the bearing flange and knuckle to remove the bearing. I suspect there is a better tool (a real slide hammer), but I thought I would share this tip with others that might have the same problem.
BTW, I changed the driver side, and the noise was still there. Jacked the front of the car on stands, got the wheels up to speed, and used a breaker bar to touch the front struts and to my ear to determine the noise was coming from the passenger front. Changed the pass front bearing and all is good.