Wheel Bearing roulette - Volvo woes

[Welly]

The Lolvo's front wheel bearings are worn, seemed to happen after the car was laid idle for 3 weeks anyway; they are known for this because: Ford parts.

Question is, there's no 'play' in the bearings but I can hear them; that 'woo woo woo' sound when cornering slightly and if I turn the roadwheel by hand I can feel a rumbling through the sussy spring.

How long would you leave it like this realistically? will the bearings suddenly crap out and the wheels fly off?

I have the new bearings 'in stock' but having just had my wheels powder coated the Bank of Welly has gone into administration temporarily.

In all my years of motoring I've never had to replace any wheel bearings

[PeterN]

They can go on for years - or until you cant stand the noise anymore. The noise is due to failure of the case hardening on the inner and outer rings, this causes pitting so the balls fall into the holes ever so slightly.

I had a CX many years ago which had a noisy bearing for many many miles, when I eventually changed it I thought I had gone deaf, I certainly wasn't travelling in a tram anymore. They are very unlikely to fall apart without extreme advance warning.

I have changed a few but that is in 60+ years of motoring.

Peter

[Welly]

Thanks Peter, that's reassuring I can leave it for a few weeks and my Bank will be pleased

[jasper5]

Yes, it's true that the noise can go on without issue for a while, but be warned it is possible the bearing could seize, after all, the lubricant no longer exists!

I recently replaced the rear wheel bearing on a Fiesta (yes, another Ford )... 2 weeks previous I had warned the customer that the bearing was noisy at the service, plus the mot guy advised on it.
He rang me to say that the noise had gotten louder and the ABS light was on...when I went to do the job the wheel was moving up and down about 3 inches!!! The fault had also taken out the ABS sensor and the magnetic ring on the brake drum which works with the ABS sensor, thankfully they supply the magnetic ring in a bearing kit.

I suggest you check for play once a week and if play appears then replace them.

BTW, being Volvo, have you had the clicking noise from the driveshafts? Volvo have a noise that comes from slight wear in the splines of the cv joints and if replacing the wheel bearings I would use some locktite on the splines on assembly.

[Welly]

Excellent advice as per usual on here thanks. Makes sense to keep giving the wheels a good wobble.

Because I know the car so intimately (9 years of driving it) I have most likely caught this noise in the very early stages so feel I have good time to sort it but also asap.

No clicking from my Driveshafts no, I am very sympathetic on the drive train though. I would imagine the D5's would take a hammering.

I've decided to keep this car for the long haul, which is why I'm having the wheels refurbished (only part letting the side down) and I have spent a lot of time underneath the car recently treating exposed parts to a coating of Buit Hamber stuff.

[Doggy]

I've had a few noisy front wheel bearings over the years, typically had to run then for ages to be sure which side it was. Never had one fail.

[Welly]

What's worse than having a car with noisy front bearings?



That's right, having 2 cars with knackered bearings

The Citroen is now doing the same, over the last 3 weeks, think I'm being targeted by the bearing fairies the Citroen actually has play in the wheel (about 2mm) so that'll need doing first.

Got to do a 200 mile round trip this weekend with the Twingo looking favourite

[steve_earwig]

h lordy Ah well, it's better than walking! (Or pubic transport...)

Maybe someone's slinging you car around with reckless abandon

[Doggy]

I remember having kittens about a very slight clicking noise that I though might have been the beginnings of a wheel bearing issue with the Xsara I had before the 1st 406. Only a tiny noise, but I was going on a holiday trip to Biarritz.....

Eventually dawned on me they might be able to fix a Citroen in France.
Seemed to get quieter, never did develop into a problem.

[Welly]

Well 200 miles later. In the Citroen and I can now tell you what a proper wheel bearing failure sounds like

Low speeds is a kinda rough knocking sound turning into a full on howling at 45mph and then a high pitch 'wheeee' above 60. All this accompanied by a heavy resonance felt through the floor.

The noise stops if you turn left so my way of thinking is that this 'loads up' the right wheel and takes the load off of the offending left wheel. This accords with Mrs_Welly's statement that she may* have hit a curb recently and "quite hard".

It's only taken 3 weeks to go from a "can you hear something" to a "I can't stand the NOISE".

Friendly Mechanic doing the work today.

[Doggy]

I think you've got to let it get to that state to positively identify which side is the culprit.
Bet you a Poundworld gift token that when you get the old bearing off it seems OK, but the problem will be solved.

[steve_earwig]

That sounds familiar, I think I had one on the ashtray like that. Although, if it had 2mm play before it probably has 2cm now...

[Welly]

Turns out it was the opposite wheel making the noise just needed the offside bearing changed and all is quiet again. £105.00 fitted.

The other most bizarre benefit is that for a few months now the car has hesitated when setting off and engaging the electronic clutch but now it's fine. I can only think that the ECU uses the ABS signal (built into the wheel bearing) to help actuate the clutch and if it gets a 'bad' or missing signal it lets go of the clutch briefly.

[steve_earwig]

Or it's 'cause the battery's been disconnected and it's all reset to the basic program (if it is indeed in any way that smart...)

105 squids doesn't actually sound that bad.

[caprixpack]

While on the topic of wheel bearing the rear left on the GTX is now very noisy, especially at 70 mph