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How did you determine your front wheel bearings were bad on your Gen 2?

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by jadziasman, Dec 20, 2014.

  1. jadziasman

    jadziasman Prius owner emeritus

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    My 05 will pass the 230K mile mark sometime in the next week. I have been tolerating a high velocity (65+mph ) vibration [for about the past six months - maybe more] that I can feel through the steering wheel. When driving at 55 mph, there's no vibration whatsoever.

    It could be that the Ecopia 422s that were installed two years ago are causing it or it could be a bad front wheel bearing. The Ecopias have 45k miles on them and realistically don't have much more life left in them (60K tread wear warranty). A couple of them are a little more than 1/32 from the wear bars.

    To those who replaced their front wheel bearing(s). What were the symptoms up to the time of replacement? Was it something you could sense when driving or was it found during an inspection with the front end raised?

    It's more of an annoyance than anything. My still new car (the 2014 Altima has 7000 miles on it) rides smooth as can be. It's quite a difference. (Maybe I shouldn't have bought a new car then it wouldn't be bothering me so much).

    I've done my fair share of throwing parts at my cars over the years so I really don't want to replace a wheel bearing unless it really needs it. And a DIY wheel bearing isn't for the faint of heart either. It could just be the tires but the vibration doesn't seem tire related. I had a set of Kumho tires once that were just abominable when they were near the end of life - that was an easy diagnosis.

    I kindly ask that only those who have had a front wheel bearing replaced respond. I'm really not looking for other theories, just want to explore this one first. I acknowledge upfront that there's a lot of other things that could be causing the vibration. If I can rule out the wheel bearing, I'll move on to the next possibility.

    But if you must toss in your 2 cents..... there's still plenty of room at the bottom of the fountain.
     
    #1 jadziasman, Dec 20, 2014
  2. CrazyLee

    CrazyLee Member

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    Generally when wheel bearings go out they start to buzz or whine. When you rock the steering wheel back and forth the whine sound will change. I have heard many cars click especially when they are turning, that is the CV joints going bad, not wheel bearings.

    The last wheel bearing I have changed myself in on my 1957 Chevy 4 door. The OP didn't torque them down to 33 Ft Lbs like he should have.

    My 2000 Venture had several bad bearings, but mostly from bad ABS sensors.

    I'm sure other PC friends will know how to change your wheel bearings if you need to.
     
    #2 CrazyLee, Dec 20, 2014
  3. jadziasman

    jadziasman Prius owner emeritus

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    I am hoping for a Prius specific diagnosis from a "victim". Your advice is "sound" though, no pun intended.

    Changing the wheel bearing on a Prius can be a challenge because the hub is difficult to dislodge from the steering knuckle sometimes.

    I'm not afraid of attempting the repair. I've done other more difficult car repairs in the past (bearing replacement in a manual transmission was one).

    Got any snow on the ground in Muskegon? Here, in SE Michigan, no snow at all. We will get our fair share before
    Spring, Of this, I have little doubt.
     
    #3 jadziasman, Dec 20, 2014
  4. edthefox5

    edthefox5 Senior Member

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    45000 miles on set of tires? Wow u winCar needs tires anyway so go there first.Only time a wheel bearing will cause vibration is if itsWay past bad and into dangerous territory.Feel the front wheels after a high speed run see if there hot.

    Most wheel bearing failures make noise atSpecific speed.Turning the wheel briskly loading the wheel will Quickly tell u which side is bad. I think u need tires.
     
    #4 edthefox5, Dec 20, 2014
  5. ILuvMyPriusToo

    ILuvMyPriusToo Senior Member

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    My front right bearing (2009 Gen II Prius) was diagnosed as bad at 62K. I had a rumbly, grinding noise from the front that slowly grew louder until it was difficult to talk in the car at highway speeds! Because it had been gradual, we didn't notice it - but when my daughter came home from college she did! :D

    I've had tire noise more recently - deeper then the bearing noise. Bridgestone Assurances. They still have ~6/32 on them and only around 25K miles. I was worried another bearing was going, but the dealer said not. I rotated the tires and the noise largely went away. I'm planning on replacing them soon - will try the Ecopias or Michelins been recommended in other threads.

    It sounds like you need new tires anyway, so why not start there and see if that solves it?
     
    #5 ILuvMyPriusToo, Dec 20, 2014
  6. jadziasman

    jadziasman Prius owner emeritus

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    I'm attempting to make it through one more Michigan winter with the Ecopias. Our 16 yr old will be driving the Prius next summer (I'm not too thrilled about that but what are you gonna do!) so that will be the ideal time to replace them. I'm not driving as many miles with the Prius since I'm using the Altima for road trips now.

    Thanks for answering. I don't have an issue with loud noise at highway speed as you've described.
     
    #6 jadziasman, Dec 20, 2014
  7. goldfinger

    goldfinger Active Member

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    Just replaced my second bearing at 138k. First went at 94k. It starts out as a little whine that comes and goes. After two weeks it sounds like a turboprop airplane. At this stage you can tell what side its coming from. Driving characteristics are unaffected in this time period. I imagine eventually something bad has to happen.
     
    #7 goldfinger, Dec 21, 2014
  8. tomw

    tomw Junior Member

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    1. Jack up your vehicle.

      Support it on jack stands.

    2. Without getting under the vehicle, grasp each wheel at the top and bottom and attempt to rock it.

      There should be minimal movement. Excessive play may indicate that the wheel bearing is worn and needs replacement.
     
    #8 tomw, Jan 8, 2015
  9. R-P

    R-P Active Member

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    Mine was a clear wine that grew louder with time.
    [​IMG]

    Dislodging the whachamacallit from the other whatchamacallit was eventually done (for free) by the Toyota dealer with an automated hydrolic press and a dedicated ring (after another garage had attempted it unsuccesfully with incorrect parts like e.g. ~80mm wrench-sockets)
     
    #9 R-P, Jan 14, 2015
    PriFi likes this.
  10. jadziasman

    jadziasman Prius owner emeritus

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    Well, it was the left front wheel bearing after all. Replaced it this week. Steering wheel vibration gone.

    If you live in the rust belt, do not attempt a DIY repair of the front wheel bearings unless you have an extra vehicle. Chances are you will have difficulty getting the hub out of the steering knuckle. You might need to heat up the knuckle to press or pound out the hub assembly because it will more likely than not be rusted in place. You will need to remove the knuckle from the car, that's almost certain if you drive in an area where salt is put down on the road.
     
    #10 jadziasman, Sep 19, 2015
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