Bad wheel beaings?

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SirFoxx
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Joined: Sun Feb 05, 2017 5:42 pm
My tercel:: 1981 Toyota Tercel w/ 7age

Bad wheel beaings?

Post by SirFoxx »

Just a quick question this time --

On my '88, I am now getting a whirring sound from the front end when the car is in motion, even when it is in neutral. My friend and I am pretty sure it is the wheel bearings, but I just wanted a second opinion here on the forum. Thanks!
1988 DLX 4wd Tercel Wagon w/ weber (RIP)
1985 4wd Tercel SR5 (RIP)
1986 Base 2dr Hatch (RIP / PARTS)
1986 DLX 4wd Tercel Wagon with ???
1985 DLX 2dr Tercel Hatch w/manual swap
1981 2dr Toyota Tercel w/7age (RIP)
1981 3dr hatch Toyota Tercel w/Turbo 4AGE
1981 3dr hatch Toyota Tercel SR-5
xirdneh
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Joined: Thu Aug 04, 2005 11:38 am
My tercel:: 87 tercel 4x4 wagon w/reringed engine, 83 tercel 4x4 wagon w/salvaged engine and 4.1 Diff's
Location: seabeck, washington, USA

Re: Bad wheel beaings?

Post by xirdneh »

If noise starts or increases when turning left the right bearing is bad, turning right its the left
Love those Tercell 4x4 wagons but they sure suffer from road noise.
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SirFoxx
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Posts: 335
Joined: Sun Feb 05, 2017 5:42 pm
My tercel:: 1981 Toyota Tercel w/ 7age

Re: Bad wheel beaings?

Post by SirFoxx »

I will keep that in mind! The noise is there going in a straight line, noise increases as the speed increases, starting around 30mph. I don't think it is diff related.
1988 DLX 4wd Tercel Wagon w/ weber (RIP)
1985 4wd Tercel SR5 (RIP)
1986 Base 2dr Hatch (RIP / PARTS)
1986 DLX 4wd Tercel Wagon with ???
1985 DLX 2dr Tercel Hatch w/manual swap
1981 2dr Toyota Tercel w/7age (RIP)
1981 3dr hatch Toyota Tercel w/Turbo 4AGE
1981 3dr hatch Toyota Tercel SR-5
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Petros
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My tercel:: '84 Tercel4wd w/extensive mods
Location: Arlington WA USA

Re: Bad wheel beaings?

Post by Petros »

best way to tell is to jack it up and remove the wheel, than rotate the hub by hand feeling the bearing. If it is rough, it needs bearings. also, if there is any play in the bearings, likely it is shot. should be smooth and tight when you rotate the hub by hand.
'87 Tercel 4wd SR5 (current engine swap project)
'84 Tercel 4wd (daily driver, with on going mods)
'92 Mazda MPV 4wd (wife's daily driver)
'85 Tercel 4wd DLX auto(daughter's daily driver)
'01 Honda Civic (other daughter's daily driver)
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splatterdog
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Location: Minnesota, USA

Re: Bad wheel beaings?

Post by splatterdog »

Feeling the coil spring while rotating the tire works very well. The spring amplifies the roughness. What xirdneh said is mostly true. But I have had enough that were completely opposite of what the test drive indicated that if I can't feel it in the spring, I use a mechanics stethoscope on the knuckle while the front tires are spun in the air with the engine. Stethoscopes are super cheap and much better than using a screwdriver.

I had one car really mess with me. Thought it was LF by driving it but it was RR! I haven't trusted just a test drive for wheel bearings in quite a while..
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