Halp! Bad Wheel Bearing?

[Jake]

So I've recently discovered that when you buy a pimpy old luxoboat for real cheap, things are going to break a lot. I'd like some opinions before I keep throwing parts at this 535.

At the BRR/Morgan Club autocross, us worker folk got some play time in the morning. I drove the E34 for 8 runs, pretty hard. Noticed toward the end that on left-hand turns, there was a little knock/thump. Figured it could be a lot of things but it drove fine, so I drove it home to Nova.

My initial guess was the guibo starting to fail... because when I did the shift bushings, I noticed that uh, the guibo is cracked and nasty looking. The small vibration was still only when turning left and only if you applied some power. Gentle acceleration was no big deal. So I ordered a new one and it should be here soon.

But! In the meantime, I drove the car to the Metro station on Friday evening. No problems. Drove it home Saturday afternoon, and right as I get to Fairfax Corner, I'm getting a BAD thump. Thinking "Okay, the guibo is totally shot now" but not worried, because I'm 500 feet from our complex.

Well, there are a few left turns between FFX Corner and our apartment. On every left turn I'm getting this god-awful metal-on-metal screeching noise. In my hungover haze of a Saturday afternoon, some quick searching is suggesting that it could be the right front wheel bearing. The screech does come from that area.

Car is parked until I figure things out... any input?

[BLINGMW]

if it's *that* bad, you should be able to tell by lifting up that corner and shaking the wheel. It making that much noise with so little warning, I'd be more suspect of a brake caliper hanging on by one (or no) bolt.

[Jake]

if it's *that* bad, you should be able to tell by lifting up that corner and shaking the wheel. It making that much noise with so little warning, I'd be more suspect of a brake caliper hanging on by one (or no) bolt.

Good point. I did try shaking the wheel with it on the ground (hands at 3 and 9) and got hardly any movement. I'll try it in the air when I get home tonight, and take a look at the caliper too.

[.RJ]

Or a balljoint or bushing. Look everything over.

[Jake]

True true. It's had a BAD shudder from 55 down to 40 when braking that I assume is a totally worn front suspension. I wouldn't think the screeching would come from a bad bushing though?

[ScottyB]

screeching sounds like a continually moving part, not a bushing (which will make a noise once, as it shifts position). i'm thinking something reciprocating like brakes/bearings. if it's happening during braking, check the brakes first, might be a caliper or pad issue. are you getting pad knockback? bad wheel bearings can do that.

[Mike]

just put some wd40 on it. should last another 20k.

[D_Eclipse9916]

just put some wd40 on it. should last another 20k.

lol.

[Jake]

screeching sounds like a continually moving part, not a bushing (which will make a noise once, as it shifts position). i'm thinking something reciprocating like brakes/bearings. if it's happening during braking, check the brakes first, might be a caliper or pad issue. are you getting pad knockback? bad wheel bearings can do that.

It's not happening during braking. It's happening under acceleration/load. Straight-line accel is some vibration (which could be the guibo, entirely or to an extent). Any sort of forward motion while turning left (no matter how hard a left) gets the screech. I don't remember if it made the noise when I backed in to my parking spot.

And yes Mike that is a viable solution. By then it'll have what, 210k on it.

[ScottyB]

oh, well in that case it sounds like a bearing.

[Jake]

Okay... we got home and drove it around up to ~45 mph. Surprise, no shakes and NO noise.

Jacked it up and the wheel spins freely, no noise. No side-to-side movement if you do the "rock back and forth" test that most people use for bearings.

I'm kinda stumped... but will try replacing the guibo and trans mounts and see what happens.