Wheel bearing, how can I pinpoint which one is bad?

It might be best to take it into a mechanic to have the car lifted /suspended off the ground and inspect it that way I suspect you'll find the problem pretty quickly that way. Hope this helps.

I cannot afford a mechanic, that is why I am asking you.

Hi,

Often, a faulty bearing will make a humming sound. If that is the case, pay attention to the sound while making turns. If it gets louder when turning left, chances are the bearing on the right side is bad. The opposite if you turn right.

Basically, turning redistributes the vehicle's weight. If a bearing is faulty, it will usually get louder when that happens.

If you are still unable to identify which one could be faulty, lift one wheel off the ground at a time and wiggle it to see if you note any play. Also, if you spin it by hand, you may feel it.

Let us know.

Joe

Hi,

what about, how can I tell if it's the front or rear bearing?

In most cases, you can pinpoint if the sound comes from the front or rear. Also, a front one is more likely to make an obvious change because of the added weight from the engine.

On the other hand, they do make a specialized tool that gets attached near each wheel so you can determine where the sound is coming from. However, that isn't something that most parts stores will have. Funny, I remember a few years ago a person on this site placed an old cell phone (one at a time) at each wheel and put it on record. He had it duct taped to the vehicle. Sounds crazy, but it worked for him.

Let me know. Take care and Merry Christmas.

Joe