thump thump thump, wheel bearing???? 1985 cutlass

[tybuff]

hey

starting to notice a thump thump thump sound in my cutlass when at low speeds. I have checked the lug nuts for correct tourque specs and also made a visible inspection of the tires for any humps.

What else could this be? i suspect that it may be a wheel bearing or somthing of that nature. It seems to be getting worse however.

I plan on installing new brake pads this weekend so if it is a wheel bearing i could pop one in there while im at it. Is there much work to this? are the parts expensive? How can i check for this??

thanks

tyler

 

[jatguit]

Need a little more input about your problem.

Is it coming from the front of the car?
Does it happen all the time?
Or only when you aply the brakes?
When you are turning is it greater or not?

Doing the bearings is easy.
Get a Chiltons or Haynes manual if you don't already have.
If you are doing the pads you may want to have the rotors checked and turned down (if they are still in spec.) check the manual for this procedure.
Rotors on these cars can commonly warp which will cause a brake pulsation feeling when applying the brakes.
Once the rotors are off you put in some NEW bearings and seals and pack them with grease like the manual says of course. Follow the manuals instructions.

I have had a wheel, where the tread started to seperate from the wheel causeing a kind of thumping and the car would jiggle like it needed to be re-balanced, and it was not visible on inspection.

So pinpoint which wheel or the part of the car the thumping is coming from.

 

[tybuff]

more info...........

a little more info.............

when driving the car it seems as if the sound is coming from the drivers side front wheel.

i have just recently replaced two tires on the back and rotated the ones from the back to the front. I had noticed the thump before the new tires were installed but since then it has gotten worse.

When i apply the brakes it doesn't thump, it only thumps when at low speeds or coasting. When i turn it does get a little worse.

As for the tire, i wish it was a tire problem as i have a spare right in my trunk to go on and it would be an easy fix.

Just did a quick phone search for parts and prices, pads are 40 bux, bearings 8.99 each for inner outer, so i might go ahead and replace all of that anyway.

Thanx for your help, hopefully i can get this figured out.

 

[jatguit]

Re: more info...........

The other thing you might want to do FIRST is jack both front wheels in the air and spin them. Take the tires off and inspect the rotors and grab them to see how they feel. You can kinda compare the two sides. Make sure your cotter pin is still present holding the nut in place. While you are at it check the steering components for play and the upper and lower ball joints, they could also be your problem. The ball joints have wear indicators as mentioned in a manual. IF a ball joint has a major failure, you would probably feel it when you grab the rotor and tug up and down and back and forth.

If you feel comfortable with your findings there, then yeah get the bearings and seals and do them along with the pads. And don't forget to check those rotors for heavey wear.

Also, I am by no means an expert here, but I have done many a brake and suspension job before but never had a bearing go on me, so i don't know what that would be like

 

[85 Cutlass Brougham]

Bad bearings usually make a lot of noise, but it is a constant hum, not a thunk. However, I will say the same thing. Jack the car up and try to move the wheel. Be sure to jack it up on the lower control arm to keep it in the same relative position it would be in while on the road and loaded. Next up, take a long board or pry bar and place it under the wheel and try to move it up. If it moves, you have a bad lower ball joint. If you can't find anything, remove the wheel and try to move the caliper. It may be loose, and when you apply the brakes, the hydraulic pressure would then tighten it and eliminate the noise.

 

[srercrcr]

When you have it jacked up, spin the wheel and look at the edge from the side....look for the bulge.

 

[jonessmc87]

i wouldnt rule out u joints either,,ive seen/and heard sum weird things from those

 

[SBCregal]

jack up the wheel, shake it side to side, and up and down (grab the top and bottom and shake)

sounds more like a tire problem than a bearing, bearing noise is generally a droning hum/growl sound, that changes with speed

before you inspect it, drive it and sorta swerve left and right...sorta like race cars do, but not so drastically. this will but weight on the bearings alternatively and you could be able to figure out which one it is

check BOTH front wheels, and all 4 tires... noises are a funny creature, never know what transmits through what

if i were you, i'd have a local shop inspect it, alot do free front end/exhaust/brake inspections and even road tests. they'll give you whats wrong, and an estimate for the repair. theres normally no obligation to fix it at the shop though (i know we dont charge for those inspections)

if you can recreate the noise, make it happen when you want...you're 2 steps ahead already!
good luck, get back with any more questions.... and the solution when you find it

ryan

 

[andrewmp6]

Id rotate the tires first its free and easy take it for a drive if the thumping moved to the back its a tire/rim if its still up front its a wheel bearing or warped rotor.

 

[dan2286]

i wouldnt rule out u joints either,,ive seen/and heard sum weird things from those

Definately look at the u joints also. Sounds in cars dont always come from where you think they are coming from. If that noise was from a wheel bearing, it would be very, very, messed up.

Also try getting all 4 wheels off the ground, rotate anything you can and listen to everything with an automotive stethescope, if everything looks good visually.