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So my car recently has started to make a noise that's getting me a bit concerned. At high-speed highway driving and taking some left corners at 40 MPH/64 km/h, my car makes a bit of a rhythmic wobbling noise. At low speed, it's not really there. Here is a video of it:
The wheels and tires shouldn't be the issue, as they are tightened properly with very new tires, wheels were balanced as well, and an alignment was performed earlier this year.
I am taking it in to get a better look, but meanwhile, does anyone here has any ideas? I will post back their conclusions as well.
It doesnt hurt to check the tires, ive seen even new tires after a handful of miles be out of round due to slight belt stretch or seperation in the tire. If not there is a good likelyhood that its the bearing. I had a TiGrey 04 that had a very similar issue where there wasnt any noise or squeal that would clearly point towards that being the issue.
The technician told me that it was the front right one that's been noisy.
I could have found that out myself, but they also informed me that the inner lips of my rear rims(both) were also bent.
So the front right wheel hub(which the bearing is built into) cost $300 for the OEM unit. I will also have to either source some rims or repair my current ones.
Well that escalated quickly.
Looking at the wheel hub replacement, it doesn't look too bad, but supposedly I watched the Scotty Kilmer's video on Mazda 6 front hub replacement and he mentioned that the hubs need a special key to remove. Is it the case for the 8 as well?
The front hubs on our cars are pretty straightforward to remove. No real special tools required.
remove wheel, remove brake caliper assembly including caliper mounting bracket and support on shock assembly with zipties, remove brake rotor, spray the heck out of the assembly from all angles with PB blaster and/or liquid wrench and allow to soak while you inspect the area and get familiar with what that work area (maybe even take a short break while it soaks, this may help reduce stress levels when you go to remove the assembly later) unplug the sensor connector from the hub spindle assembly in the back, remove 4 bolts also in the back holding hub assembly in the knuckle, remove assembly and replace with new unit, follow steps in reverse order to reassemble.
That looks totally manageable and can be done DIY. Sweet!
And now I just need to source some good rims, which is arguably more difficult.
i would say its more difficult to install a midpipe (have to deal with seized exhaust bolts) or switching out a thermostat (hint hint lol) ((due to how many items need to be removed and the importance of aligning it correctly upon install)) than it is to replace the hub assembly.
The hardest most frustrating part is taking out the old hub assumbly due to it usually being pretty stuck in there. Use heat to help make it easier if anything. Also check rockauto for a replacement hub assembly at a dramatically lower price. Feel free to PM me if you run into any problems during the replacement, i get email notifications so i respond pretty quick
The replacement hub assembly should come with wheel studs that is correct, but if it doesn't I would not reuse old studs I would just go to your local auto parts store and purchase replacements from there typically they aren't very expensive and worth the Peace of Mind of having studs you don't have to be concerned with breaking
I would highly advise against super cheap front hub assemblies. I referenced RockAuto for a couple of reasons, first and foremost because as a larger business if you have any issues with the product you received there is an established customer service team whom you can contact to resolve any questions or concerns. But also you don't want to get cheaper ones, some items are the actual OEM component so it's worth researching brand names when you're looking at the items and finding out who they supply parts for, the part you are looking at under a different manufacturer name could be the same part just not in a Mazda box.
Hey Jinx, see this thread for my DIY on replacing front hubs. Be sure to use blue Loctite on the 4 hub bolts.
Parts.com is a good source for OE parts. It is a network of dealerships willing to sell online at discount prices. I want to say I paid around $175 each for my new hubs, when it came time to replace them a little over a year ago.
The way to test a hub is to use a stethoscope to listen to it as the tire is turned. If you hear anything crunchy sounding, the bearing is bad, or the raceway is damaged.
Also, most rims can be repaired for much less than the cost of replacement. There is a machine shop in my area that does it for between $50 and $150, depending on the type and severity of the damage.
The service manual didn't mention loctite. I assume this just ensure the hub stays in place?
Thanks for the link. I looked at the hub and they sell them for US$157 each, which is cheaper than the local dealer, but by the time shipping and duty are included, I'd imagine the saving would be a lot smaller. Local dealer charged me CAN$300.
I didn't use a stethoscope, but the noise is actually apparent enough when we(both the shop and me) turn the wheel. Left side just makes the light scratching noise from the brakes, but the right side makes some extra noise on top of the scratching.
Repairing the wheel is an option, but a time-consuming one. The crappy island I live on doesn't have any place that repair wheels so I'd have to drive to Vancouver to get it repaired. Last time I got a bent wheel on my Accord fixed, it was CAN$200. A junkyard I talked to is quoting me CAN$250 for two and they are willing to verify their condition on spot, so I might just give those ones a look.
So the replacement went somewhat well. I need to really hammer it to get the hub out but at the end of the day, it's done.
Only problem now, and a stupid one: I lost the bolt holding the DSC sensor in place. Yep, the little f**ker is just gone and I can't find it for the life of me. Does anyone know the size of it so I can buy a replacement from a shop? The dealer isn't charging me much for it, but I will have to wait a while to get it.
Oh well, it's not an issue anymore. I realized that I still have my old hub(of course), so I duct taped the DSC sensor in place, drove to the local auto parts store carefully, and found a bolt that fits in the old hub. M6x16 is the size in case anyone makes the same mistake.
The hub needing some (well, a lot of) persuasion to be removed is the exact reason why i mentioned the PB blaster and the break partway through. Glad its all resolved though. Are all the concerned you had and symptoms you observed resolved?
12-07-2018, 02:33 PM
