I have a 98 Legy OBW. Just recently my wife said she could hear a new noise in the rear of the car. I finally got the chance to drive it. The noise seems to be at the right rear wheel, sort of a light grinding rotating noise. It sounds more prominent when coasting at 35 mph, noise seems to go away under slight acceleration. I don't hear the noise upon braking. My first thought is a worn out brake pad, but no I don't think so. I replaced the rear pads less than a year ago.

 

My second thought is that it may be a bad wheel bearing.

 

BTW, my wife said the noise started just after having the tire patched on the right rear. I don't think that could make any difference. I have to think the two issues are just coincidental.

 

I will pull the right rear over this weekend. I will push/pull on the road wheel first to see if there is any wheel bearing "play."

 

Any thoughts and advise will be gladly appreciated.

Check the Rear Diff for lube, does it change when you are in a turn one way or the other, if so its most likely a wheel bearing.

Sounds like a rear wheel bearing (poor pun, I know) - too bad you aren't out here - I just did a 97 and I have a hub that I can put in a new bearing (just did a swap from a JY car and was conservative in that I bought the new NGK bearing "just in case").

 

it's not "difficult, just "time consuming" (and you need to have a few pieces of equipment to do the work - like a hydraulic press, 32mm socket and a bearing splitter)

certainly sounds like the tell tale's of a bad wheel bearing....

 

Jamie

Sounds like wheel bearing. You can probably find a non-dealer shop to do it for a reasonable price. If you do it yourself, be careful with the tone ring...

Check the Rear Diff for lube, does it change when you are in a turn one way or the other, if so its most likely a wheel bearing.

 

 

I will test drive to see if noise increases or decreases on L & R turns. If so, I know that is pretty much a dead give away that it is a wheel bearing.

 

Good suggestion on checking the rear dif for lube, I will certainly check that.

 

Thanks to all for the advise.

check your brake pads for wear, the caliper slide pins may not slide well, your brakes could be draging. and maybe, but not likely, the tire repair guy bumped it or something.

 

this shouldn't be the problem since you did the pads last year, but i do pads all the time and can only remember one time relubing the slide pins. dumb, i know.

To all the above I might also suggest checking the parking brake - have you used it recently, and not normally use it - sometimes when used infrequently rust/crud can cause the mechanism to become sticky.

 

.02

To all the above I might also suggest checking the parking brake - have you used it recently, and not normally use it? - sometimes when used infrequently rust/crud can cause the mechanism to become sticky.

 

.02