Re: wheel bearings

[skerocdriver@juno.com (SHAWN C MEZE)]

On Fri, 03 Oct 1997 18:08:35 -0500 John Van Vuren <jigger@wirural.net>
writes:
>I noticed a new noise last night...  barely audible, but upsetting
>anyways.  I'm thinking it's a front wheel bearing - it's not a 
>growling
>noise yet, but I think that's what it will be when it grows up  :)  It
>goes away when I turn hard left, and gets louder when I turn hard
>right.  I've already checked the obvious, wheels are tight, brakes are
>fine, cv joints tight, etc.  Am I correct in my diagnosis?  Which side
>is the culprit, I mean does a noisy bearing get louder with load or
>unloaded?
>
>Thanks in advance for your help.
>
>John
>
>'87 16v Scirocco
>'86 GTi
>'85 Jetta diesel
>'82 diesel pickup
>'69 baja Beetle
>parts cars - '80 Rabbit diesel, '82 Scirocco, '86 GTi


Its been my experience that when a loose wheel bearing is loaded up, it
gets quiet. When unloaded, it makes noise. Ten again ive had rear wheel
bearings make noise when driving straight and level and quiet when
turning. 
Have you checked the wheel bearings on the front AND rear? I chased a
noise in combination with a steering problem on my GLi and it turned out
to be a bad rear wheel bearing.

Since you suspect it is a front wheel bearing, it wont hurt to put a
wrench on the front wheel nuts and torque the hell out of them. (Don't
worry, you cant hurt them.) See if that fixes it for now. If the bearings
are self destructing, they will make noise again and replacing them is
inevitable. 
HTH!


              Shawn Meze
86' Jetta GLi           82' Scirocco GTi
The Fastest, Quickest, Cleanest and
best looking Scirocco in all of San Diego!
http://www2.netcom.com/~trnsfrma/vws.html
--
To subscribe or unsubscribe, send email to scirocco-L-request@privateI.com,
with your request (subscribe, unsubscribe) in the BODY of the message.