How to tell if wheel bearing or ball joint is bad?, Updated! Options

[GriffGirl]

There are bad, evil, rubbing/grinding noises (sounds dirty heh heh) coming from my rear passenger wheel. Actually it sounds like the backing plate is rubbing against the rotor, but I'm pretty certain that's not what's going on. The sound is definitely related to the rotation of the wheel; it's louder when I go slower too although that could just be because there's less road noise to drown out the sound. The noise sounds not unlike when brake pads are completely worn and it's metal on metal - it's that grinding noise, not a squealing or high pitched noise at all. It's really loud from the driver's side though, I can only imagine what it sounds like outside the car!

I'm leaning toward bad wheel bearing but I wanted to check with you guys first to get some tips and ideas before I go buying the wrong part.

This post has been edited by GriffGirl: Feb 2, 2009 - 12:11 PM

[Salica]

thats funny I have the same noise coming from my passenger back. I currently changed my rear struts, when i did this i removed my rear brakes after i had them all installed i realized i installed them (the brake pads) backwards from what they were originally. Not sure if that is the sound but i do know i didnt have the sound prior to my **** up.. SO yea maybe take a look around there.

This post has been edited by Salica: Jan 23, 2009 - 3:44 AM

[LewFX]

thats funny I have the same noise coming from my passenger back. I currently changed my rear struts, when i did this i removed my rear brakes after i had them all installed i realized i installed them (the brake pads) backwards from what they were originally. Not sure if that is the sound but i do know i didnt have the sound prior to my **** up.. SO yea maybe take a look around there.

why did you remove your rear brakes to change your struts?

griff, did you get that rubber seal to go with your wheel bearing?

This post has been edited by LewFX: Jan 23, 2009 - 11:42 AM

[GriffGirl]

thats funny I have the same noise coming from my passenger back. I currently changed my rear struts, when i did this i removed my rear brakes after i had them all installed i realized i installed them (the brake pads) backwards from what they were originally. Not sure if that is the sound but i do know i didnt have the sound prior to my **** up.. SO yea maybe take a look around there.

why did you remove your rear brakes to change your struts?

griff, did you get that rubber seal to go with your wheel bearing?

That rubber seal was actually replaced when I did my disc conversion back in July. I am REALLY HOPING Toyota has one in stock though, so I can have another one ready - when I replaced it in July I went all over hell and creation on a SUNDAY no less just to find it. Good times.

So look - there's REALLY bad things happening now. Something back there is seriously broken. Yesterday it started making the metal-grinding-noise from hell again, and when I made a right turn it was seriously like the loudest, worst crunchy/grinding/unhappy metal sound I've ever heard a car make. Then I hit a pothole and the sound stopped. But when I got home I looked, and the rear p/s side wheel is a good 1/2" lower than the rear d/s wheel. Something has, well, "settled".

I'm hoping VERY MUCH that it's either the hub assembly or something suspension-related that I have a replacement on hand for. I will be checking twosrus to see if they ship overnight today - tomorrow is the only day I have to fix my car. If I don't fix my car, I have no way to get to work next week since no one's left here and there's no one to bum a ride from! Oh how FAB!

Anyone have any ideas? PLEASE??? I'm also thinking of playing the dumb chick and taking my car someplace and saying "something's wrong" and getting them to look at it and tell me what's wrong, and then play the I'm Broke I'll Have to Come Back card. I hate doing that, it wastes people's time, but I'm desperate here. What should I look for on my own?