Thought I posted this already but I guess I got distracted with work:

When I bought this car I knew it needed some front end work. There was a slight clunking sound on the left side when hitting the road from the driveway and the tire was worn more in the inside.

I took it to my shop where the mechanic found a loose upper ball joint on the RIGHT side, which I replaced (cheap ball joint only had to be purchased from JC Whitney but free Autozone press worked great). I was even under the car on the driver's side and couldn't find anything loose.

Puching down on the fender near the strut mount produces a rubbing sound that could be what I hear from inside.

Any ideas what this could be? I'm thinking strut but don't really want to tackle that project. Are there some other parts that can cause clunking that won't be easy to spot even when the car is up on the lift?

Thanks,
Rob

 

I'd start with getting a helper to push down on the car as you "feel" the different items (up control arm bushings, end links, swaybar bushing, ect).

 

Thanks Poorman,

I actually got a mechanic to drive it around the block and he says the clunking is just the shock. I'n mot convinced and will get under there while I have someone push on the car. I suspect steering components after doing some more internet digging.

But - he also told me the right front bearing is the one making a howling sound, something I have not mentioned yet here. I could swear it is coming from the driver's side when I'm on the highway. He mentioned putting the car on the lift and holding one wheel while the car is in drive.

Can I do this test by putting one side on a jack stand and leaving the other side on the ground? What would I be listening for?

Thanks for any advice.

 

Search for cdRpnK5MGQ8 on YouTube for a video on how to find which wheel bearing is bad.

 

Hey guys,

I figured out which bearing was bad using Eric the Car Guy's method of jacking it up & putting it in drive.
I've also seen his video about changing the bearing while changing the rotors.

I'm thinking I don't have to take off the whole knuckle to replace the bearing if I can rent a slide hammer. Does this make sense? If so, could anyone provide a little guidance? Specifically what needs to be unbolted/disconnected and what doesn't, and what I would be slide-hammering off (hub? hub plus bearing?), and what I would do once that thing was removed.

I've read a lot of forum threads and e-how type stuff but am still confused/can't picture it, and can't find directions for the slide hammer method. I will be reviewing the downloaded and Haynes manuals I have.

Much obliged,
Rob

 

Take off the whole brake caliper (caliper and bracket). Disconnect the abs sensor and the brake lines that go down the knuckle. Remove the 36 mm axle nut.

Remove the 4 bolts that hold the bearing from behind the knuckle.

I used a slide hammer on my TSX last weekend to replace a bearing. After all that stuff is removed, I used the lug nut to bolt the puller to the hub. The slide hammer screwed into the middle of the puller.

After about ten good hits with the slide hammer and it popped out. The hub took part of the inner race of the bearing with it. Just like in that video.

If you look on ericthecarguys site, he has two videos on replacing the bearing.

 

AH! so the hub will come off wit PART of the bearing and it still needs to be smashed or pressed out. Am I understanding you correctly?

But I must still have to unscrew the 4 bolts facing outward, that hold the hub to the rotor, as well as the 4 bolts in back... right?

 

Hey guys I'm bending breaker bars trying to loosen the 36mm axle nut. It looks like the last guy mangled the nut shoulder, purposefully bending it down into the slot on the driveshaft, or else the drift is still in the slot. If it's still in there and broken off would that prevent me from loosening the spindle nut? I also felt the wheel spin a little so I guess I need to take the nut off with the wheel on and on the ground, but I don't want to break any tools or parts. any advice?

 

That axle nut is supposed to be dented into that slot on the axle, so it will not loosen.

Search for jydxpsh13WQ on YouTube on how to remove the axle nut.

 

Sounds like where they "staked" the nut, which you are suppose to do. Bend it out, there is no "drift" or key. Once it is "bent out", if you are using hand tools, yes by all means have the car one the ground while trying to get the axel nut off/loose.

EDIT: slow typing once again....thanks PA