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Omega Help Area => Omega General Help => Topic started by: Alnico Blue on 12 July 2020, 14:11:33

Title: Rear wheel bearing noise?
Post by: Alnico Blue on 12 July 2020, 14:11:33
Hi all
          just compiling a list of to do jobs on the 2.6 CDX estate.  I get a low level whine from the N/S rear wheel area when taking left handers . Was thinking wheel bearing , but had bruv around this morning and there is no play at all in either rear wheel bearing. 

Suggestions from Bruv are diff whine  or possibly noise from an uneven worn tyre on side . Although tyres look good .

any ideas  ??  :y
Title: Re: Rear wheel bearing noise?
Post by: Nick W on 12 July 2020, 14:22:22
Have you tried rotating the hub with the brakepads removed?
Title: Re: Rear wheel bearing noise?
Post by: biggriffin on 12 July 2020, 16:33:46
Very rarely get excessive movement, unless they are totally FUBAR,  as Nick said remove rear pads, as that also allows more movement on the hub,and will eliminate pad noise, check oil in dif.
Title: Re: Rear wheel bearing noise?
Post by: Alnico Blue on 12 July 2020, 17:25:13
How does Mr. MOT tester evaluate a worn wheel bearing  ,  just on  12 o clock /6 o clock movement ?

Nick , are you saying the pads could be sticking and causing the noise , or that I will get a better "Feel" of wear with them removed.   Actually thinking about it , this noise  only started shortly after I fitted new rear pads a while back. :-\


Trev, diff was low on oil when I got the car, but is ok now. Low oil level has probably accellerated wear  :-\
Title: Re: Rear wheel bearing noise?
Post by: dave the builder on 12 July 2020, 18:20:27
How does Mr. MOT tester evaluate a worn wheel bearing  ,  just on  12 o clock /6 o clock movement ?

Nick , are you saying the pads could be sticking and causing the noise , or that I will get a better "Feel" of wear with them removed.   Actually thinking about it , this noise  only started shortly after I fitted new rear pads a while back. :-\


Trev, diff was low on oil when I got the car, but is ok now. Low oil level has probably accellerated wear  :-\
MOT tester checks to feel any movement in the bearing  , this movement is the fail
a bearing can be really noisy and pass with an advisory.
very common for brake pads to stick or twist and catch on the pins and wear unevenly
some pads are too tight out the box and require a rub with a file to knock the edges off .
pulling the pins and sliding the pads out will remove the pads rubbing, so eliminate that as a cause of noise,
pads also hold the disc central, so if the bearing is worn it can mask play in the wheel bearing if the pads are in.
when rotating the rear wheels, remember you have the drag of the drive shafts,diff and prop etc  ;)

rear wheel bearings are pretty robust and best eliminate it being something like brake drag first IMO
Title: Re: Rear wheel bearing noise?
Post by: dave the builder on 12 July 2020, 18:32:40
diffs I drain with a syphon, fill to the level , do 1000 miles and then repeat ,re-fill .
prop center bearing can rumble too ,I've also shredded the prop donut coupling to near failure before  ;D :-X
I should add that all my advice is based on 20 years Omega A/Carlton ownership ,but the moving parts remain the same setup for the Omega B
Title: Re: Rear wheel bearing noise?
Post by: Nick W on 12 July 2020, 20:24:23
How does Mr. MOT tester evaluate a worn wheel bearing  ,  just on  12 o clock /6 o clock movement ?

Nick , are you saying the pads could be sticking and causing the noise , or that I will get a better "Feel" of wear with them removed.   Actually thinking about it , this noise  only started shortly after I fitted new rear pads a while back. :-\




He will spin the wheel(MOT is a very basic inspection with no dismantling allowed) and feel for any grittiness or noise while it turns. Then he'll rock the wheel at 12/6 and 9/3 to feel for movement. These are all subjective, but any noise or play is cause for concern and hard to argue against a failure decision - this is a disinterested  safety inspection!


Sticky pads, or new ones on a used disc presents all sorts of symptoms, as does the handbrake mech. You can - should at this point - remove them to diagnose the problem completely, which might mean you'll spend a few quid and 30minutes on replacing the discs.


Rear wheel bearing failure is one of those faults that will be increasingly common(compared to previous experience) as these cars age. It's a <£50 part and a maximum of an hour's work for a proficient and adequately equipped mechanic.
Title: Re: Rear wheel bearing noise?
Post by: biggriffin on 13 July 2020, 17:26:19
How does Mr. MOT tester evaluate a worn wheel bearing  ,  just on  12 o clock /6 o clock movement ?

Nick , are you saying the pads could be sticking and causing the noise , or that I will get a better "Feel" of wear with them removed.   Actually thinking about it , this noise  only started shortly after I fitted new rear pads a while back. :-\




He will spin the wheel(MOT is a very basic inspection with no dismantling allowed) and feel for any grittiness or noise while it turns. Then he'll rock the wheel at 12/6 and 9/3 to feel for movement. These are all subjective, but any noise or play is cause for concern and hard to argue against a failure decision - this is a disinterested  safety inspection!


Sticky pads, or new ones on a used disc presents all sorts of symptoms, as does the handbrake mech. You can - should at this point - remove them to diagnose the problem completely, which might mean you'll spend a few quid and 30minutes on replacing the discs.


Rear wheel bearing failure is one of those faults that will be increasingly common(compared to previous experience) as these cars age. It's a <£50 part and a maximum of an hour's work for a proficient and adequately equipped mechanic.

 My first one took 2hrs with tea, my second about 4hours, had to get a new socket and recharge windy gun,,, 3 one was a bastid, bearing was seized in, puller broke, and lost the bloody brake springs, and forgot to put the back plate on, 6hours including lunch and tea's. :o
Title: Re: Rear wheel bearing noise?
Post by: Alnico Blue on 13 July 2020, 18:03:30
How does Mr. MOT tester evaluate a worn wheel bearing  ,  just on  12 o clock /6 o clock movement ?

Nick , are you saying the pads could be sticking and causing the noise , or that I will get a better "Feel" of wear with them removed.   Actually thinking about it , this noise  only started shortly after I fitted new rear pads a while back. :-\




He will spin the wheel(MOT is a very basic inspection with no dismantling allowed) and feel for any grittiness or noise while it turns. Then he'll rock the wheel at 12/6 and 9/3 to feel for movement. These are all subjective, but any noise or play is cause for concern and hard to argue against a failure decision - this is a disinterested  safety inspection!


Sticky pads, or new ones on a used disc presents all sorts of symptoms, as does the handbrake mech. You can - should at this point - remove them to diagnose the problem completely, which might mean you'll spend a few quid and 30minutes on replacing the discs.


Rear wheel bearing failure is one of those faults that will be increasingly common(compared to previous experience) as these cars age. It's a <£50 part and a maximum of an hour's work for a proficient and adequately equipped mechanic.

 Nick ;D ;D ;D ;D  yer , , ,thats why I sent you a PM a while ago  . . .guess you did not get it or it got lost in the Covid disruption .  Hopefully it won't be the bearing .  I know the offside was a fail on the MOT just before I got the car  . . .so that would have been done  . .  hoping that both were done at the same time . . ..car is on 198k now from 193k when I got it some 3+ years ago ...so will get out there at the weekend and have a look .  :y
Title: Re: Rear wheel bearing noise?
Post by: Jan Suhr on 13 July 2020, 18:24:34
They usually wear on the inner balls where grit can sneak in and damage the balls. All of the ones I have changed had the same wear. The outer side is more protected.
I have never seen any movement, just noise. If you remove the drive axle and the brake disk you can spin it freely and then you will hear the noise from the bearing.
Title: Re: Rear wheel bearing noise?
Post by: Nick W on 13 July 2020, 18:30:04
Nick ;D ;D ;D ;D  yer , , ,thats why I sent you a PM a while ago  . . .guess you did not get it or it got lost in the Covid disruption .  Hopefully it won't be the bearing .  I know the offside was a fail on the MOT just before I got the car  . . .so that would have been done  . .  hoping that both were done at the same time . . ..car is on 198k now from 193k when I got it some 3+ years ago ...so will get out there at the weekend and have a look .  :y


I thought I'd answered. Sorry


These aren't really a common failure, as most Omegas are scrapped with their originals. And it's a bit of a faff to change them, so just doing the one that's failed is the way to go. Estates seem to be worst for RWB failure, and it always seems to be the drivers side.


I'm happy to help if you need it
Title: Re: Rear wheel bearing noise?
Post by: Doctor Gollum on 14 July 2020, 00:57:12
Estate and saloon rear bearings are different.

However, estate rear wheel bearings are the same part as fitted to all Monaros, so if an uprated* part is available for the Monaro, it WILL fit :y

*A reference for those who use their estates for as intended ;)
Title: Re: Rear wheel bearing noise?
Post by: biggriffin on 14 July 2020, 17:46:47
Estate and saloon rear bearings are different.

However, estate rear wheel bearings are the same part as fitted to all Monaros, so if an uprated* part is available for the Monaro, it WILL fit :y

*A reference for those who use their estates for as intended ;)

 And Calibra as well
Title: Re: Rear wheel bearing noise?
Post by: Keith ABS on 14 July 2020, 18:26:00
 Same bearing as rears on 2.6/3.0 Carltons and Senators. I stock these as the LC also runs this bearing
Title: Re: Rear wheel bearing noise?
Post by: Alnico Blue on 15 July 2020, 05:02:22
Nick ;D ;D ;D ;D  yer , , ,thats why I sent you a PM a while ago  . . .guess you did not get it or it got lost in the Covid disruption .  Hopefully it won't be the bearing .  I know the offside was a fail on the MOT just before I got the car  . . .so that would have been done  . .  hoping that both were done at the same time . . ..car is on 198k now from 193k when I got it some 3+ years ago ...so will get out there at the weekend and have a look .  :y


I thought I'd answered. Sorry


These aren't really a common failure, as most Omegas are scrapped with their originals. And it's a bit of a faff to change them, so just doing the one that's failed is the way to go. Estates seem to be worst for RWB failure, and it always seems to be the drivers side.


I'm happy to help if you need it
Thanks Nick  ,  be in touch if assistance required  :y