Stuck rear bearing?

[tuge]

Hello, i hope one of you may help me with this.

I suspect my rear right wheel bearing may be stuck. The wheel is dragging and does not come unstuck by trying to rock the car back and forth. I lifted the rear wheel from the ground and try to turn it with my hands just to see what happens. When the parking brake is engaged i can not move it at all. When it is disengaged i can move it 1-2mm back and forth, but it stops abruptly and feels slow when i am doing so.

This leads me to believe i need to change the rear assembly. I have a 2005 avensis sw, so from what i see this should be a easy enough fix, just kinda don't want to spend unnecessary time and money on it.

 

Thank you for your replies!

[Mike169]

Hi, I think it's more likely that the brakes are stuck on usually the handbrake cable is seized.

Try jacking it up and wiggling the handbrake cable if you can find it which should help release.

Also if you have and cracks/splits in the cable this lets water in which in turn seizes the brakes.

A good idea also is to just the car up, use axle stands if you have then and assuming you have drum brakes on the rear a few good wacks/hits with a hammer on the drum often frees off the brakes, obviously remove the wheel first.

Feel free to try and post on here again.

Regards, Mike.

[tuge]

Yeah, unfortunately my gf "cleaned" our other car removing the tool to remove the wheels, so i cant get it off until tomorrow to try that. 

The only thing that made me think it was the bearing was that i was able to slightly move the wheel when the parking brake was disengaged. I will write again tomorrow after i bought a new tool and gave the drum a few good whacks 😉

 

Thank you.

[Mike169]

Hi.

With the greatest of respect to you and 40 plus years in the vehicle game, trucks/cars etc I have never had a wheel bearing seized so I would think brakes straight away, either a cable rusted or a wheel cylinder stuck out due to possible lack of use of the car?

So before anything else take the wheel off, undo the wheel bearing nut, whatever type it is, then get a good club type hammer if possible, the knock the drum a few times on the 'corner' and try spinning it until it goes free, then work out what has stuck.

My first thought will be the handbrake cable.

My second thought will be the wheel cylinder due to lack of usage

If and when you get the drum off check for a wear lip around the part of the drum where the shoes don't rub and if you have the tools grind off the wear lip as it is called.

What country are you in may I ask?

Good luck, Mike..

 

[tuge]

Hey

I live in Norway. While rare, and i have it only happened to me once, i assume it's because of our winters(and salted roads). Though, only happened to me once so i wouldn't say common. I assume you are right and it is a brake issue.

I'll check the cable, lever, drum and cylinder tomorrow when i can get the wheel off and let you know what i could find. 🙂 Thank you.

 

[Mike169]

Hi Tuge.

If and when you get the drum off before you start stripping it down if you can take a photo, a close up shot of the brakes and post it on here before you do anything this may be a good idea as people (Like me) may be able to see if the handbrake lever is stuck on, the condition of the brake generally if you need further help that is. If you know what you are doing then there's no need.

Either way, GOOD LUCK! Mike.

(Norway is lovely!)

[tuge]

So far, so good. But now i am stuck. I am not able to turn the disc to align the hole with the cog to release the handbrake. I've been whacking at it with a hammer, but no dice. Any tips? Also i am more certain that you are correct as i tried to move the wheel, and there is no sideways play. I'll try to google some answers for this, but i guess you guys are able to provide a good answer before i have searched through the millions of tips not really mentioning this part 😉 Thanks.

The car stands still alot and hasn't been used in over a month. The rust is mostly superficial, so the disc is good if anyone wondered 😉

[Mike169]

Hi Tuge.

A bit more information please.

Have you had the rear disc off yet please and seen the inner brake shoes, not the pads?

Mike.

[tuge]

Hey Mike.

Thank you for your replies. After i wrote my last message i had an epiphany. I own a axe. 😉  Gave it a few good whacks and it loosened enough for me to turn the disc over the cog and release the hand brake. Unfortunately i didn't get the disc off. I was reluctant to hit the "pad area". Don't want to make it misaligned and change the whole thing.

I didn't get to check the inside, but once i had it free, the handbrake has been acting normal.

What i didn't say which i probably should have, is why i suspected the bearing to have seized. I haven't had a bearing gone bad while driving, only the one time it seized and that happened between when i used the car.

Before i parked it last time, when driving, i heard a very loud "toing" sound. Dunno how to describe it, but it heard like some bendable metal broke, i.e a spring. That moment a whining/grinding sound was heard, becoming louder or deeper depending on speed. I guessed it was a bearing going bad. Sounded like left front. After i parked the car i was away for a month and the rear wheel wouldn't move when i was back this weekend. I assumed i was wrong about it being the front left and the bearing i heard was the rear right one.

After driving now it still sounds like a bad bearing left front, so i guess i must solve that problem now. 🙂

Unfortunately i couldn't check the brake pads, shoe etc for the handbrake, but thank you for your help. I assume this will be an issue soon enough again, but i have a very long drive this weekend so i need to focus on the bad bearing. I assume it is a bad bearing at least, dunno if my description maybe leads you to suspect otherwise? 

[Mike169]

Hi Tuge.

Personally I think a spring may of broke between the brake shoes for the handbrake. All I feel you can do is unadjust the cog at the bottom and hope they retract enough to get the drum off......you will have to do this anyway to look at the bearing.

Regards, Mike.

[tuge]

Yeah, i tried to retract them pretty far, but it didn't help in getting the disc off. There are two screw holes for me to use to push the disc off, but i got no screws that size. Else i probably need to hammer it pretty hard on the "pad area" to loosen it, which i don't want to do right now. I live on an island, so getting parts takes time (if they even have them at my nearest town), which i really don't have much of towards the drive this weekend. 🙂

The bearing seemed fine on the rear wheel, so i will jack the car tomorrow and see how the other wheels feel and sounds before i do anything 😉 It is probably a good chance anyway that the issue may be with the rear. I'll try to check for heat etc after a drive too.

I'll check back with you when i know more and give you a follow up and probably some questions too 😉

[Mike169]

Hi Turge.

The 2 screw holes are usually 2 very common bolts that a 13mm spanner fits, (8mm I believe) you can buy 2 bolts for a minimum amount, bolts are better than screws, more leverage!

Keeps the questions coming and use WD40 or similar on the bolts and anything that looks seized on in your country, lol.

Mike.

[tuge]

Yeah, i just didn't have bolts that fit.

Yeah, had some 5-56 doing some work for me 😉  As you see in the pictures, there isn't a lack of rust XD I actually have to paint a layer of some rust protection over it this spring to hide some of it from the MOT XD

Luckily it's car number 2 only used when i have to use a car when i commute to work. My job is 600km away so luckily i am able to fly most of the times 😉