Yaris Hybrid - old fashioned way to check wheel bearing

[roswellgrey]

The age old way of testing a wheel bearing is to jack up a corner, and rotate the wheel (whilst in neutral) to listen for knackered bearing noises, as well as testing for any play in the wheel.

Is this a still valid thing to do to a HSD ? or is the fact that it is a HSD going to mean you hear other things (and I don't mean the obvious light scuff noise of the brake pads on the disk)

Thanks for any insight 🙂

Edited March 11, 2022 by roswellgrey
poor choice of title :)

[TonyHSD]

9 minutes ago, roswellgrey said:

The age old way of testing a wheel bearing is to jack up a corner, and rotate the wheel (whilst in neutral) to listen for knackered bearing noises, as well as testing for any play in the wheel.

Is this a still valid thing to do to a HSD ? or is the fact that it is a HSD going to mean you hear other things (and I don't mean the obvious light scuff noise of the brake pads on the disk)

Thanks for any insight 🙂

Hi, 

by hsd you mean a hybrid right? The procedure is exactly the same, lift up and rotate the wheels. There was something interesting as far as I remember that when both wheels are in the air you maybe able to rotate when the car is in P but when one wheel is on the ground you are not able to. Also if the car has a push button start when the car is unlocked and switched off you are still able to turn steering wheel with both front wheels of the ground.
If you do work on the brakes, checking or cleaning and removing callipers or pads make sure the system is depressurised and drivers door is left open or do not open it if it’s closed , otherwise there is a risk of brake system activation to pressurise itself and this can poke out your callipers pistons, then you know it’s a big job coming. Some mechanics after brake system is de pressurised they disconnect 12v Battery. 👍

[roswellgrey]

Sorry - yes, I did mean Hybrid (ie Hybrid Synergy Drive). Have edited title ...

Appreciate your response. The reason for the question is that the Yaris has suddenly developed a serious, intrusive drone at speeds >40mph (and is noisier than it was at lower speeds), and to my old ears it sounds like a wheel bearing on its way out. So, did the old jack up test, ...  and both front wheels have a horrible rotational clunk/click, yet have no lateral play at all.

I cannot believe both front wheel bearings have simultaneously started to fail on a car with <30K on it. So am starting to suspect that it is something upstream of the actual wheel bearings .... I really hope it isn't the Motor 😞

Edited March 11, 2022 by roswellgrey

[flash22]

i would be looking at the pads and discs, i would also inspect the CV boots and do a CV test (slow speed left and right full lock)

 

sounds do travel, it may sound like it's at the front - check the rear pads, discs and bearings, the handbrake mech on the caliper and stick sometimes

[roswellgrey]

Thanks for that. CV full lock test is silent, rear bearings are as smooth as new, pads/discs look just fine to me. Tis strange this one ...

[TonyHSD]

On 3/13/2022 at 4:02 PM, roswellgrey said:

Thanks for that. CV full lock test is silent, rear bearings are as smooth as new, pads/discs look just fine to me. Tis strange this one ...

Wheel bearings can fail both sides even all 4 corners prematurely if the car been driven through deep waters on regular basis. Wheel bearings are designed to withstand splash but not to be submerged or immersed in water and doing so kills the lubricating properties of the grease inside and bearings overheating and fail. Other possible scenarios for early wheel bearings  failure is going over sharp potholes or mounting kerbs at speeds. 
There is another possibility for the noise you are getting, brakes - stuck slider pins and pads sticking to the disc surfaces, worn out brake discs, if this have been checked the next step is to double check the tyres.
They need to have correct pressures set at cold before driving off the car and before the sun has seen it as these can affect pressure value on the gauge. Sometimes a worn out tyres or out of shape tyres can cause exactly the same symptoms as bad wheel bearings noise at certain speeds. Best to check for uneven tyre wear. 👍

[Saxmaniac]

There's an old trick to diagnose a wheel bearing, jack up the front and hold the spring while rotating the wheel by hand. You'll feel bearing vibration amplified through the spring

[FROSTYBALLS]

Moved to the Yaris club.