# noise when on freeway, and another when braking



## Jdoggsc (Dec 25, 2007)

bear with me as i try to explain this. i'm gonna use some onomonopias to help describe the sounds.

I just drove my car from from the west coast to Ohio 2 weeks ago, and it didn't have any problems. Then on my commute to work earlier this week, i started hearing some noise from the wheels when driving on the highway. * it seems to be coming from the front drivers side wheel*--but that's also the one closest to me, so who really knows. I decided to try rotating my tires cause they haven't been rotated in at least 3 years (oops) but with the new front tires the sound still sounds the same, except maybe a little louder now. that's probably just me being paranoid about it.

It sounds like _whap whap whap whap_ when i'm going above about 35 (i can't really hear it when going slower, which makes it hard for me to find) and gets faster as the wheels spin faster. It did it before i rotated, and now after i rotated the tires. It's louder now, maybe? still seems to be coming from the same spot--front driver-side wheel. There's no popping when turning--just that _whap whap whap_ noise when going fast. I'm inclined to rule out the CV joints because there's no popping when turning, but i don't really know.

The other noise: (and this one started today after i rotated the tires) when i brake, there's a pretty loud "_wom wom wom wom_" sound coming from the* rear axle* that slows as I slow, and stops when i stop. I didn't torque the nuts down with a torque wrench when i put the wheels on again. the rear brakes are drum brakes, but *could uneven torque cause the drum brakes to make that noise when braking?*

I read several threads when searching, and some people mentioned wheel bearings.* what sound do wheel bearings make when they're going out? metal grinding?* because i'm not getting any metal grinding noise--just kind of that flapping noise like a flat tire makes (except my tires aren't flat)

please help!


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## rogoman (Dec 16, 2004)

There's a strong possibility that the front brake pads are worn. The rear brake shoes may be totally worn so that you may be hearing metal-to-metal contact noise when braking.


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## Jdoggsc (Dec 25, 2007)

the sound when braking isn't coming from the front at all. just that flapping noise when driving. still front brake pads, then?

The sound coming from the rear isn't metal-to-metal-sounding, but i plan on pulling the drum off soon and checking it out anyway. it just chafes my butt that the sound in the back only started yesterday, and it started full-fledged. 

any other ideas?


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## rogoman (Dec 16, 2004)

The easiest way to check for worn wheel bearings is to remove the brake pads. Now spin the rotor and listen for any noticeable rolling or grinding sound coming from the hub which indicates that the bearings are worn. For rear drum brakes, remove drum and spin the hub listening for noise.


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## Jdoggsc (Dec 25, 2007)

there was grease slung all over my front-left wheel well. the CV boot tore and spewed grease everywhere. It's been empty for at least a week, so i replaced it yesterday and the wheel is still making noise. It sounds kinda like i got a snow tire on that wheel... I'm going to look into checking out the bearings this weekend if i can.


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## rogoman (Dec 16, 2004)

It's possible that the CV joint is damaged for lack of grease.


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## Jdoggsc (Dec 25, 2007)

which is why i replaced it yesterday. analysis of bearings pending...


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## STEALTHY SENTRA (Sep 1, 2009)

Jdoggsc said:


> which is why i replaced it yesterday. analysis of bearings pending...


Did u just replace the torn rubber boot or the entire cv-axle?


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## skeeter123 (Apr 30, 2010)

OK, I've done this once before, you want to be Very Careful....
Chock the back wheels, put on the e-brake, jack up the front left to get the tire off the ground, start the engine, put it in gear, and let it idle. It will prob get up to 20 mph; watch/listen to see what the heck is flapping. You may want to try to jack it up from under the steering knuckle, so that the angle on the CV is what it is when you're driving. (not sure if that's possible on a Sentra). You may want to do both sides if you don't see/hear anything on the driver's side. You may want to give it a little gas to spin faster, being very careful. If something needs to be done in front of the car, get a friend to do it (just kidding). Some problems like separated tread, wheel imbalance, bent shafts, etc don't show up until tire/wheel is rotating pretty fast.
Hope this helps.


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## Jdoggsc (Dec 25, 2007)

STEALTHY SENTRA said:


> Did u just replace the torn rubber boot or the entire cv-axle?


I replaced the entire left CV axle. Sorry, I didn't realize my above posts were vague about that. Yeah, the whole thing. I didn't want to take a chance on gears that had gone over a week without grease when i drive 80+ miles per day.


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## Jdoggsc (Dec 25, 2007)

skeeter123 said:


> OK, I've done this once before, you want to be Very Careful....
> Chock the back wheels, put on the e-brake, jack up the front left to get the tire off the ground, start the engine, put it in gear, and let it idle. It will prob get up to 20 mph; watch/listen to see what the heck is flapping. You may want to try to jack it up from under the steering knuckle, so that the angle on the CV is what it is when you're driving. (not sure if that's possible on a Sentra). You may want to do both sides if you don't see/hear anything on the driver's side. You may want to give it a little gas to spin faster, being very careful. If something needs to be done in front of the car, get a friend to do it (just kidding). Some problems like separated tread, wheel imbalance, bent shafts, etc don't show up until tire/wheel is rotating pretty fast.
> Hope this helps.


Awesome. That was my next plan of action. I want to hear what things sound like without all the road noise and see what things look like when moving around. I just bought a couple jack stands from autozone so i can do that this weekend. 

Anyone know how hard it is to replace wheel bearings? They guys at autozone said the new bearings were a press fit to get them in...


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## Jdoggsc (Dec 25, 2007)

is replacing a wheel bearing something you can do by yourself? It looks super complicated from the FSM. There's all sorts of vices and presses that it looks like you need. All i got is a c-clamp. 
anyone replaced their wheel bearings? anyone?


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## STEALTHY SENTRA (Sep 1, 2009)

the bearing is press fit into the wheel hub.remove wheel hub,take to PEPBOYS or other mechanic shop and ask how much for wheelbearing and to R&R into hub.I had 1 done at P-BOYS for $30-labor only.


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## skeeter123 (Apr 30, 2010)

Funny you should ask about wheel hub. I had a problem with passenger-side front bearing, researched and thought it too complicated.... Ended up getting a whole steering knuckle from a junk yard for $40.00, no special tools or anything to swap out the whole thing. I know they talk about some tool to pop the tie-rod (or something else) out, but mine came out without a lot of coaxing. Hub/bearing is contained in the knuckle. It's a luck-of-the draw thing to get one from a junkyard, but you can talk with them to get one from a car that wasn't wrecked in that part of the car. I've got at least 5K miles on it and its working fine. 
Hope this helps.


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## STEALTHY SENTRA (Sep 1, 2009)

Skeeter u are correct,the only reason i did not recommend used parts is because he has replaced a hell of a lot of parts with new,soo no way i would recommend used ,since he prefers new for reliability!as i do also!


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## skeeter123 (Apr 30, 2010)

Yeah, but mine's a real beater; my daughter is really hard on cars, especially front-end alignments. I gave up trying to keep 4 matching tires on it, and have actually had a garage bend one of the out-of-round wheels back into shape. Gave up buying those plastic hubcaps too. But it gets 28mpg, and A/C is ice-cold....

Oh, and on the rear-drum noise, be sure to check the action of the e-brakes, as they can get out of adjustment. You can adjust the brake cable by getting under the center console where the brake handle is.


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## slavrenz (Apr 16, 2010)

STEALTHY SENTRA said:


> the bearing is press fit into the wheel hub.remove wheel hub,take to PEPBOYS or other mechanic shop and ask how much for wheelbearing and to R&R into hub.I had 1 done at P-BOYS for $30-labor only.


Lol - I went ahead and bought a 12-ton press at harbor freight tools for only $90. After only a few wheel bearings, it's paid for itself.


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## STEALTHY SENTRA (Sep 1, 2009)

Slavrenz, it is a true mechanic that buys a tool and uses it more than the one time it is needed, and then lets it collect dust in his garage,LOL. Good to see u get lots of use out of your press.No more room in my garage for any new toys for me,but maybe if i rearrange this with th.......LOL!


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## IanH (Feb 11, 2003)

Jdoggsc said:


> is replacing a wheel bearing something you can do by yourself? It looks super complicated from the FSM. There's all sorts of vices and presses that it looks like you need. All i got is a c-clamp.
> anyone replaced their wheel bearings? anyone?


yes me,,, reading rest of thread, *I will be back *


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## IanH (Feb 11, 2003)

Ok

Front wheel bearing noise.

1) I have had them make the typical RWD front bearing noise, a drumming, and it increase's and decreases when you throw the car into a left right wiggle at 30 - 35 mph

2) I have had the car (FWD) make a lose clunking noise over bumps. no drumming.

For the SE-R I looked at three cars in a wrecker yard, every time they removed the brakes the bearings were loose, so replaced the bearing on my hub assembly with new. Be careful with the used parts on a Nissan Sentra for front wheel bearings!!!

It cost me $40 to get mine pressed in a machine shop.


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## slavrenz (Apr 16, 2010)

STEALTHY SENTRA said:


> Slavrenz, it is a true mechanic that buys a tool and uses it more than the one time it is needed, and then lets it collect dust in his garage,LOL. Good to see u get lots of use out of your press.No more room in my garage for any new toys for me,but maybe if i rearrange this with th.......LOL!


I hear you - I have tiny little one-stall garage that barely has enough room for me to walk by the sides of the car once it's parked in there. But the press is pretty small, with a pretty low profile, so I have no problems squeezing it back in the corner. 

Plus, I've had friends who need their wheel bearings replaced, and they don't want to pay $$$. I charge them $25 to press each bearing, in addition to parts and other misc. labor.


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