Porsche Enthusiasts Club Forum

Folks I think I have a wheel bearing going. I was convinced it was the front right. I decided to jack it up on the drivers sided today and double check. The front right tire spun fairly freely and smoothly with no noise and I couldn't find any play in the wheel. The back right spun fairly freely and smoothly but made a small scuffing sound so I decided it must have been the back. I decided to double check the other side too. Front wheel seemed ok. Tried the left back and could not spin it at all, could only move it an inch or two in each direction before it locked up.

Symptoms are, squeaky trolley wheel sound at low speed e.g. 10mph. Rumbling noise at higher speed e.g. 40 mph +. Groaning while turning at low speed e.g. 5/10mph.

I’m guessing the rear passenger wheel should spin freely like the rest and that it does not move because the bearing is gone?

Cheers,
Mike

Have you checked that the handbrake is releasing on that side? I would expect noise and free play from bearing not locking up

You may be suffering from plate lift on your rear callipers. There is a stainless steel plate which the brake pads sit on to prevent them wearing the alloy. The alloy corrodes over time and pushes the stainless "plate" forwards jamming the pad in position.
To do the job properly you need to remove the plates, clean off the corrosion from the calliper and protect it to prevent it happening again and then refit the plates, probably with new screws as generally the heads get chewed up during removal or they snap and put everyting back together.
Some just grind the ends of the pads to make them fit though.

I'm going to check it out again when I get a chance as I didn't spend a lot of time with it. As I said though I could move it an inch or two in either direction. Would an issue with the brakes not either prevent it moving at all or cause it to drag.

I have got new pads and discs for the front brakes and was going to change the brake fluid too. I think I will clean out all 4 callipers while I am at it then see how things are. Next week end hopefully. If it is a rear bearing then I think that will be a garage job. I fancied I could do the front bearings myself and was going to do it at the same time as the brakes.

To check a wheel bearing properly you need to push the pads back so the wheel spins freely. Also on rears you are spinning the driveshaft with two CV joints plus the diff.
Rear wheel bearings can be a real pain to diagnose & someone who wouldn't be me has changed at least two in his life & been assured it was the correct one only to find it was the other side
The noises you describe could be pad drag, it is certainly worth trying to see if there is any play in the wheel at both the 12 &6 position & also the 9 & 3 postion. Anything other than perceptable play is bad. Also turn it slowly & feel for any rough points.

Simon
good spot missed its an S2 , as Simon pointed out check pads clearing disc
Geoff

Ok thanks folks. I will service the brakes first and then see where things stand.

Mike

Like said before you need to push the pads off the disc so the wheel can spin freely however unless the bearing is well shot you probably wont be able to tell which is gone unless you do the testing after a good runn to get the bearing hot. My front was making an awful grumbling when driven but when I jacked it up to test it sounded fine eventually took it for a long drive then jacked it up whn I got back straight away and could tell immediately which wheel was at fault.