Been having an issue with my right, rear wheel. It started when I let a friend drive my car and he drove it harder than I usually do. My '03 just hit 70K.

Made this whirring sound - sometime louder than other times - and sometimes no sounds at all.

I took it to the dealer, they noticed the wheel was loose and tightened it up. About 2 weeks later, heard the sound again.

It's at the shop right now - the bearing is shot and it damaged the hub.

Is this normal wear and tear?? or was it my friend's aggressive driving/turns that made it go out?

Thoughts? I don't want to deal with this again if I can avoid it.

 

It was not your friend. It takes a while to ruin a wheel bearing. Had you been noticing a clicking sound when you first move the car in the morning? Just one click when you first start moving? If so, that is an indication that your axle hub nut was loose and that would be what caused the wheel bearing to go out.

 

Parts fail sometimes. Unless you friend smacked something hard enough to do suspension damage, he didn't take out the bearing.

Ever wonder why the original warranty runs out at 3/36k?

Most things on the car last past it.

 

No, never noticed a clicking sound.

 

I was with my friend when he was driving it - nothing was hit, he was just very aggressive and it was a coincidence the noise started when he was driving.

I've never had to replace a bearing before on a car and I wasn't sure what causes it to go bad... or how to avoid this happening again in the future.

The dealer told me the right rear tire gets the first hit of torque... is this true?

 

These guys are right. I'd say the failure may have been premature, but for reasons that are not your responsibility. Like press fitments and sufficient grease. They are not designed for infinite life and will go out eventually.

Having said that, one thing you can do is to check the other side. Easy to do, jack the car up, make sure ebrake is off and check for play in the wheel. Do this where the caliper and brake pads have the least effect on movement, or better yet slide the caliper off.

I had one go out on me really bad on my Supra. Only thing holding the wheel on was the caliper.

 

common. had it too. HUB broken and torn my bearing into pieces. REplace hub and bearing will to the trick. the s2 is a rear wheel, and more pressure, especially when dropped, bc we cut hard corners to the right more than the left. Over time it breaks your bearing, in result if you do not catch it in time, breaks your hub.

 

forgot about the torque BS, well torque it down, wouldnt matter when your hub is messy. Experienced all that. I understand its a individual case, but form the sound of it, its your hub and bearing. Replaced it myself. Easy job. Not the press through.

 

Hmm I've got 75k on the clock and I've started noticing a click in the mornings when I first start out. I also have a whir that is only heard at 74-75mph, any less or more and its silent.

I thought this was my worn out tires making this sound, but it could be the wheel bearing?

 

You wont hear it at certain MPH, but usually at low MPH.

there are a few test that i know.

- Raise the wheel side that is making the noise. Once raised, move the wheels back and forth to see if its in motion. With the bearing and hub intacted, it should not move at all. If it is moving, its time to replace it.

- Raise both rear high with your jacks in place for safety. RMR safery first. Once raised and sure that the car will not move while the rear are in motion. Put the car in gear and slowly go to 10-15 MPH. You may hear something. If you do, its time to replace. This set up is very dangerous if not proceed with a professiona, or with caution, and the right tools.

Not guarantee that its the bearing, but a process of elimination wouldnt hurt.