Need help :(

[DeLorean03]

Hey guys,

So who all here has replaced their rear wheel bearings? I ask this because I'm getting a clunking noise from the back passenger side of the car. It dominantly does it when turning left whether you turn left hard, soft, slow or fast. Turning hard and fast makes the noise happen much faster - almost cyclic or rotational. Going slow and turning softly makes the noise happen much slower. It almost sounds like loose metal on metal rubbing against each other.

I called Casey and we diagnoed everything to the best of our ability on the phone including:

1. We checked both inner drive shafts and all the bolts on each side of the drive shafts.

2. We checked both trailing arms - both sides leading to the TABs and the wheel hub carrier. No slack or looseness in either side of both trailing arms.

3. We checked the two 20mm bolts on the sides of the hub carriers that are right next to the wheel side of the inner drive shafts.

4. We checked the two 17mm bolts in the engine bay that attach the fiberglass underbody to the frame. I know there's more that we did but I don't know the proper terminology but to be frank, anywhere that a bolt goes into the frame - we checked it.

5. We checked for slack/looseness in the tires with the lugnuts really tight and the wheels in the air; there's no give in either rear tire. The tires are good; I actually swapped them out today and the noise has been present with both sets of rear tires.

6. The shocks are not leaking any fluid at all.

I am now nearly 100% certain it's the rear wheel bearings. Thing is I have never done this before, and I don't have a press. Has anyone done this before? Could anyone ride with me in my car and listen to the noise I am hearing - maybe it isn't the wheel bearings and someone with a better tuned ear would be able to deduce what it is or be able to confirm my suspicions. Would anyone be willing to help/teach me with this job? I'm all about giving back in terms of money/lunch/pizza and beer/whatever works - I am far from a "use and abuser" and am absolutely willing to compensate someone for their time/tools/help.

Just looking for some guidance as I'm new to this part of the car. Thanks .

Oh and just FYI next get together I'll have my application for DCO and dues ready to go so I can officially join .

[Nicholas R]

Hey guys,

So who all here has replaced their rear wheel bearings? I ask this because I'm getting a clunking noise from the back passenger side of the car. It dominantly does it when turning left whether you turn left hard, soft, slow or fast. Turning hard and fast makes the noise happen much faster - almost cyclic or rotational. Going slow and turning softly makes the noise happen much slower. It almost sounds like loose metal on metal rubbing against each other.

I called Casey and we diagnoed everything to the best of our ability on the phone including:

1. We checked both inner drive shafts and all the bolts on each side of the drive shafts.

2. We checked both trailing arms - both sides leading to the TABs and the wheel hub carrier. No slack or looseness in either side of both trailing arms.

3. We checked the two 20mm bolts on the sides of the hub carriers that are right next to the wheel side of the inner drive shafts.

4. We checked the two 17mm bolts in the engine bay that attach the fiberglass underbody to the frame. I know there's more that we did but I don't know the proper terminology but to be frank, anywhere that a bolt goes into the frame - we checked it.

5. We checked for slack/looseness in the tires with the lugnuts really tight and the wheels in the air; there's no give in either rear tire. The tires are good; I actually swapped them out today and the noise has been present with both sets of rear tires.

6. The shocks are not leaking any fluid at all.

I am now nearly 100% certain it's the rear wheel bearings. Thing is I have never done this before, and I don't have a press. Has anyone done this before? Could anyone ride with me in my car and listen to the noise I am hearing - maybe it isn't the wheel bearings and someone with a better tuned ear would be able to deduce what it is or be able to confirm my suspicions. Would anyone be willing to help/teach me with this job? I'm all about giving back in terms of money/lunch/pizza and beer/whatever works - I am far from a "use and abuser" and am absolutely willing to compensate someone for their time/tools/help.

Just looking for some guidance as I'm new to this part of the car. Thanks .

Oh and just FYI next get together I'll have my application for DCO and dues ready to go so I can officially join .

I had the exact same thing going on. What's actually happening is that the wheel bearing is shifting just a tiny tiny bit in the hub carrier, but when it happens, the noise radiates through the car and is so loud in the passenger compartment. I had it happening in both my rear wheels. If you turned left, you got *pop* *pop*. Then, as long as you kept turning left, it didn't happen again. As soon as you turned right though *pop* *pop*. The wheel bearings would shift back and forth between 2 positions.

Dude, talk to Cliff. Do you have his number? I can give it to you if not. There is always a huge tech session that usually runs the entire 4th of july weekend (just figure out if its the one before or after this year). Do whatever you can to make it because you can definitely get it done there on the lift. Cliff made several special pullers specifically designed so that you can change rear wheel bearings out while the car is on the lift, without having to take the hub carriers off the car. We did mine about a month ago. Whole process took probably 2 hours from beginning to end. Removed tires and half shafts, unbolted calipers and bungeed them out of the way, removed brake disks, used a puller on the hubs, gently tapped/pushed out the spindles, used special puller to remove bearings, used other side of special puller as a pusher to install new bearings, tapped spindles back in place careful not to split the inner races (by putting pressure on the outer-inner race), tapped the hubs back on, reinstalled the brake disks, bolted the calipers back on, reinstalled the half shafts and tires.

Pics from the job:
Old wheel bearing with spindle inside:


New wheelbearing installed without ever having to remove the hub carrier.


He has it down to a science. Plus, in a worst case where you actually had to pull the hub carriers, he's got 3 presses.

EDIT: I forgot the part about removing the big spindle nut. It was cake since cliff has the mother of all impact guns. This nut was also used in the reassembly process to draw the hub and spindle together. It also requires I believe 240ftlbs or so. If you're ebrake works you can just use it to hold the wheel in place, otherwise have someone press the brake pedal while torquing the nut.

[DeLorean03]

Nick, you've been PM'd .

[DeLorean03]

Got the email from Cliff - looks like he's being very generous and letting me use one of his lifts to do the job. Thanks Nick for Cliff's info!