Civic with noisy wheels - Fuel Economy, Hypermiling, EcoModding News and Forum

Twerp · 05-30-2008, 02:11 AM

So I just traded my motorcycle in for a 1991 Honda Civic DX with 90k on it. It's a great little car and it's in pretty decent shape for its age. I named it the Red Skateboard because the wheels make a lot of noise. At speeds above 30mph, the wheels make more noise than the engine does. So obviously there is a problem. Based on issues with a previous car, I'm guessing that the wheel bearings are bad, but after looking at the Haynes manual I got for the car, I can't find anything about changing them. Does this car even have wheel bearings? If it's not the bearings, what could it be? CV joints? The noise is focused mostly in the front left wheel, but it may also be coming from the right wheel as well. So what's the deal? Is this something I should be able to fix? How much will it cost me to get someone else to fix it? Any ideas? Is there a mechanic in the house?

digitaldissent · 05-30-2008, 02:16 AM

I have worked on hundreds of Hondas and I'd say sounds like bearings or wait brake pads grinding right into the rotors.

Pull the wheels off and take a look. CVs make clicking noises while going around corners

yes it has wheel bearings, look at the back side of the rotors.

**EDIT**
I didn't mean to come off cocky there sorry, I did however work as an import auto mechanic for about 6 years before I got into computers, also worked on heavy equipment hydraulics for about 2 years

Twerp · 05-30-2008, 02:31 AM

Sounds logical. How much do you think a bearing job would run for a Honda Civic?

digitaldissent · 05-30-2008, 02:50 AM

its been awhile hard to say, call around my friend get some quotes.

If I had to guess maybe 1 -1.5 hours per side

your best bet is just call some shops in your area

digitaldissent · 05-30-2008, 03:17 AM

hey check out post 34 form "Daox's 1997 Paseo Build Thread" here:
http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...ead-701-2.html

your car would be very similar

Twerp · 05-30-2008, 03:31 AM

That looks like it will help. Thank you much!

Ryland · 05-30-2008, 10:40 AM

First thing you need to do is jack up the front end of your car and spin the wheels around by hand, then grab them top and bottom and push and pull, do the same side to side, to check for wiggle and play in the steering linkage and in the wheel bearing, also make sure there isn't any run out in the tires as you spin them, with the miles you have on the car if it was used lightly it might still have the original brake pads on there, and as the pads wear down they have a spring that hits the rotor to warn you that your brakes are wearing down, this will sound like a skate board.

JJW · 05-30-2008, 11:29 AM

Having driven his car, it sounds very much like a bad bearing rather than the CVs, since the noise is speed dependant but doesn't change with steering. My question was whether this car had unitized hubs or serviceable bearings, and that appears to have been answered. Since I owe Twerp a fair amount of wrench time for help he's given me, when replacing these is there any particular type of bearing that offers better rolling resistance than others? (In other words, is there any opportunity here for an ecomod while we are at it?) At the very least we'll get a good look at the brake condition while we are in there..

Daox · 05-30-2008, 12:03 PM

Bearings are bearings. They're all made to roll as well as possible while holding up their rated load.

I'd second pretty much everything that has been said. Definitly check the brakes first. If its not them its probably a bearing. Doing things myself the total came to just around $100 for parts and having the press work done for the bearing at the local machine shop.

DifferentPointofView · 05-30-2008, 12:22 PM

First, tighten the lug nuts. Last week I thought I had blown a wheel bearing because the wheel was making more noise than the engine, and got louder at the end of the day, and the faster I went the louder it got. Turns out the lug nuts had gotten loose and the wheel was causing the bearing to seat wrong, as well as the wheel wandering. Tighten them lug nuts!

It was exactly as you described, and when I jacked it up and shook and spun the wheels for play, and there was play, then I checked for lug tightness. DOH! I tightened them up and then checked for play, the noise was gone, there was no play and I didn't have to buy new wheel bearings

Then after that I'd check for brakes and then the bearings themselves. But check everything else before you go and buy new bearings and brakes!!!