I took my driver side front wheel off today to try to pinpoint where the metallic noise was coming from that was starting to irritate me while driving. The noise would get slightly worse when I was on the brakes. I took the wheel off and was spinning the rotors and it sounds like it's coming from inside the calipers although I'm not 100% It sounded different too then what I was hearing while driving, but I'm assuming that it's due to having the weight of the truck on it? Anywho, am I accurate in assuming that it's the wheel bearing or could it be something else? This is on my 92 by the way.

 

Best way to check a wheel bearing is to put the wheel back on, jack up that wheel off the ground and push and pull on the top and bottom of the tire at the same time. If you have a bad bearing, you will feel it as you push and pull on the tire.

 

ok, i tried that. There is definitely some play. I can feel and hear it. Not a lot, but a bit. I compared the passenger side as well. I thought I could feel some play on that side as well, but there wasn't the same sound (two surfaces tapping together). It's common practice to replace both fronts or both rears together anyways isn't it?

 

I would just replace the one that is bad personally. You might want to have your intuition confirmed by a trusted mechanic depending on the cost. I am not sure if you need a press on your truck to get the bearing off...which would obviously drive up cost.

 

On the 85 you can pound off the old wheel bearing and then use the race to pound on the new one...nothing to it.

 

That's good Brian. No special tools needed.

Some cars really suck though. Take this Celica I have for example. You have to pull the spindle and have the bearing pressed out. Not very expensive if you have a press, just time consuming.

 

3rd gens are the same, a press is needed to press the bearing into the knuckle and then another jig to press the hub into the bearing without fubarring the bearing. hehe but I got me a press so it ain't no thang!

 

just found out today after i removed the caliper that the wheel bearing is not what is making the noise. it is caused by metal tabs on the brake pads contacting the rotor. anyone know if these tabs are wear indicators? it looks like there is lots of meat left on the pads, and i always thought the wear indicator was actually in the pad itself.

 

Sounds like those are wear indicators. I've noticed some start making noise when there seems to be a lot of pad left. If that's the case you can just bend them away from the rotors a bit. Just make sure you check them regularly.

 

thats kinda what i thought except they were rubbing the rotors all the time and got slightly more noisy when i used the brake. that's why i originally thought it was the wheel bearing.