I just noticed that there was a vibrating sound coming from my engne or front wheel well area about 1 week ago...It sounded as if it was a rubbing sound, but after some careful listening it seems to be coming from my engine area.

I've have my fuel system flushed, air filter and serpentine belt replaced back in November! What could be the problem? I'll be taking my car in soon to get my tranny flushed.

brakes

Let me guess, it's louder when your above 30 or 40 and its louder when you turn slightly to the left or right? I just replaced my whole hub for that problem yesterday, took me forever to get the poop off, put it back together in a half hour.

That's right, but I don't hear the sound getting any louder when I turn left or right! How much is it to get this repaired, or can I do this myself?

i think this is the same problem I am having. It makes the most noise when I'm turning to the left and when i'm braking. Its definately coming from the left wheel though.

I only hear noise when I'm driving at about 25 mph or above! Turning the car doesn't induce any more noise than what I already hear, even when I start to brake. The noise declines when I start brake and come to a full stop!

when was the last time you had your brakes and rotors replaced?


im still leaning towards a brake job.

it could be the hub, i wont disagree there.

Last brake job was in the fall, but I'm not having any serious problems with braking. I just had them checked out and there fine still in spec.

where the rotors changed last fall? if not, were they "turned".

if they were NOT changed OR if they were turned, there is a VERY good chance that they are warped.

and when you say they were just checked and they were in "spec", what was checked and what did they consider in "spec".

cause anyone can pull off a rim and look at a brake pad, its not hard.


and you wont really have issues with braking at first. since a warped rotor may not initially give you the pulsing brakes, it starts off as a slight rubing sound as the rotor rotates and barely touches the pad.

if your sound speeds up and slows down as the car speeds up and slows down, it is something in the rotating assembly. so it must be the rotor, hub or drive shaft.

does it make the sound in Park or Neutral as you rev the engine? if not, its deffinately at least 1 or the 3 things i just mentioned.

yeah i'm having the same problem with my car, it only happens when i turn the wheel to the left, its very weird im taking my car to the dealership thursday, i hope they find it cuz its starting to annoy the hell out of me :gun2:

Rotors and pads were changed! If it really was the brakes I'd feel vibrating on the brake pedal, but I don't! My brakes are fine. The engine revs clean with no vibrating sound when in Park or Neutral.

I'm suspecting the Drive Shaft right now! I'm in the works to upgrade my brakes in the next month to something better than the factory parts!

not everytime. it depends on whats wrong with the brakes.

you could have a pebble lodged in your shoe or caliper. seen it more than once.


but hey, since you KNOW its not your brakes, then its the hub or the axle.

i think i would rather check out the brakes and verify before i started ripping apart the Hub and taking out the drive shaft.

but you KNOW its not the brakes, so have fun!

Same thing happened on my girls car... had both hub's replaced and it completely resolved our issue. Make sure you get that checked out first :)

RFIRE15 how much was it to replace both hubs?

Oh and germ I'm still not going to put anything past what you're saying, but I've got other problems that I discovered today with suspension of the car. After looking at the spacing between my front left caliper and rotor I see that there is space at the top! The location of noise is still deceiving! Thanks!

Hub, It cost me $159 (126 U.S. give or take 5) to buy, with these cars the bearings and hub are a complete unit and the bearings don't come out, so it's really easy that way. U'll need a puller to get the hub off the drive shaft tho, cuz it's on thier tight. DO NOT PULL outward on the drive axl or it could separate you gears in your CV joints. Then your looking at the big bucks.

It took my 3 hours or so to get it off, (mostly because of siezed nutz and bolts and odd angles) Took me 30 min to put it all back together.

Shop quoted me at 450 canadian parts and labour. I saved over half that and its really not that hard.
General Rule of thumb on determing which hub is bad. get up to 50mph, you should here it making some loud noises by now, give the steering wheel and little bit of a turn either way and listen.
If its a little bit louder with the steering wheel turned right a little, it's your drivers side hub because the weight of the car is putting pressure on it.
And if it's noisier when you turn left, then it's the right hub. If you get no noise difference at all...then I don't know..lol maybe both hubs are done.
Hope this helps you.

Get a Haynes Alero book, It has step by step instructions.

just saw this on ebay

Wheel Hub

if it's a whurrrrrrrring noise once you hit 15mph+ it's more than likely a hub, and it only get louder as you go. I'd definatlely assume the hub/bearing

roughly $110 from autozone, all you need is a set of sockets, a socket for the axle nut (30/32/34/36mm) i forget (you can rent it from AZ), also a 3 jaw puller (also from AZ around $40 but you get it back)

just take off the caliper bracket bolts, take off the rotor, take off the axle nuts, and then remove the 3 bolts of the hub and use the puller to draw the hub off the axle to replace it

that's about it

It's a 36mm socket you will need. and that your gonna need some serious muscle to break that axle nut loose, it's tighter then a N......... nevermind....lol

Thanks for all the info! I'll be picking up the book 1st...And to think that I just went through troubleshooting with a friend/mechanic yesterday.

It is both hubs, because no matter which way I turn the steering wheel the sound doesn't shift...Looks like I'm going to be doing a near full suspension/brake change! I just found a broke and rusted through rear left spring on my car about 3 days ago. I can't get any breaks sometimes with this car, but its reliable.

got mine back today...it was a tie rod. I think i'm going to send the bill to the City of Ada, since they don't fix these damn potholes, they can pay the bill.