How to check for broken wheel bearing?

[faral]

I have wheel noise sounding like wonk wonk wonk when i make high speed (but gentle) right turns (like getting on an on-ramp).

I was told by my mechanic that to check the wheel bearings, I jack the car off the ground and try to push on the wheel edges, to look for play. I did that, and found nothing. What I did notice was that if I spin the wheel either direction and stop it quickly, it makes a one time click noise. This happens on both sides, and happens whether the wheel is spinning forwards or backwards. My other car doesn't do this...so is this normal?

Thanks

 

[flat_black]

Check your lugnuts for tightness; Sometimes this can be caused by the inertial shift of the wheel on it's studs, and the click is the sound of the holes for the studs slapping against the studs themselves. Also, make sure you always tighten them evenly, and in the proper order. That has a lot to do with funny suspension noises, often.

That being said, bearings do go once in a while. How many miles do you have on the car?

 

[faral]

thanks for the suggestion, i'll check the lugs. but it probably isn't what is causing the noise, because the wheel has been removed and retightened before, and the noise was there before and after, unless it was loose both times.

the car has about 101k miles, i'm second owner. the mechanic did tell me that both front struts need replacing, because both are leaking oil. i am planning to replace them soon, but want to replace the bearings first if they are in fact broken.

i think the noise *could* be the struts, but the noise only comes up on right turns...so that leads me to believe wheel bearing.

 

[joshua feil]

I currently have the same problem on my protege 5, did you ever figure out what it was.

 

[MazdaSpeeder]

As someone who has done both fronts and now has a back one going bad...that sound is definitely a bearing. Figure out where it is and do one, or do both if you're not sure.

 

[slavrenz]

As someone who has done both fronts and now has a back one going bad...that sound is definitely a bearing. Figure out where it is and do one, or do both if you're not sure.

You should always do both wheel bearings at the same time - if one side goes bad, chances are the other side is not far behind.

 

[joem.]

cv joints

 

[HKPRO5]

To check the wheel bearings lift the front of the car up and grab the wheel at the 12 o'clock and 6 o'clock position. push and pull. If there is any play (because a wheel shouldn't do that) then its the wheel bearing.

 

[JayDubb]

So best prices for parts and labor for cv joint?