How to tell if axle bearings are bad

boostfrk

10 Year Member
Aug 30, 2011
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69
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Colorado
I've got a mostly stock '90 Lx 5.0 hatchback and I can hear a growling coming from the rear end of the car when I'm driving; it almost sounds like worn tires except the tires are brand new.

How can I tell if the axle bearings are bad? I've heard that if the bearings are bad the seals will be leaking, which mine are not.

I've also replaced the rear upper and lower control arms with UPR chrome moly arms with the poly bushings (along will the other rear suspension components). Is it possible that the NVH from the poly bushings is causing this noise, and it's really nothing to worry about?

I was also going to loosen all the control arms bolts, lower the car to the ground, then re-tighten all the bolts just to make sure I'm not having any binding issues.

Other ideas?
 
It'll usually make a wub-wub-wub sound that will get worse when you're turning the car on one direction than the other. For example, listen to how my car sounds at about :48 here, that was a galled drivers side axle and a failing bearing. http://www.streetfire.net/video/50-mustang-behind-a-saleen-s351-at-heartland-park_45940.htm

Thanks MFE!

Mine doesn't sound like that. It's just a constant hum/growl from the back of the car (again, sounds like worn tires). I don't notice it any worse when turning, and there isn't a wub-wub-wub or pulsating sound like that.