Whel Bearing Giving Out?

[318isbmw]

So today, car started doing a speed dependent squeak. I know its coming from the left front, and is a squeak that is almost like a tight spot in the bearing. It goes and stops, and has less of a gap between squeaks at the higher speeds, and almost seems constant at freeway speeds. The part that screws me up, is that if I tap the brakes, it gets louder, but same sound, and then goes away if I hit them a bit harder. Just figured I would get a second opinion that it isn't something in the brakes. Yes I'm going to tear into it, but as its my daily driver and only car so wanted to at least have an idea before I start.


Thanks.

[gearheadE30]

Doesn't really sound like a wheel bearing to me. Have you checked the caliper mounts and pads? If there was something stuck between your pads and the rotor, or the pads are getting to the end of their lives, or if the pads are just a bit squeeky, they will sound like this, especially if they rub the rotor slightly.

[jlevie]

Jack up the front of the car and rotate the wheels as well as checking for motion when you pull/push at the 12/6 o'clock positions. If one of the bearing is bad you'll feel it. Note that you can remove the caliper from a wheel to eliminate the brakes as a cause of noise during this test.

['90 325is]

i have the same thing going with my car. but i just replaced all brake components. i was thinking wheel bearing also for mine.

[318isbmw]

Yeah, I think mine might be brake related the more I look into it. Still haven't taken anything apart, but the fact its not a grinding and its not constant, and it goes away when you get on the brakes hard. Plus my brakes haven't been done in 4 years, so I think its the pads are worn out. Sound like a reasonable assumption?

[mousetrnr]

me too

some of this sounds familiar. mine first sounded like a tire rubbing and then a brake dragging, after checking all of the same things that you are talking about, It got worse during the cold and finally when backing up into a turn (pulling out of a tight parking space in a hurry) it got louder and then finally sounded like metal on metal. I jacked up the car and again tried to wiggle the wheel (bearings?), this time it did wiggle. I have the parts coming in tomorrow... guess we'll see.

[gearheadE30]

318isbmw, that could also be a sticking caliper. Rebuilding them is cheap and easy, so I recommend you do that next time you replace the fluid or do the brakes. It fixed some of the weird brake noises my car had as well.