Fixed my wheel bearing noise with a screwdriver
For months, I’ve had a rumbling noise coming from the right front of my car when turning left. I blamed it on the tread blocks on the Azenis. I didn’t really believe that, but nobody could find the problem. The bearings were tight – several people had checked it with the wheel on the ground and off the ground.
Last weekend, I attended Evolution AX Extreme, a two day school. On the way home from the first day, I thought the noise had gotten a bit louder. I stopped and checked everything, but it still felt solid.
On course, on Sunday, the noise became so loud, I couldn’t concentrate on the rest of the run. I pulled off course, circled left and the noise was constant and louder. I drove over to the instructor, let him listen, and he agreed it was bad. I then had Gerry Terranova check the bearing. The noise was there, but the wheel was tight and turned freely. I drove back over to the instructor and told him I was done for the day. While we were talking, cone-cerned walked off course and up to the front of my car, said “Don’t move” and disappeared on the other side of my right front fender. I got out of my car to see what he was doing. He looked up and said, “Your mud flap is loose at the bottom and dragging. It was making a terrible noise when you drove past us just now.” The bottom screw & nylon nut had popped out of the clip. I took it apart, put it back in place and all is good.
And that’s how I fixed my wheel bearing with a screwdriver.
