Wheel bearing issue?

[scrisp2]

This was originally posted in the Turbo section, sorry to double post, just that this section seems to get more traffic and I can't find a delete button for the original post.

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I have recently started getting a grinding noise from my 04 PT. It sounds just like when the brake pads are grinding the rivets, but the pads are relatively new and show no signs of wear.

I also get a "clunk" in the rear of the car when driving over rough roads. I thought that maybe it was a bad bushing or the shocks were blown, but I took the rear tires and shocks off today and the shocks work great. But, when I put the wheel back on and was tightening them with my lug wrench, I noticed that there seems to be some side-to-side slop in the wheels (both of them) if I grab the tire and push it back and forth. I had my wife do it while I checked under the car to see if any of the linkages were showing slop, but didn't see anything unusual. I felt the axle (I guess that's what it's called) that runs between the wheels and could definitely feel metal-to-metal contact and could hear the clunk, I just couldn't narrow down where the sound was coming from.

I checked Autozone's website and they don't show just a bearing, they show it as a rear wheel hub assembly, with the bearings already there, for $52.

I don't want to be chasing my tail and replacing parts if I don't need to, but this has got me worried about safety, as I drive 40 miles each way to work on the highway.

Does this seem like it would be a bearing issue of should I be looking elsewhere?

The car has 89k miles on it.

Thanks,
Scott

[CREWZIN]

If you look at a lot of the other posts in this section you'll see that lots of owners have had bearing problems, front and rear. Sounds like you do too. One of the major signs is the grinding noise. Looked up the bearing for the rear and yes, it's all in one bearing and hub assembly. $52 isn't a bad price.

Chrysler PT Cruiser Wheel Hub | Free Shipping | 2003 - 2007, 2001 - 2002, Timken

[scrisp2]

I was able to find the hub assembly by Timken (or something like that) for $36.53 each, through my aunt's distribution warehouse, so I'll be changing them this weekend.

I took the right rear hub off last night, just to see how hard it would be (so easy, BTW), and found that my brake drum is seized on to the hub. I beat it with a hammer, I sprayed PB Blaster all over, I even heated it a bit with a torch, and it still wouldn't budge. So, as a result, since I need to do the brakes anyway, I'm replacing the hubs and drums.

There is one question that I have though. The hub that I removed had a tiny bit of play in the outer bearing race. I mean it moved up and down and all around by maybe 1/16-1/8", is that too much play for the bearings? I'm thinking that there should be no slop at all, but maybe they require some tolerance.

I figure that if it's 1/16" at the bearing race, that would equate to a lot once it's figured at the tires, but maybe I'm overthinking it.

[CREWZIN]

I don't believe there should be any play but with you hearing the grinding noise it may be best to change them, however, was the grinding noise from the hub assembly or was it coming from the frozen/seized drum ?

[TedEbear]

Check the outer tie rods, too. Sometimes what sounds like it's coming from one wheel is actually coming from another. I recently had to replace an outer tie rod on my wife's '03 turbo because it failed a state safety inspection. It was definitely worn and needed to be replaced. You should not be able to wiggle it at all if the tie rod is good. The original did not have a grease fitting; the new one does.

The job isn't too hard and places like Autozone or O'Reilly auto parts will rent the pickle fork tool you'll need to separate it from the steering knuckle for free. Count the # of turns you unthread it off the inner tie rod and thread the new one on the same amount and you won't even have to get an alignment done.

[geronimo]

I had the same grinding noise a few months back and had the front bearings replaced. $220 later, no more grind.

Definitely have them replaced asap. The longer you drive it, the harder it is to get those suckers out. My mechanic had to take a blow torch to the whole assembly to get mine out.

[fastdel]

ye front bearings on the pt can be a reguler problem
and rear bearing can often need replacing as well but the so eay to do on rear but it best to replace bearings in pairs as often is one side is going other is not far behind from failing
just b4 i got my pt the owner replaced right side bearing and just after 2weeks (i had done about 400miles) left side totally fell apart man did it make the most evil grinding sound @ one point i was under the impression a wheel had fallan lol

[gdottie]

I just came from Sears in Duluth GA. There were 4 cars in their shop. 3 were PT cruisers and all three were there with bad wheel bearing hubs. My only symptom is the front tire is wearing very uneven on the left and vibrates when I go over 70 mph. The guy even showed the the worn hub from the other cruiser. He said there shouldn't be any movement like mine has. SO...what gives??? 3 cruisers and they ALL had the same issue! They want $612 to fix it and align the front. Mine and the other car were 2005-not sure about the others, but they looked about the same.

[cdynaco]

Timken used to be known for quality bearings. Don't know now. Certainly the factory bearings are not up to snuff. Are there high quality bearings available so this doesn't happen?

I've put a hundred thou on several vehicles and never had to replace bearings (or bushings for that matter).

[Arne]

The fact that we all drive in different environments has an impact literally on how the cars bearings, bushings and hubs will wear.
Every pot hole, dirt road or flood you drive threw will be a bad thing.
The single owner who knows what the car's been thru has an advantage over someone buying used.
For example, you could get an amazing deal on a car that was a rental, not knowing that someone off roaded the poor thing.
Or the car that came out of Louisiana years ago with the rims in water.
Most problems are not defects per say but failures that just happen.

I went shopping years ago at a brand new shopping center and put groceries in the back, started and put her in drive.
Hit the gas and immediately knew I had done something bad.
This parking lot had those concrete berms I hate and I had jumped right over it.
First of all it was embarassing but second was trying to get off of it.
You tend to forget stuff like that but you all know it did some damage.
Whenever I fix something for someone I'll get asked the question,
'what do you think caused that?'
Sometimes I'll baffle them with bull and sometimes I just shrug my shoulders and say, 'It happens'.