940 - Wheel Bearing

[Laney760]

Yesterday morning the 940 started making an unearthly drone, so loud people were looking at my car! I was on the way to a hospital procedure so couldn't stop. I first thought it was something to do with the belt pulley as the drone was reasonably high pitched, not low, but then I realised it was drivers side and began to suspect wheel bearing. When I reached my destination I found that the front off side wheel was considerably hotter than the others but my brakes are just fine on my drive home later that day so I sure it must be the wheel bearing? Is this what the symptoms sound like? If I jack the car up what am I looking for please? Assuming it's the bearing, should I replace both fronts at once?

I retired early for medical reasons last August and I have to say that since the 940 is not in hard daily use any more on the road all day she is developing a lot of faults, she's not 'stood up' as such but now not used every single day.

[J liddy]

Jack up 1 side at a time spin the wheels .also check for any play in wheel top to bottom side to side they are available in SKF brand .Best brand

[griston64]

I think it's possibly brake related. Once you jack up and remove wheel it may reveal something.

The original Volvo bearings are pretty good and even the ones on my 220k breaker car were still smooth with no play

[Laney760]

Originally Posted by J liddy

Jack up 1 side at a time spin the wheels .also check for any play in wheel top to bottom side to side they are available in SKF brand .Best brand

Cheers. If I need to buy them I'll buy that brand.

[Laney760]

Originally Posted by griston64

I think it's possibly brake related. Once you jack up and remove wheel it may reveal something.

The original Volvo bearings are pretty good and even the ones on my 220k breaker car were still smooth with no play

Thanks. I assumed not brakes as they aren't pulling, not binding, not grating, pulling up well, abs works but it did occur to me that it's unusual to see a thread about 940 wheel bearing failure!

[classicswede]

I have had to replace a fair number of wheel bearings on them in recent years. They usually tend to give a little rumble when turning being the first sign of problems. The original bearings do not often give any issues

Your continuous rumble is more likely to be brake related

[Bob Meadows]

The following test may help:~
It was related to a Ford wheel bearing that had been noisy but not detectable when the car was raised for testing.

The garage tried a road test to locate the sound but it was difficult because of traffic conditions- once on the car lift he tested the front wheels, my home test had been to spin the wheel in the normal forward direction.

He explained that any vibration doesn't always show doing the above, the wheel had then been rotated backwards and this showed a definite rumbling that also transferred into the suspension spring.
Good Luck.
Bob.

[Forrest]

The wheel getting hot can be caused by either dragging brakes or a failing wheel bearing. Dragging brakes can go on for a long time. Wheel bearings are likely to get much worse very quickly.

I'd echo others experiences that brakes on 940s are often problematic whereas wheel bearings tend to be quite reliable. Cleaning and greasing the calliper slide pins almost needs to be an annual service task.

The advice you've been given to jack up the wheels and turn them by hand should help to narrow down the problem. If the brakes are binding due to an hydraulic fault releasing the pressure using the bleed nipple can help with the diagnosis.

Good luck getting to the bottom of the problem.

[Laney760]

I am so sorry, I have led you all on a wild goose chase. I jacked up the car, wheel bearing is fine. The slightly hotter wheel than the others was a red herring. I finally got the noise to continue after I was stationary and had lifted the bonnet, it usually stops as shortly after I pull up despite continuing at traffic lights etc., just to be difficult. It's coming from somewhere near the alternator or pulley. It's a noise just like those things you hear at football matches so it's very appropriate at the moment! It's so loud that people on the pavement shout out 'What is wrong with your car?!' It may or may not be related to the car intermittently revving too high, I do not suspect head gasket. I've got video of it but Flickr no longer seems to allow vid upload so I need to find a way to share it.

[bob12]

Been following this one Ellie .... maybe the alternator bearing if it's around there but to be that loud it must be bad! Could it be the cambelt pulley? I would use a suitable piece of wood or a long handled screwdriver as a stethoscope to track the noise source but it is not recommended by me!!

Bob