Bearing type noise from drivers front

lolingram · Post by **lolingram** » 08 Jul 2008, 18:51

Quote:
I took a job in the local FIAT (ugh!) main dealership. Stradas were at the time having front wheel bearing problems (due to the ingress of water),

So this was this a particular problem with the Strada? Reason I ask is because in the early 90s I had a Fiat Regata (like a Strada but with a boot) for 6 months, that was all I could stand!, and had 2 wheel bearings go within a few weeks of each other.

ALL the FWD FIATS... load of crap. Down to the lack of design of weather sealing the bearing pack - always rusty when stripped down.

KP · Post by KP » 09 Jul 2008, 10:13

My Fiat Coupe never went thru any bearings in its life.

lolingram · Post by **lolingram** » 09 Jul 2008, 10:26

My Fiat Coupe never went thru any bearings in its life

I was talking 1978.... good on Fiat (FixItAgainToni) to have cured the problem by 1993, eh? 8).

My opinion of the marque still stands.

andmcit · Post by **andmcit** » 09 Jul 2008, 12:51

I thought it was a Fix It Again Tomorrow!!

KP · Post by KP » 29 Jul 2008, 09:50

Well after some digging around on part net i think i've found a likely candidate for the noise afterthe wheels have been put up in the air and no noise is noticable from them that would really be a duff bearing

On part net when you view the driveshafts for a XUD9BTE engine you can see that on the rear lower engine mount the driveshaft feeds thru it but that there is a bearing in there.

Now i can see the bearing comes on its own but how easy is it to replace? Is it just a press fit bearing that would need the driveshaft removing and then the mounting itself??

Has anyone come across one of these failing?
Is it likely that my deep water excercises have caused it to go as i bet its not a sealed unit

Any advice or info greatly recieved

jgra1 · Post by **jgra1** » 29 Jul 2008, 10:50

hi Kp,

I think I would remove Driveshaft, and remove engine mount / bearing housing (With engine supported)

take [it] out from under car and examine...

You going to have to remove Driveshaft to be able to do anything with that bearing ...

John

KP · Post by KP » 29 Jul 2008, 12:17

Its just im struggling to think of anything else that could have a bearing in it to make that noise on that side of the car that would make the noise and also make the noise go quieter or go away entirely when the steering is turned right by about 10' or more to lift the load/wieght off that wheel enough.

Ill be checking brake pads when i get a chance but i cant see that being the cause

Post by **CitroJim** » 29 Jul 2008, 13:04

The intermediate bearing can fail, especially if it got immersed and water got in. It will run roughly and indeed I have a spare driveshaft in my stash with quite a rough running intermediate bearing on it.

It is, as as far I know, just a standard bearing and can be pulled off using a flat bearing puller and a bit of ingenuity. A bearing factor should be able to supply a replacement a lot cheaper than a genuine Citroen replacement.

I've seen a picture of the special puller for the job and it has very long legs on it!

andmcit · Post by **andmcit** » 29 Jul 2008, 13:22

From the first post on this particular thread I understand the drivers side
driveshaft intermediate bearing was worked on or replaced?

The drone/vibration could very well be concentrated at this point on the
engine/driveshaft due to a failed bottom mounting that will transmit any
coarseness into the front subframe/drivetrain. Certainly worth having a
close at the bottom mounting next!!

Andrew

KP · Post by KP » 29 Jul 2008, 14:37

It was just the wheel bearing thats been replaced, not the driveshaft intermediate bearing

Ok i think ill have to have a see about getting it pulled out and replaced, guess ill have to find out off citroen tomorrow how much this will kill me for the part, or GSF maybe as i have been to local bearing place near me and they weren't too helpfull last time i asked about having a wheel bearing that was sealed

Post by **RichardW** » 29 Jul 2008, 15:34

GSF list this for the ZX:

N43890 DRIVESHAFT BEARING ZX EXC 1.4 RH 8.00

and citroen.service gives the same part no and bearing size (3247-03 / 30x55-13 - £21.46 inc VAT....) for ZX and Xantia variants with BE3 'boxes. There is a collar on tha back of the bearing, and ISTR that this is in fact the hardest bit to get off and has to be sacrified sometimes.

Pulling the shaft is relatively easy - hub nut undone, jack up & split bottom ball joint, undo the two nuts on the bearing retainer and push the bolts back and turn 90°, then pull the shaft out of the hub and feed it out of the car*, catching the 1l of gearbox oil that will will run out

. Replace the diff seal when putting it back.

Changing the bearing should be easy enough given a long enough legged puller.

I'd be very surprised if this is your problem given it goes away on steering and there are a CV joint and tri-axe joint in the way to isolate the bearing.

* this is the easy bit ha ha - the bearing is often corroded into the housing and needs persuading with a big hammer

KP · Post by KP » 29 Jul 2008, 16:26

What else can it be??

Anyone near doncaster want to come and take a ride in it and see what they think??

Should i get the bearing done and get a new driveshaft or exchange one maybe?

andmcit · Post by **andmcit** » 29 Jul 2008, 18:40

My mistake misreading the original post!

The likely suspects for a whine and vibration once the wheel bearing is
discounted can really only be the driveshafts' CV joints or the lay shaft
intermediate bearing. That said, have a close look for play on the lower
engine mounting as you'd need to fully withdraw the drivers' driveshaft
out of it to fit a new mounting bush anyway; the intermediate bearing
is braced against a shaped shoulder in the removable ally casting bolted
to the engine block.

I've found in the past the intermediate bearing will pull off the main shaft
by hand and won't require a puller: famous last words!

Andrew

KP · Post by KP » 30 Jul 2008, 10:16

Ill have to phone GSF later today then and brace myself for the cost of an exchange driveshaft and the bearing all in and then factor another £45 ontop for the fitting of them

Cheers guys

andmcit · Post by **andmcit** » 30 Jul 2008, 11:14

Is the driveshaft required ABS compatible?

http://tinyurl.com/ebay-driveshaft
I've bought a driveshaft from these guys before and they're great
to deal with!!

Thenm there's this bargain:
http://tinyurl.com/ebay-driveshaft2

and there's a CV joint:

http://tinyurl.com/ebay-cv-joint

Happy ebaying!!
Andrew