ZX hub bearing gone?

Sl4yer · Post by **Sl4yer** » 12 Apr 2003, 05:13

Hi. I'm new here and could do with some expert advice.
I've owned my 1993 ZX 1.4i (73000 miles today!) for nearly six years and am very fond of it. But although its never really let me down, it has had numerous niggles and repairs.
Today I was travelling up the M5 at 70mph when a loud whining/grinding noise was heard from the direction of the NSF wheel. In fact, my girlfriend could feel it through the floor. The car still went straight and behaved normally, so I slowed down and checked it out at the next services. Nothing was interfering with the tyre, so being 100 miles from home I set off again, with a thought in the back of my mind that the wheel could seize at any moment.
The noise began again once I got above maybe 40mph. I soon realised that it was loudest with light throttle application, and reduced to a chirping or whistling noise on releasing the throttle. Under braking or hard (for a 1.4 ZX!) acceleration the noise seemed to stop. I've driven the car again tonight (although not at motorway speeds) and it seemed fine - something heat related possibly? Incidentally, the pitch of the noise didn't seem to change with speed, which I find odd. It also seemed less prominent as the journey progressed.
Any ideas what this might be? I suspect hub bearings, CV joints or maybe the diff or driveshaft. Is any problem likely to be dangerous and lead to a sudden failure? Any help appreciated.
Thanks.

CITMAN · Post by **CITMAN** » 12 Apr 2003, 18:42

check that your nearside front brake is not binding on. and also check that none of the brake pads are worn

JohnD · Post by **JohnD** » 12 Apr 2003, 21:24

To test for worn wheel bearing, jack up the car with the wheel clear of the ground. Spin the wheel and listen and feel for any roughness in the hub. Hold the wheel top and bottom and feel for any movement, but the bearing needs to be fairly well worn to show rocking. C/V joint wear will sound more pronounced when cornering.

Sl4yer · Post by **Sl4yer** » 13 Apr 2003, 01:57

Thanks for your replies. I'll check for those things tomorrow, although I don't expect to find a brake problem because the car drives straight and the brakes are as bad as ever! Never say never though....

CITMAN · Post by **CITMAN** » 13 Apr 2003, 21:19

check gearbox oil level

sooty · Post by **sooty** » 13 Apr 2003, 23:03

As Citman says I would check your Disc pads are not worn, also I've noticed that if you go round a sharp bend putting load onto the wheel, you could notice it's louder around a left hand bend more so the a right bend or vice versa. This has indicated a bearing failure.
The other possiblity is that a small stone or gravel has become lodged somewhere in the calipar.
Sooty

marco1 · Post by **marco1** » 14 Apr 2003, 04:53

ive had a simmilar prob loads of posts,done ALL front bearings intermidate last week front wheels 4 months ago,still a whineing round left corners been like it 8 months now new discs and pads all intip top condition ive now all but given up, used to be a sweat motor, still is only thing i can think ...its the diff i was towing caravan through france when i noticed it whats in the diff ???to make it happen???...even 2 garages dont know 1 was a citroen one!!!!

Sl4yer · Post by **Sl4yer** » 14 Apr 2003, 05:10

Haven't got around to checking mine yet.. But the problem only happens at speed (on the motorway). Doesn't happen when cornering. Although I have had a strange clunking noise when turning right for several years now. No mechanic can find the fault.
I don't think its the gearbox oil because its felt through the footwell right by the nearside front wheel.
Something trapped in the brakes is possible. In fact I would probably prefer that... MOT next week anyway, so I'll probably have a look before then. Drove the car again today on town roads with no sign of any problem.
Thanks for all your responses. Much appreciated.

Owen101 · Post by **Owen101** » 14 Apr 2003, 21:41

I had the same problem in my previous '96 1.4 ZX. Driving along fine then suddenly loud whine coming from the front left above 40mph.
Drive shaft was the cause. Had it replaced and that was that.

CITMAN · Post by **CITMAN** » 15 Apr 2003, 03:14

I have a 1995 citroen zx 1.4i. The one i have noticed and i think that its driveshaft related is the fact that everytime I let the clutch up from a standstill and sometimes when changing gear i get a clunking noise.
What make me think that its driveshaft related is the fact that i jacked up the front right side with the car in gear and rotated the roadwheel back and fore and noticed the clunk but its not there when the box is neutral.
Checked the engine mounts the all seem okay. Does any of your 1.4s make this clunking noise when starting off and when changing gear.
Been like it for years just wondered if it was a common chracteristic or a problem loaming in the future.
Thanks a lot
Jonathan

Dave Burns · Post by **Dave Burns** » 15 Apr 2003, 05:22

Marco, inside the diff is the crownwheel, the two side gears which are splined to accept the drive shafts, and the two differential pinion gears between them and that mesh with them.
Each pinion gear is meshed with both side gears at the same time and the axis of the pinions is at rightangles to the side gears.

When the car is going straight ahead, both driving wheels are turning at the same speed, so the diff pinion (not the crownwheel drive pinion) gears remain stationary on their axis, allthough they are revolving with the differential cage fixed to the crownwheel.
When the car goes round a bend, the inside wheel slows down and the outside wheel speeds up, the diff pinions then rotate around their axis, allowing for the speed differential of the two driving wheels.
But I don't think the noise you hear will come from this area, because even at full lock I calculate (roughly) that the outside wheel will revolve only 3.5 times more than the inside wheel during one complete turning circle of the car.
This in my view would not be fast enough to create a whining noise even if something were amiss in there, any noise associated with this area of the diff is more likely to be a knocking or rumbling noise, plus it would almost certainly be there which ever direction the car was traveling in.
Dave

iangall · Post by **iangall** » 09 Sep 2003, 20:57

Hi Folks!
I have the very same problem, a fairly annoying droning noise coming from offside front, inside the car. Diagnosis from my mechanic - worn wheel bearing!
He checked by jacking up the car and hand turning the wheel - the offending one didn`t turn freely or quietly.
Cheers

rabenson · Post by **rabenson** » 10 Sep 2003, 14:00

Don't think it could be a binding brake - you'd soon see the disk and caliper overheat if it was- I had smoke billowing out of my wheel arch when one of my front brakes bound and it still didn't make any noise!
Ron