Loud bang from front wheel and the wheel locks up in reverse. It didn’t show signs of a bad cv shaft. binding or hub bearing?
I hit a pothole last night and the car is making loud noises from the driver side front wheel. The cv axle still drives forward but binds up in reverse. I can put it in neutral and roll it freely. Please don't tell me it's a transmission problem. While driving it made loud banging noises when I hit bumps in the road. But drove just fine until I went into reverse.
My car has 80000 miles.
My car has an automatic transmission.
Experienced mechanics share their insights in answering this question :
Hitting a pothole can damage wheel bearings. Basically, the force of the impact causes the ball bearings to get driven into the bearing race and cause indentations in the race. Then the bearing eventually becomes noisy. You could have damaged the bearing but the other noises (loud banging, as you describe it) and the binding of the axle may indicate other or additional damage. The only way to identify the damage, and determine the cause of the axle binding, is to inspect what you have. If you request a suspension inspection a certified mechanic will inspect the car and estimate the required repairs. If you have further questions or concerns, do not hesitate to re-contact YourMechanic as we are always here to help you.
How to Identify and Fix Common car Problems ?
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A bad wheel bearing can cause damage to other components of your vehicle, such as the CV Axle Shaft.
To tell the difference between a bad wheel bearing and a bad CV joint, listen to the noise. If you hear a grinding, growling, or rumbling noise coming from the affected wheel, it`s a bad wheel bearing. If you hear a clicking noise coming from the affected wheel when turning, it`s a bad CV joint.
If you drive a car with a damaged CV, the joint will deteriorate more, making driving impossible. You`ll be at risk of getting into an accident. In summary, it is advisable to neve drive a vehicle with faulty CV joints.
When your CV joints are not well-lubricated, the friction increases, preventing your CV axle from freely rotating. If your CV joints are not adequately lubricated, they may make noise when the axle begins to turn.
A broken axle shaft will require a serious repair. If your axle shaft breaks, it can cause all sorts of problems for your transmission system.
Since wheel bearings are what your tires spin on, they can reduce your acceleration as they fail. Due to poor lubrication or rust, wheel bearings can start to perform worse, and they won`t let your vehicle acceleration freely.
When the CV joint becomes damaged or worn, you may hear a clicking, clunking or popping sound coming from this area as the weight of the vehicle puts pressure on this area and shifts back and forth and side to side.
When a front CV axle goes bad, it will make a clunking noise as you make a slow turn. When a rear axle goes bad, the clunking or moaning sound will be in the back.
Bumpy ride
A CV axle is supposed to work smoothly with suspension movements while the wheels turn. A bad CV axle may not be able to cope with modulations in the suspension resulting in an uneven ride. Worn bearings will cause the CV axle to rotate unevenly resulting in a bumpy ride.
Things that can break your vehicle`s axle include poor maintenance; an auto accident; hitting curbs, potholes, or bumps too hard; and overloading your vehicle beyond its weight-bearing capacity. The axle is responsible for transferring the engine`s power and transmission`s torque to the wheels.
Driving with worn wheel bearings can cause serious damage to your drive-axle and steering assembly and ultimately be a major safety hazard. Driving on a bad wheel bearing puts stress on the hub and CV joint, brake system components, and ultimately on the transmission itself.
Faulty wheel bearings can cause a vibration in your steering. It could also cause the vehicle to pull more toward one side. The steering feels “loose.” A broken wheel bearing will cause the steering to have a little more play which means it will feel looser.
Impact damage or poor road quality – all impacts from driving through a pothole, driving over speed bumps or hitting the curbstone can damage a wheel bearing and reduce its lifespan. Poor quality wheel bearing – a wheel bearing is continuously under enormous pressure.
Q: Is it safe to drive with a bad wheel bearing? A: No. It can, in fact, be very dangerous to drive if one of your bearings is worn out, especially since it may cause the wheel to stop while driving. Additionally, a damaged wheel bearing puts a lot of stress on the hub, the CV joint, and the transmission itself.
The most common and often most-identifiable symptom associated with a bad wheel bearing is noise coming from the wheel or tire area of the moving vehicle. You may mistake this as engine noise, but when you listen closely you are likely to hear grinding or grating that gets louder as the vehicle accelerates.
Damaged CV joints can produce suspension vibration in your car, and will need to be replaced. In fact, if you drive for too long with faulty CV joints, you may need to replace your drive axles too, which will cost you significantly more.
Popping or clicking noises when turning.
This indicates a worn or damaged outer CV joint. To verify this condition, place the vehicle in reverse, crank the steering wheel to one side and drive the vehicle backward in a circle (check the rearview mirror first!).
That clunking noise you hear from the front end of your car when driving over a bump can be telling of an issue with your car`s suspension. More specifically, the problem is with your control arms or suspension system struts. This damage can occur if you are off-road or roughly going over potholes.
This symptom typically happens when you have a suspension issue, and occurs when driving over bumps, uneven surfaces, debris, potholes, and more. It could be that some suspension part is loose or broken. The suspension system is fairly complex, so finding the exact source of the noise can be tricky to do by yourself.
The play in the CV Axle joint causes the vibrations as the joint rotates thousands of times a minute. The rotation causes the joint to move inside the housing and bounce around accelerating the failure and causes the vibration you feel as your drive on the highway.
The most common failure pattern for wheel bearings is for those on the passenger side of the vehicle to fail first. The passenger side bearings are exposed to the most standing water in the gutter.
A sure sign that your bearing has failed is vibration. If the raceway surface of the bearing becomes damaged by abrasion, the rolling elements (the balls or rollers) will bounce around on the raceway surface during operation, causing high levels of vibration.
The bearings won`t allow the wheel to turn freely, which exacerbates the problem. It also puts stress and strain on the hub, the CV joint, the axle, and the transmission. Ultimate damage: If you don`t replace a damaged wheel bearing before it fails completely, the wheel will completely seize up.
Relevant Questions and Answers :
the most relevant questions and answers related to your specific issue
Loud bang from front wheel and the wheel locks up in reverse. It didn’t show signs of a bad cv shaft. binding or hub bearing?
ANSWER : Hitting a pothole can damage wheel bearings. Basically, the force of the impact causes the ball bearings to get driven into the bearing race and cause indentations in the race. Then the bearing eventually becomes noisy. You could have damaged the bearing but the other noises (loud banging, as you describe it) and the binding of the axle may indicate other or additional damage. The only way to identify the damage, and determine the cause of the axle binding, is to inspect what you have. If you request a suspension inspection a certified mechanic will inspect the car and estimate the required repairs. If you have further questions or concerns, do not hesitate to re-contact YourMechanic as we are always here to help you.
Will a bad wheel bearing damage the CV joints, or will bad CV joints damage the wheel bearing? Honda Accord lax 2006
ANSWER : Any bad part in the drive train can put additional stress on other parts. I could probably draw a line from a bad wheel bearing to a bad CV joint. Not so much the other way. However, it might seem that way because the parts have a similar life span. Once one part fails, the others may come soon after. If your car really only has 45000 miles it seems a little soon for either one to be failing unless you are living and driving in bad northern winters. If your car is making sounds in either the CV or the wheel bearings, you can have it checked out at your convenience by contacting Your Mechanic. They can send a technician to your home or office to check out your Honda and tell you what it may need.
I hear an abnormal noise from front driver’s side wheel. It sounds like a wheel bearing but not sure.
ANSWER : A wheel bearing noise can be different between vehicles as some designs may vary a little. The most common is a roaring noise that may change when going around turns. It may be louder going in one direction or the other or just make a loud noise all of the time. The wheel hub presses into the wheel bearing. The hub is where the studs are for the wheel to be bolted onto the steering knuckle and the bearing provides the support for the wheel and weight of the vehicle. Consider hiring an experienced technician like one from YourMechanic who can come out and take a closer look at your wheel bearing noise to offer a more personal diagnosis.
Can front wheel drive car engine power rear wheel drive
ANSWER : Anything is possible with enough engineering. The changes you are looking at would take major structural changes and would definitely not be an easy job. You could possibly consult a manufacturing engineer to get more details on how this could actually be carried out and whether it would be feasible.
What other damage can a locked up front drivers side wheel bearing cause on a Dodge Dakota 4×4
ANSWER : The likelihood of concealed damage depends on the circumstances surrounding the failure. For example, if the wheel locked at 60 MPH, it is possible that the powertrain and axle experienced unusual high loading. Although the vehicle has a differential there are still going to be shock loads when you suddenly stop one wheel. However, whether the excessive loads actually caused any damage is unknowable short of disassembly. There are two options, at least: 1) Have the seller repair the wheel bearing so that the car can be evaluated as best as possible; and 2) buy the car "as is", that is as a junk vehicle, therefore subtract $2,000 to $3,000 to cover the costs of any possible concealed damage. Unless the price is already really low, don’t be afraid to ask for a substantial discount in your present circumstances because the controlling facts are: 1) you WOULD be taking a substantial risk buying a non functioning, untested vehicle; and 2) it is not likely there are going to be too many other purchasers in the picture, so your negotiating position is good (most people do not want to assume this kind of risk). To further protect yourself in the transaction, you can also request a pre-purchase vehicle inspection. That inspection, carried out by a certified Mechanic, dispatched to your location, will give you lots of data regarding the condition of the rest of the car. If you look at the just cited link for YourMechanic’s inspection service, you will see a long list of the vehicle systems that are inspected as well as details of YourMechanic’s inspection methodology. If we can assist you further, please do not hesitate for a moment to re-contact YourMechanic during your attempt to make a wise and economical used vehicle purchase.
If i supply both front wheel hub assemblies, what will the total installation cost be to?
ANSWER : Sent billing question to CS for installation of the front wheel hub assemblies.
I have a 2004 Dodge Dakota that needs the front wheel hubs changed. It is 4wd with all wheel ABS. I need some tips.
ANSWER : When I replace a hub, I don’t necessarily remove the CV joints. I do, however, remove the nut that is holding the CV joint onto the hub. You will need to remove the brakes and rotor, the upper and lower ball joints (replace if damaged), remove the tie rod end (replace if damaged), and the sway arm from the hub.
This should be all you need to remove to take off your hub. Remember, if you damage any boots you will need to replace the part for your safety. Before doing all of this, you may want to get an assortment of cotter pins as well. If you want some assistance, be sure to have a professional mechanic, such as one from YourMechanic, perform a wheel hub replacement.
My front wheels are locked when I switched to four wheel drive.
ANSWER : If your transfer case can switch from 2 HI, 4 Hi, and 4 LOW, then there is nothing wrong with the transfer case. There seems to be an issue with the front locking solenoid and it may be stuck in the wrong position. Try backing up the vehicle with the transfer case in 2 HI and see if the front wheels unlock themselves. If they do, then you would need to replace the front locking solenoid. If the wheels stay locked, then a bearing may have collapsed. If you need further assistance with your front wheels locking up in 4WD, then seek out a professional, such as one from Your Mechanic, to help you.
