Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums General Troubleshooting Squeal When Turning-Wheel Bearings or CV Joint?

Lift the front end off the ground and spin the wheel by hand and you should detect the bad wheel bearing, although I cant say I ever heard one squeal...more of a whirring type grinding noise. You must remove the entire hub assy to change the bearing and its about a 2" thick bearing pressed in and retained with a big C-Clip. Do not attempt the job yourself...The guy at the garage who pressed my old one out and new on in, could have injured himself when my old one shattered when taking it out. Although I did remove the hub assy myself and bought the new bearing at around $45 Can. and $35 Can to have them press it out and install new one.So it cost me $80.00 to do it myself not incl my time...I have heard of people paying as low as $150 for the whole job. So its not worth doing yourself.

Hmmm. . .
sounds like the consensus is a wheel bearing issue.

Since the noise is coming from the right side, when I turn right, I'm assuming it's the passenger side wheel bearing. . .I'll have them install the stage 2 axle while everything is off as well . . .2 in 1 I guess. . .

Are "aftermarket" bearings better than standard issue Ford OEM ones?? hint hint, Stazi, does your company make them out of molybedium or something?

interesting new development-

since I've been thoroughly convinced that this is a wheel bearing problem, I haven't driven the car.

now the car won't start, like the battery is dead. All the lights are dim, it won't even turn over, it sounds as if it is dying.

SO, I'm starting to wonder, that noise from the passenger side of the car, was that the alternator DYING?? And the noise I heard was the power steering (an accessory running off of the alternator belt) just kind of straining the system??

At this point, I'm not going to drive the car until I figure out whether I should buy a new battery and take it to the pros (Ford dealership, Mastercare, etc.) BTW, the optima battery is < 1 year old. Is it rechargeable??

Just as a follow up, the alternator was replaced, and everything is copasetic. The squealing noise was clearly the power steering pump straining since the alternator was dying. Wheel bearings didn't need to be replaced (had axle replaced at time of installation). . .everything is perfect.