Checking bearings

You just need to use your eyes. If you have right to left play, just 'look' at the tie rod and it's ends. If loose, you will see it. If you have easy in out play at the top, it is more likely the bearing than a ball joint. Ball joints are usually hard to move.

Mike

I've seen worn ball joints cause this occasional instability on more than one occasion. On one in particular, the car would go into dangerously severe buffeting when the car was going into a corner at moderate speed..

It is worth checking both bearings and suspension components, IMO, just to be sure.

Thanks. At just about 200K miles it's probably worth replacing them.

At this mileage, one could call it mere maintenance. BUT: If your curiosity is like many, temporarily swapping front 2 wheels/tires may tell you something--just what, I can't recall at the moment, as I'm exhausted from yard work. Funny how twice the labor on cars is less tiring! HTH, s

They were rotated with no difference. The sound/noise is defineately not a tire noise.

Do those rotors slip on over the wheel studs? Did you clean off all the rust/dirt/other crud from the hub face before installing the rotors? My Cavalier used to shudder when braking, and everyone said it was warped rotors. I took them off to do the pads, and found lots of junk between the rotors and hubs, stuff that had fallen into that gap every time the tires were changed and the rotor came a bit loose. The junk makes the rotors (and wheels) wobble.

Dan

Didn't look like there was any junk in there. I'll check it. I know this, both tie-rods are worn and the

MB

Is this a FWD vehicle? If so how are your CV joints?

nate

CV's look fine, but they would have more to do with acceleration or power to the wheels, rather than the problems I'm having.

MB