Wheel Bearing Failure?

[mfanatic325]

Anyone have experience with wheel bearing or hub failure due to excessive forces or temps due to track duty?

I've recently noticed a lot of annoying ticking noises coming from only my rear wheels. I originally thought that it might just be loose lug nuts or something, but then how come the fronts have no noise? And I've been torquing the lugs the exact same way I've always done them, so why the noise now, and why only the rears?

I'm worried it's the wheel bearings going out on me. Or perhaps the hubs themselves? The ticking sounds almost like when rocks/debris bounce around in your brakes after a hot track session. So I'd describe it as somewhat of a metallic or plastic tapping sound, but specifically from the wheel area and has to do with wheel motion/movement.

When I start off from a standstill, I can hear the ticking with the windows down. I've even tried cornering harder on on-ramps/off-ramps on/off the freeways. They just tick louder and faster

I definitely want to address the issue before I go back to the track on May 25th--out if safety precaution.

[yousefnjr]

It's coming from both sides? If you have the car raised and spin one of the wheels by hand, can you hear anything?

[Quickid]

My E46 had the rear right wheel bearing issue recently and the noise is more of a groaning/humming noise.

Your description reminds me of the annoying ticking noise I experienced with my MCoupe. It turned out to be the diff. I replaced the diff fluid with OEM SAF-XJ with FM Booster (not sure about the exact name but something like that) and the ticking noise went away.

[Kgolf31]

Interesting.

Last year I was diagnosed with worn FCABs where my front wheels were able to shake back and forth standing still. Some people told me it was a wheel bearing issue.

Reason I bring this up, is that sometimes I can replicate this shaking back and forth of the wheel (at 12 o'clock rocking into the engine bay and out) and other times it is solid and won't move.

I'm confused by it. No ticking noises, but I get a squeak in the middle of the turn when the right front is under load.

[seank]

Wheel bearing are common with track use especially with increased camber. Most track cars have the fronts replaced once a year, depending on camber, tires used related to G loads. Front are most common replaced yearly, with rears every 4 years.

This may not be your issue though.

[Finnegan]

A few things:

How many miles on the car?
Last differential fluid change (mileage)?
Number of track days?

Easy things to check:

Rubbing of some components (something from the BBK install)? If it's just started though, we can cross off the BBK install.
Rock in between pad and disk?
Have you put the car on jacks and tried manually rotating the wheels and/or hub in neutral? That may isolate the noise or let you hear location.

, but hope this gets sorted quickly and it's nothing major.

[mfanatic325]

Yeah it just started recently so it's definitely not due to BBK install.

My diff fluid was just changed before winter time last year, so that shouldn't be it either.

I spun the wheels by hand just while car is up on the lift at the shop, and I couldn't reproduce any of the ticking. So it seems like there needs to be weight or pressure down on the wheels in order for the sound to be pronounced.

I will try breaking loose all the lugs and reposition them and retorque them to see if it'll help.

My ride dies have road noise, but I've always attributed it to 19" tires and/or low profile (30-series on the rears).

My fronts had no sound. Only came from the mrears; both sides.

[yousefnjr]

If you can hear it from both sides, I'd immediately suspect the diff as somebody else suggested... Unless the noise is coming from one side, but can be heard from either window

It would be a hell of a coincidence to have 2 parts fail at either side at the same time that make the same noise, no? I would try and follow the driveline from the wheels up, hopefully you'll notice something

[O-cha]

Originally Posted by mfanatic325

Anyone have experience with wheel bearing or hub failure due to excessive forces or temps due to track duty?

I've recently noticed a lot of annoying ticking noises coming from only my rear wheels. I originally thought that it might just be loose lug nuts or something, but then how come the fronts have no noise? And I've been torquing the lugs the exact same way I've always done them, so why the noise now, and why only the rears?

I'm worried it's the wheel bearings going out on me. Or perhaps the hubs themselves? The ticking sounds almost like when rocks/debris bounce around in your brakes after a hot track session. So I'd describe it as somewhat of a metallic or plastic tapping sound, but specifically from the wheel area and has to do with wheel motion/movement.

When I start off from a standstill, I can hear the ticking with the windows down. I've even tried cornering harder on on-ramps/off-ramps on/off the freeways. They just tick louder and faster

I definitely want to address the issue before I go back to the track on May 25th--out if safety precaution.

This sounds nothing like a bad wheel bearing, though I can't tell you what it is.

Originally Posted by Kgolf31

Interesting.

Last year I was diagnosed with worn FCABs where my front wheels were able to shake back and forth standing still. Some people told me it was a wheel bearing issue.

Reason I bring this up, is that sometimes I can replicate this shaking back and forth of the wheel (at 12 o'clock rocking into the engine bay and out) and other times it is solid and won't move.

I'm confused by it. No ticking noises, but I get a squeak in the middle of the turn when the right front is under load.

Same as above, worn fcabs allow the wheel to move forward and back longitudinally, not back and forth. Don't know what your actual problem is.

[mfanatic325]

Yeah I tried shaking each wheel today. Could not get any of the wheels to budge, so it shouldn't be the wheel bearings nor the wheel hubs.

Differential could be a possibility I suppose. Though, I'm not sure what causes the ticking noise specifically. I have been noticing road noise as of late, proportional to wheel speed. Ugh...if it really is the diff, I don't have the time or funds to deal with this right now...
Been busy juggling projects and prepping for upcoming final examinations all while gathering parts/intel for my supercharger install. Install is currently at like 65% completion rate

[pokeybritches]

How long has this been going on? Did you check for small sticks/twigs/leaves/road debris/etc stuck around the calipers?

[Kgolf31]

Originally Posted by O-cha

This sounds nothing like a bad wheel bearing, though I can't tell you what it is.

Same as above, worn fcabs allow the wheel to move forward and back longitudinally, not back and forth. Don't know what your actual problem is.

I must of explained myself wrong.

The wheel does move forward and back on a longitude plane, into the fender and out

[XMetal]

Originally Posted by mfanatic325

My diff fluid was just changed before winter time last year, so that shouldn't be it either.

Did you use SAF-XJ + FM Booster? You should read "Quickid's" thread on this as it does sound a lot like what he had experienced.

[mfanatic325]

Yup, have been using SAF-XJ + FM Booster ever since 3.91 upgrade...

The road noise has been going on for maybe a year? Again, I thought it was just cause of low profile tires or something.
The ticking however started just recently like within the last couple of months. The last time I went tracking was like February or something like that. Quite a while back.

[O-cha]

Originally Posted by Kgolf31

I must of explained myself wrong.

The wheel does move forward and back on a longitude plane, into the fender and out

Longitudinally is forward and back, not in and out.

[Kgolf31]

Originally Posted by O-cha

Longitudinally is forward and back, not in and out.

Doh. I'm stupid.

Just ignore me

[Kgolf31]

Well bumping this back up.

My right front wheel is still shaking in/out of the engine bay (like you would do when you do a shake-down for wheel bearings)

I'm getting a squeak and movement on the wheel. When I was in tech today for autocross and I was able to apply light pressure like I was shaking the wheel bearing (while laying on the ground) and the shock actually moved along the shaft when the car was jacked up

Could this lead to a blown shock?

[mfanatic325]

Damn...I would get that crap fixed regardless of damage haha. Sounds pretty bad.

I'm going into the shop next Wednesday. They were the ones that did my diff upgrade, so they're going to take a look at my ticking issues for me.

[Kgolf31]

Originally Posted by mfanatic325

Damn...I would get that crap fixed regardless of damage haha. Sounds pretty bad.

I'm going into the shop next Wednesday. They were the ones that did my diff upgrade, so they're going to take a look at my ticking issues for me.

Yea...it is fairly weird. FCABs were replaced and brand new (basically) so that instantly rules it out.

Funny thing, after a 1.5 drive back from autocross the issue couldn't be replicated. However after about an hour sitting in the driveway when I was changing my tires the sound was back again when you did a shake-down.

It feels like a wheel bearing, initially...but who knows.

When the car is unloaded on a jack, I can physically take the wheel and compress the shock fairly easily an inch or so...the other side is NOT like that...which leads me to a possible blown shock? However...there is no oil or any liquid around the top of the shock.

Who knows, I still got CPO so i'll have BMW look at it

[mfanatic325]

Okayyy, so here's an update:

I went to Performance Technic this morning and had them diagnose my ticking noise issues. (just a quick aside, the ticking sounded like plastic zip ties being hit repeatedly against something).

So apparently I need a new LSD unit. There's significant play in my diff caused by spider gears or something
And that's probably what's causing the noise.

[Finnegan]

Damn.

Dan at diffsonline can probably help.

[mfanatic325]

Originally Posted by Finnegan

Damn.

Dan at diffsonline can probably help.

Will shoot him an email, thanks.

And I'll also put up a WTB thread in the classifieds.

The car is drivable for now but P-Tech recommends not to track hard, just in case.