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Vauxhall cavalier help please ?!?! - welshy
Own an "N" plate Cavalier hatchback 1.8i. I am sure I have a wheel bearing on the way out , but the garages ive been to cannot tell me which one is on the way out . They have had the car up on a 4 point lift , then put the car in gear and listened to the front wheels while car is up in the air , and cannot see any problem , theres no play in the wheels either !
Went to tyre fitters today , and did notice that on one front tyre the inner part of the tread was worn down more than the rest , it looked very odd i must say , so changed the tyre and had tracking checked and put right , they said it was out 2mm on one side and 4mm on the other , but we still have the noise ! !! ! ! arghhhhhhhhhhhhhh please help before I spend and absolute fotune ( which i havnt got ) ! ! ! !
Vauxhall cavalier help please ?!?! - RobertH
welshy
It sounds like you might have a drive shaft gone run round on a big car park and steer from left to right and it will be apparent which side as gone its got to be a bearing or drive shaft
cost of drive shaft 65 approx exchange
bearing 20 and at its age id change both

bob
Vauxhall cavalier help please ?!?! - Andrew Moorey (Tune-Up)
What are the rear tyres like? I have had several instances when the rear tyre (s) are getting low the carcase starts to delaminate and the tread lifts. At any thing over about 15mph it sounds like a wheel bearing.
Andrew


Simplicate and add lightness!!
Vauxhall cavalier help please ?!?! - John S
Andrew

I'd agree with you it could be rear tyres, although it may just be the brand of tyre and not necessarily a fault. From about 30k miles my Vectra sounded as though a rear wheel bearing was failing, but checks at services showed no problems. When the time came to replace the rear tyres (Goodyear NCT3's) at 50k I fitted Michelin Pilots and the noise vanished.

Regards

John S
Vauxhall cavalier help please ?!?! - welshy
Done what you suggested and theres no change in noise , its very faint but i know its not quite right . As for the tyres, they are all good.
Vauxhall cavalier help please ?!?! - Dynamic Dave
Does the noise increase or decrease when you go around corners?

At what sort of speeds do you hear this noise?

Vauxhall cavalier help please ?!?! - welshy
The noise does increase on corners either right or left turns but only slightly , I would say that from 50 mph onwards I cant hear anything . Like I previously stated I have taken the car to 2 different garages and they cannot find a problem with any of the wheel-bearings , they have run the car on a 4 legged ramp thing and cannot hear anything untoward . They have taken the car on a test drive and did notice a very slight groan, but they said its nothing to worry about , but with me being a bit of a worrier and perfectionist (sorry) i just want the noise not to be there . I used to have a Cavalier saloon with a lot more miles on the clock and it was a totally different drive , compared to this one being newer and a lot less miles with a near full Vaux history !! ! !One other point I should mention also , and is there is no play in any of the wheel-bearings .
Vauxhall cavalier help please ?!?! - Civic8
if it is wheel bearings.a possibility. you are in the early stages of them going.would be inclined to wait a while when they get worse.there is another possibility differential bearings inside diff casing.if they are whining will take years before any problems occur from what you said it is a possible cause.but should not be anything to worry about for a long time.ps assuming oil level in gearbox is ok.wheel bearings will get worse before diff bearings so that should give an idea.
Vauxhall cavalier help please ?!?! - Dynamic Dave
Cavaliers are prone to a noisy 2nd and/or 3rd gear. Certainly was the case on a couple of my old ones. Once into 4th the noise became quiter.

I take it the gearbox oil level is correct?

Also, what makes you think it\'s a front wheel bearing? A worn rear bearing can fool the ears into thinking the noise is coming from the front.

they have run the car on a 4 legged ramp thing and cannot
hear anything untoward....


This proves nothing. The car is off the ground - ie, no loading on the wheels or gearbox. A rolling road would be better.
Vauxhall cavalier help please ?!?! - welshy
Thanks again , yes gearbox level is fine ive checked that . as for a noisey gearbox no , theres no noise from there in any gears as the noise im talking about does it even when in neutral going down-hill.
Vauxhall cavalier help please ?!?! - Civic8
Diff is still running even in neutral.
Vauxhall cavalier help please ?!?! - Dynamic Dave
Diff is still running even in neutral.


Yep, Cavalier's have been known to have noisy ones.
Vauxhall cavalier help please ?!?! - Richard Huddleston
Mk2's are renowned for dodgy cv joints, mk3 is similar if not the same design. It's not an easy DIY job but it's not that expensive to have done. If it knocks at full lock I'd say that's it. Opinions vary on whether it's dangerous or not but if if seizes at the wrong moment you're in deep trouble.
Regards.
Vauxhall cavalier help please ?!?! - Dynamic Dave
Mk2's are renowned for dodgy cv joints, mk3 is similar if
not the same design.


Touch wood, of all the Vauxhalls I've owned since 1986, I've never had to replace a CV joint. Gaiters, yes, but never the joints themselves.

Mk1 Astra 104,000 miles when sold.
Mk2 Cavalier over 90,000 miles when sold.
Another M2 Cavalier, over 155,000 miles when sold.
Mk3 Cavalier, over 85,000 miles when sold.
Another Mk3 Cavalier, again over 85,000 miles when sold.

All vehicles still on original CV joints.

I imagine by replacing the gaiters as soon as I saw signs of perishing and cracking helped the CV joints from failing.

Vauxhall cavalier help please ?!?! - welshy
is there any additive i can use in the gearbox ? just to see if this works ?