Technical Excessive? play in front wheel (wheel bearing?)

[stephen2929]

Daughter says noise from front left
Only had time to quickly jack up and look round, and still need to more extensively test.
Front left wheel seems to have some play in it
ie jacked up, rocking it vertically can feel some play (more than I would expect, and more than I recall noticing last time I had it jacked up [when checking on spring twang ])
(rocking horizontally is harder to tell)
Does not seem to be suspension joints
Possibly from wheel bearing?
The other front right wheel has no noticable play (just the tinyest, normal amount)

Anyone any knowledge or experience of what would be classed as 'normal'

Will be taking out for run later to listen for rumble etc and to see if that is the noise she was mentioning.

 

[bugsymike]

Daughter says noise from front left
Only had time to quickly jack up and look round, and still need to more extensively test.
Front left wheel seems to have some play in it
ie jacked up, rocking it vertically can feel some play (more than I would expect, and more than I recall noticing last time I had it jacked up [when checking on spring twang ])
(rocking horizontally is harder to tell)
Does not seem to be suspension joints
Possibly from wheel bearing?
The other front right wheel has no noticable play (just the tinyest, normal amount)

Anyone any knowledge or experience of what would be classed as 'normal'

Will be taking out for run later to listen for rumble etc and to see if that is the noise she was mentioning.

It is hard to say without actually being there shaking the wheel, but if you can feel the difference compared with the other side then it needs looking at.
If you can safely support the car and get someone else to vigorously shake it , then it may be easier to see where the movement is.
As daughter is main driver? Ask her to give detail of when and how the noise occurs.
I never expected my customers to know what the problem was, but as they drove the vehicles much more than I ever would , they were best to say what they could notice/feel and then enable me to diagnose the fault.

 

[PuntoHowTo]

These are sealed unit bearings, unless they are completely destroyed you don't tend to ever get much play in them.

Better off rotating the wheel and listening and feeling for any rumbling, grinding or grating. holding the wheel in your hand and turning it slowly you can sometimes feel the roughness in the bearing if its on its way out. Then go round the other side and do the same to compare.

I've had cars with completely shot bearings and absolutely no play at all.

 

[stephen2929]

Thanks for the comments. I'll take a closer look some time but not sure that play (maybe in suspension 'kingpin') is the cause of the noise now.
Noise is more like that you get from a stone in the tire
Somes not there or v quiet, other times a deep thump, thump, thump
Hard to say at the moment how/if affected by speed (which should change the frequency) or cornering (which would affect laod and other forces on it)
But when its in the loud and continual thump, thump state it is significant and 'disturbing'

 

[marianadamute]

I've got a problem with my rear left wheel bearing. You guys think is it safe to drive until I'll get it change in one week? (There's just loud tyre noise when driving).

 

[stephen2929]

Daughter had the car looked at, and front suspension top cups? were replaced (aka the spring twang related thing)
and since then the strange noises have gone.

Havent had chance to see if that had any effect on the slight vertical play I noticed (will recheck soon) and will keep an eye on it.