Club 80-90 Forums

My van has developed an ominous rumbling from (I think) a wheel bearing. It sounds like the front, which are obviously not standard Type 25 - I assume the rears are.

GSF don't list front bearings for the Syncro. Has anyone any idea how much they are, where they can be bought, and any tips on how hard it is to replace them (there doesn't seem to be anything on the Wiki).

Any help appreciated!

Did you try the forum 'Search' function ? eg.

this thread and this one.

...er, ta very much.

Well, following the advice on the other threads I've checked all four wheels for play. None of them rock at all - in fact they feel rock solid!

I've discovered that it is not possible to spin the wheels to listen for rumbling though, as on a Syncro all the wheels are interconnected. Is it possible to spin a wheel by jacking up more than one? It will be difficult to diagnose which bearing is making the noise otherwise.

Yes jack up a pair.. but there will still be a lot of "friction"
could be the front dif though.. get hold of the output flanges and give them a wriggle.. might have play in those bearings...

Wheel bearings tend to drone or hum, not rumble...

But if they are really shot to pieces then i suppose rumble might come into it

Suspect it could be a propshaft UJ (any vibration) or as TMT says, possibly front duff bearings. In fact, first drop the oil in the front diff (ensuring you can remove the filler plug) and chekc the amount that comes out and the quality.. replace with new. Inspect removed oil for thick sticky smelly stuff (burst VC) and/or metal particles (bearing breaking up)

Many thanks chaps.

I think the Diff oil and the VC will be OK as they were only changed 3k ago. The noise is not the usual droning of a wheel bearing but then I've heard bearings make all sorts of noises over the years on different vehicles!

The noise does display the classic wheel bearing symptom of being noisy on the straights and cornering one way (left in this case) and quiet when cornering the opposite way. I think I remember from previous experience that they tend to be quieter when heavily loaded, which suggests one of those on the left hand side of the van. There is also some (not a lot of) high-frequency vibration.

I'll have another good ferret around tomorrow if my headache lets me....

i have just replaced one on my westy syncro no problem at all and is now no rumbles