Hyundai Sonata wheel bearings - advice/thoughts needed

[shadango]

Hey guys, hoping someone can help.  Going to write this out , partly just to see what I have done in writing - sometimes that helps me...LOL

I have a 2006 Sonata and it started a (very) loud humming noise , which sure sounds like its coming from the rear to me, just cant tell for sure which side.

I had swapped in a spare tire one at a time and the noise stayed exactly the same each test.

The tires were just about shot so just had new tires put on, and an alignment.  (Talk about an OUCH......$720........ ) and those are just average tires.......but I digress...........

While it rides better and steers better now, still have the same noise.

The noise starts at around 25 mph and gets louder as the speed goes up.  The noise goes away when I take a left turn but is the same for right turns or straight.

I am thinking its a rear wheel bearing......the one on the right?

Jacked up the rear and spun the wheels.....no excess noise and no play in either.  That was confirmed by the guy who did the tire change and alignment.

It is not an immediate danger, since there is no play....but the noise tells me that it is inevitable, if it is the bearings.

Still feel likes it has to be a rear bearing to me....or more accurately, a hub assembly, on this car.

The tire place (firestone), wants $315 for ONE hub and $75 to install it.  Ouch.

The local parts houses want $150-160 each......

Rock auto wants anywhere from $65 to $150 depending on brand.   Timken is $100, Moog is $120.  All the warranties are the same, 12 months.

Was thinking I would just get two of the Timkens and swap them both out and be sure.

111k miles on the car so if one is toast the other is sure to follow.

Looks at the haynes' service book and it appears to be a bolt in sort of deal.....remove the wheel and disk, speed sensor, 4 bolts and it drops out.

Just looking for advice, thoughts, etc.

I guess worse comes to worse, I will change out the hubs for nothing......LOL   

[JS27N0B]

I think you are on the right track except it is very possibly a left wheel bearing seeing as when you take the load off on a left turn more weight gets put to the right side. I would have someone else drive while you ride in the back to see if one side is noisier than the other.

My 2

[Barracudadan]

My wifes Sonata was making a grinding noise recently the noise would come and go as she was driving. The problem was metal from the rusted out dust shield on the brakes getting stuck between the pads.

 I`ve had more stupid things go wrong with Hyundais, you couldnt give me one the next time i`m looking for another car! 

[shadango]

To be honest, I cant really complain about the car -- we have 111k miles on it and it is only now starting to need anything.

Month or two back it needed two new AC hoses  (big $$)......tires yesterday and now the bearings......found them on Rockauto for $100 each (Timken) so waaaa cheaper than firestone's $315 each.  Gonna go rockauto I think and change them both.

The driver's side mirror/windows/locks panel acts funky sometimes so I think that will need replaced.....I replaced the hood cables and latch (cheap) recently.....

I do question some of the design of how they built the car around certain things...LOL...but so far a good car IMHO.  Like I said, 111k miles and really doesnt get the TLC it deserves.

Crossing my fingers that we can get some more years out of it.

[Barracudadan]

To be honest, I cant really complain about the car -- we have 111k miles on it and it is only now starting to need anything.

Month or two back it needed two new AC hoses  (big $$)......tires yesterday and now the bearings......found them on Rockauto for $100 each (Timken) so waaaa cheaper than firestone's $315 each.  Gonna go rockauto I think and change them both.

The driver's side mirror/windows/locks panel acts funky sometimes so I think that will need replaced.....I replaced the hood cables and latch (cheap) recently.....

I do question some of the design of how they built the car around certain things...LOL...but so far a good car IMHO.  Like I said, 111k miles and really doesnt get the TLC it deserves.

Crossing my fingers that we can get some more years out of it.

Glad yours is holding up for you lower control arms are a problem for these cars. Stamped steel and they rust from the inside out there was a recall on them for certain years. The fix at the dealership if the control arms werent already rotted out was to drill a hole in them to let water drain out!!!

[shadango]

Glad yours is holding up for you lower control arms are a problem for these cars. Stamped steel and they rust from the inside out there was a recall on them for certain years. The fix at the dealership if the control arms werent already rotted out was to drill a hole in them to let water drain out!!!

What year was yours?