steve1961

Hi everyone my name is Steve and I have a 1992 LS400. I recently replace both bearings on the rear hubs. I did this because I was hearing a grinding noise coming from the drivers side and decided it would be smart to do both sides. I knew it wasn't my pads because they are almost brand new. I knew this was going to be a big job so after 10 days of hell I got it all back together. I broke both trailing arms and had to grind the old ones off because the bolts were fused in the sleeves. The biggest thing was figuring out how to keep the upper ball joint from turning but after searching online I found a solution. Okay so now it's all back together with brand new bearings pressed in by NAPA and the axles barely turn and I'm hearing an awful grinding noise. I thought the axle nut was too tight but loosening it didn't help. So my question is what the heck is causing the axles not to turn freely? My traction control light/check engine light has been on almost a year but I kept driving the car because I didn't notice anything out of the ordinary. Any help would be greatly appreciated thanks

sha4000

iTrader: (1)

Need to remove this to the regular forum if you want to get responses and help.

timmy0tool

iTrader: (7)

you sure the bearings are to blame? when was the last time you replaced your rear diff fluid? it might be a good idea to see its condition.

grinding would lead me to the differential or the axles themselves.

dicer

How many miles on it? I don't think anyone has had rear bearing problems even way past the 300,000 mile point. I agree with timmyotool. But also now since there are new bearings and who knows if they have been pressed in correctly and weren't damaged in the process, or if they were bad before the install.
So did Napa say the old ones that were removed were bad?

steve1961

No he didn't but said he had some difficulty pressing them out. I wanted to watch him do it but was waiting in my car for some seals coming from another store which took about an hour. I wouldn't know how to check by looking if they were pressed in correctly or damaged. Since this post I went ahead and replaced both axles and it's still grinding bad. I broke both wires where they connect to the abs sensor on both sides would this have anything to do with the grinding? I checked and turned the differential and it turns very easily without the axles hooked up and when I put the axle in the hub it also turns freely but when I connect both sides it's like some freak thing happens and it grinds real bad. The noise is coming from the hub like something is rubbing but why would it turn freely when the axle is in it without being connected to the differential? Has about 280,000 miles on it.

steve1961

Not sure how to do that thought I needed to stay in the LS400 forum

dicer

Can you grab the tires when the jacked up and wiggle them in any direction? And when you turn them with out axles connected they turned very quietly? Now check the front bearings. How do all the abs reluctors (tone ring) look, any wear?

steve1961

Yes as I said the axles turn freely in the hub without being connected to the differential. There is a little wear on the tone rings but it doesn't look that much different than the new axles.

dicer

There should be zero wear on them. Nothing is supposed to touch them, and that could be the noise. They are kind of like the crank sensor there is supposed to be an air gap to the ABS sensor from the tone ring, if its touching that is not good.

Tires turn we got that................. now jack up and grab top and bottom of tire and push in and pull out alternately, is there any wiggle? Figure out why the reluctors have wear, that could be your grinding noise.


Another item to check is the drive line center bearing.

Scratchy

you're sure it's not the shoes rubbing on the inside of the drums? could've gotten misadjusted when you have everything apart. can't tell from your posts if the noise is there without the rotors on.

also curious about wear on the tone rings... especially if you have ABS error codes..

dicer

Yes, I didn't even think of this one. Let us know whats happening.

steve1961

I don't have shoes on it the emergency brake pads and all it's components are still off the car. I looked at the hub and one side looks like it's rubbing on the ABS sensor and the other side looks like it's rubbing also even though the ABS sensor is off the car. I guess I messed up my hub putting the shafts back in. There are metal shavings inside the hub and some gouges














Do I need new hubs?

dicer

Since the shield is so bent up and not sure if that seal is correctly seated or not, you have found the problem.
New hubs? Why are they bad? Maybe everything just needs to be installed correctly and bent metal straightened up. You don't want metal chips in areas where grease is lubricating. Sure looks like gouge in that area above the sensor.

steve1961

Okay this really sucks I straightened up the metal on both sides, removed the abs sensor and cleaned everything up really good and the hubs are still hard to turn. The more I tighten the axle nut the harder it is to turn. I've been told the hubs will spin freely even with the axle nut too tight and I've also read if you tighten the nut too tight it ruins the bearings. I haven't driven the car yet been up on jack stands for about 45 days so I don't see how the bearings could of gotten messed up. Can anyone tell me by the pictures I posted if the seals are installed correctly. What about that outer metal seal is it on right? I've read how people put seals in backwards and it causes grinding but when they turn them around then everything turns freely again. I'm at my wits end and all I know to do at this point is take both hubs along with my axles to a mechanic and see if they can figure it out. Does anyone know someone I can call that might be able to help me? I paid $24 to ask a Lexus mechanic online because I was so desperate and it turned out to be a waste of money. Thanks for all the advice so far from you guys and I'll keep you updated

dicer

I haven't been into them yet on an LS400. I'll study the books when I can and let you know what I find. Are the bearings taper roller type?