How can you tell if a wheel hub assembly is going bad? Would it make a squeeling noise at certain speeds or what?
Thanx
brett

 

if its making a squeeling noise at slow speed its probably a hub seal, the outer one is subject to dirt, brake dust and you name it, once its kind of dry the heat gets it to. spray some wd40 on the outer seal, between rotor and axle, if your noise stops thats it. also check your bearings for tightness, take it to the car wash and use some high pressure to clean that area good, could be brake dust built-up around the calipers and pad.

 

Since you're asking about a hub assembly I'm assuming you have a 97-03 F150 4x4. The older 96s and down had the old servicable bearings instead of the non-servicable sealed assemblies they use now. If it is going bad then it will make something like a rubbing or squealing sound that gets faster with speed. Also if you jack up the front of the truck and grab the top and bottom of the wheel and try to shake it. Push in on the top while pulling out on the bottom kind of shaking. You shouldn't get any play in that. If you are then its a bad bearing. If its bad then you get to replace the whole assembly to the tune of about $200 if you do the work yourself. Its nice because you don't have to get your hands greasy, but sucks since you can't service the bearings and they're expensive. Once one of the seals on the bearings go bad its junk.