Can anyone tell me what are the symptoms of a bad wheel bearing other than the wheel rocking some side to side? Will you feel a slight skip when pulling out like one of the wheels got stuck for a split second? Will there be any noise associated with the wear? Thanks.

I just changed my fronts because they were making a noise. Hard to describe- more like a roaring increasing with speed. I waited several weeks to change them because the wheels were tight, could not detect any looseness when jacked up. When I changed them the noise went away. Bearings and seals from Autozone online for less than $5 ea.

Jim is right, I'd describe it as something between a loud hum and a roar. The noise should change character as you zig-zag, loading the bearings from side-to-side. A bad bearing doesn't necessarily result in axial slop unless the bearing has advanced failure. If you're still unsure, you can always regrease the bearings and perform an inspection at that time.

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95 E320 Cabriolet, 159K