Well, long story short folks. I was motoring along and took a turn that was unfamiliar to me a little to quickly. Locked up the brakes slowly and careemed into a smaller bump/curb. Steering sags a little to the left when riding straight now. Tires are almost at the bars but were not making noticeable road noise previously. Now at 30, 50, 70 the noise is pretty loud. Still drives straight just the wheel is cocked a little to the left. Concerned that I may have bent my control arm? Looked underneath and don't see anything out of the usual. Nothing looks bent out of shape. There is a slight vibration at varying speeds of 30 and 50mph but nothing that makes driving not bearable.

I hit the small curb at around 30 mph. What are the symptoms of a bad wheel bearing? I'm slightly afraid to start digging around considering the price on those bad boys. 144 each!!! what?!?!

Anyways. Any help would be appreciated. I've been quite bummed considering that I can't cruise in leisure at the moment.

Your fellow enthusiast--

 

If the wheel is cocked, you likely bent something, at minimum the alignment is off. Road noise going straight is not indicative of a failing wheel bearing. It would make sense to take it to a suspension shop to check it out.

 

I might have just found an excuse to get coilovers? Or just an excuse to spend tons of money for my erroneous based driving. Thanks I'll definitely do that ASAP.

 

You may have warped your rims too, but your tire/suspension shop should be able to tell you positively.

 

Only if want to make lemons from lemonade and spend tons more money.
Odds are the shocks and springs are fine, but if they're in there replacing things...

 

If you want to check the wheel bearings jack the wheel off the ground just enough so it can move then rock it in a vertical and horizontal plane and see if you have any play. If you do, then bad bearing. If not, they are fine. I would guess at least a bent rim.

I would get it looked at. If there is damage insurance should cover it, and it could be expensive. (No shock there) ((Pun intended))

 

this statement is false;

While road noise while driving straight might not point directly at the wheel bearing (tire noise or just the fact that minis are loud), I have seen many vehicles with road noise while driving straight that have led me to find faulty wheel bearings. However, typically, the noise will be louder around corners or while swerving.


Every Mini that I've seen thats hit a curb has damaged the wheel bearing(s). A good way to diagnose that wheel bearing is lift the front end up off the ground and shimmy the wheel/tire from TOP to BOTTOM. If there is ANY visible play from the hub assembly, the wheel bearing has gone bad. If there is no play, and you still suspect wheel bearing noise, you'll need to probe the hub near the bearing with a stethoscope and have someone drive the wheels up to 40-60mph.

Furthermore, check for "mushrooming strut towers." without spending 15 minutes describing this phenomena, just google it

 

This will need to be checked as well.

If there is play in the horizontal plane, you'll be able to visually see it in the inner or outer tie rod ends, not the wheel bearing.

Bless your hearts for helping out our fellow Mini owners, but please, if you have diagnostic advice, make sure its correct

 

Same exact thing happened to me, my car hydroplaned and hit a curb with the right front wheel fully cut to the left... Here are the damages that I found

- Broken FR Wheel
- Destroyed the bearings on my FR side
- Needed an alignment
- One of my screw on lug nuts (or w.e. they call MINI/BMW lug nuts) mysteriously broke on my RR wheel, not too sure if it already was weak or distorted, but I lost a lug nut on my right rear wheel later on that day.

This was the damage I was able to spot that day, after I purchased a set of JCW wheels I began working on repairing everything on my car. And that was when I found more s*** broken....

After the incident, I had no choice but to keep on commuting the 50 miles that I do on a week day basis, after ~600 miles I noticed that my RR brake pad was seriously worn, my front pads were brand new and my left rear still had plenty of life. I figured it was time to get new brakes...

So then I ordered EBC Ultimax rotors for the front, Zimmerman coated for the rear and EBC red stuff carbon pads all around. After 4-5 hours working on replacing the brakes, it was time to bed them in. But when I started my car and hit the brake pedal, I felt it nearly hit the ground.. pumped it 10+ times and nothing changed, checked for leaks and found nothing.. So the next morning I took everything apart and found the bushings on the caliper bracket on my right rear wheel(not sure if you guys can picture this) to be cracked, causing the entire caliper assembly to move around. Also found the right front bushings seriously worn.

This is what I bought and replaced.
http://www.detroittuned.com/shop/?productID=421

Everything seems to be fine now, but that was ALL the damage hitting a curb at about 40mph did to my car.. Hopefully yours isn't as bad.

Cost of repairs/upgrades

JCW wheels, insane deal $200
front wheel hub $150
Brakes $420

My car is running smooth now.

 

Quote:
Originally Posted by Eric_Rowland
Odds are the shocks and springs are fine.

This will need to be checked as well.



Of course they need to be checked. That's why I said "odds are" and not "there's no possible way the shocks and springs could be damaged, so make sure the shop doesn't look at them". And yes, wheel bearings *can* make noise going straight, but noise while going straight is not *indicative* of wheel bearings due to a number of factors.

 

Sorry if it sounded like I stepped on your toes, Eric. My intention was not to throw you or anyone under the bus nor insult anyone's intelligence. My main concern was getting correct information to the O.P.

Furthermore this is a forum- not a verbal discussion- so I'm sure I misread your point with the quoted sentences.

 

Thanks for all the replies guys. The day after I posted this I threw it up on a hunter rack and checked for play in all 4 and it was a negatory. No bent rims either just the front tie rod's adjustment for the passenger front was thrown for a loop. No unusual bends either. Look's like there's no excuse to expose the lemon.

Regards