Symptoms of wheel bearing failure on rear?

Anyone tell me what the symptoms are of a wheel bearing failing on the rear suspension?.. There is zero play in it but I have a noise like something catching as the car starts to roll, at a crawl its a creaking, on/off type noise. I pulled the rear corner apart the other day, couldn't detect any movement in the hub, rear shoes aren't catching and it's not the backing disc. Touching the brakes/ handbrake while driving makes no difference to the noise either, starting to think it can only be either the bearing or the tyre, tyre is a recent replacement, wasn't new but was a known good tyre off a friend.

It's driving me up the wall, I need it to stop!!!

What happens if you spin the wheel while it's in the air?

Any heavy rumbling and the bearing's knackered.
I've got one shagged on the TDi I think, but there's no play. Only hums/rumbles when braking and cornering at the same time, putting extra strain on the bearing.

My mate who's an MOT inspector checks 12 & 6 o'clock for give, then 9 & 3, then a quick spin of the wheel. Doesn't necessarily have to be any play for the bearing to be shafted.

Normally it would rumble when spun up or make a different sound on load , off load . If you have a clicking type noise then you should find it very easy if it's the bearing.
You do have the correct wheel bolts length wise if to long the ends can hit the inside of the hub . Would be strange if they are wrong . Same wheels / bolts when you got it ?.

Like Davey says rock it at 12 and 6 o'clock and 9 and 3 , spin it up .
If the noise goes away on bends it's probably shagged. Also if it heats up more than the other side on a long run .
If I can't detect any play in them I usually let them get noisier before I change them .

Cant feel any play in it at all, car has 5mm spacers all round with standard bolts. I have noticed that strangely it doesnt do it first thing in the morning so maybe whatever it is that's causing it needs to get warm first. I'm leaning more and more towards it being the tyre as when I'm only crawling along (like in stop start traffic) it is more of a creaking noise (like driving on a flat tyre), I need to swap the wheels round at some point and see if that makes any difference.

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Originally Posted by Tomcat

Anyone tell me what the symptoms are of a wheel bearing failing on the rear suspension?.. There is zero play in it but I have a noise like something catching as the car starts to roll, at a crawl its a creaking, on/off type noise. I pulled the rear corner apart the other day, couldn't detect any movement in the hub, rear shoes aren't catching and it's not the backing disc. Touching the brakes/ handbrake while driving makes no difference to the noise either, starting to think it can only be either the bearing or the tyre, tyre is a recent replacement, wasn't new but was a known good tyre off a friend.

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To answer the Q, the symptoms would be more of a 'droning' or 'humming' noise that can occur at any speed, but importantly, gets louder the faster you go. Commonly, you would hear it at around 40mph, but if severely worn it would be heard at lower speeds.
After travelling a few miles, you would notice the offending side would be considerably warmer than the other, noticeably, when you place the back of your hand against the center of the wheel. A thermoprobe would easily show this.
If severe, you will feel like the wheel is loose when the tyre is grabbed at the 12 oclock position and rocked towards you.

If you have no droning, no heat build up and no movement in the hub whatsoever.....then it's not the bearing.

Have you tried lubricating the spring seat? It's not uncommon for the spring seat to creak when the rear suspension moves over subtle differences in the tarmac. Also, check your rear anti roll bar links. Common as muck failure point and they can make a noise if the internal grease has dried up.
Also, the other symptom you said... something catching as the car starts to roll......Have you checked the handbrake mechanism is not binding? Might be worth removing the rear discs and giving them a good clean out and lubricate the moving parts.

:wink:

Something catching as you move off could just be the abs self testing, on mine it makes a sort of scuffing sound I worried what it was until I discovered it was just the system test.

Yeah there's no heat build up at all, although it doesn't do it from cold once it starts its a constant on/off type noise as if something is catching every rotation of the wheel, doesnt sound brake related and after your descriptions I doubt its the hub either. I'll try swapping the wheels round see if the noise moves, if it does then it's probably the tyre.