Diff or wheel bearing problem?

Can't help further but I would change the diff oil anyway if you haven't done it lately. Its a really easy job should only take 10 minutes (assuming you can undo the plugs!)

Jack the suspect side up with handbrake off, other wheels choked and axle stand under axle too.

Hold wheel at 12 o'clock and 6 o'clock and if there is more than a tiny amount of play the wheel bearing is on it's way out. Usually they oil seal leaks, assuming you have enough diff oil for it to leak! But you don't want to let it get that far as it's a safety item.

To check the shoes, remove a drum. Put new ones on if you are changing the bearings as they are cheap and have to come off anyway.

Kirkynut

Your brake imbalance could be oil contaminating the shoes on the dodgy bearing side our just a stuck self adjuster. I've just done both my rear bearings as the inside of the rear tyre showed diff oil leaking out. Done both sides king pin bearings on the front too. It should hopefully drive better when its back on the road.

I'm nearly 100% there hasnt been a leak, i've spent alot of time recently undermycar and after seeing a recent topic on the leak i've been checking religiously.

There is deffiantly play in my n/s wheel, and a slight pay in my o/s

i'm not going to be able to change anything other than the oil till pay day which happens to me 22 days away, i only HAVE to drive me car for 11 of those days, think it would survive 11 6 mile trips?

obviously none of you know the true state of the noises etc, just if you have an opinion on life of dying bearings?

You're asking us the impossible to tell you how long the bearing will last. There should be a small amount of play but not much.

The problem is if the bearing breaks down too much it will break it's cage and the shaft will pull through it and slide out with the wheel still bolted to it, so effectively your wheel falls off with the shaft attached!

Rear wheel bearings were the only thing I hadn't changed on mine until recently when one began to go on the M25. I got it recovered as it was too dangerous to carry on. All fixed now. It's the only time I wish I had a Landrover as they can be changed in 10 mins!

Kirkynut

I knew it was a preety stupid question to be honest, but i thought i might aswell ask,

i have no choice but to drive it, soo hopefully it will last fingers crossed, if not will be a nice walk to work at 6 in the morning!