Possible front wheel bearing failure at the track

[SHOdaddy68]

First, a little context. I'm an endurance racer. I started with a FWD SHO more than 20 years ago and graduated into a BMW E46 in 2018.

My 2015 PP GT has almost 80k and is really just a fun car for me. I sometimes run it as the Pace Car when I'm not racing. I've done 3 small track days since I bought it in 2017. It's mostly stock with a few small upgrades:

Steeda Subframe braces, Cradle lock-out kit, Spherical vertical links, Jacking rails
K&N filter
Exedy 500 clutch
MGW shifter
Borla S-type

I was at PIR this last weekend giving rides for a charity event. I ran 3 laps at a time at 7/10ths for a total of about 30 laps over 2 days.

On Saturday I started getting a light vibration on the LF that was accompanied by a low growl on right turns. I immediately thought, "Crap, there goes a wheel bearing". I checked for any play when I got back to the pits and it felt good.

The car drove home without any issues. No noises or vibrations. After letting it cool down, I pulled the wheel and checked everything I could get to including the hub nut. Everything felt good but there were some marbles on my tires so I figured that may be it and I was just overreacting.

Sunday the drive to the track was great and the first 3 laps went without an issue. The noise and vibration returned on the 2nd set of 3 laps and then the RF started to do the same on the left turns. After the session I checked for any wobbling or play and both sides felt nice and tight. Again, the drive home was fine and no vibrations or noises. Both sides still feel tight.

Is this common? Is it heat soaking from the heavy braking of a track event? Can a bearing be bad without any noticeable play?

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[SHOdaddy68]

I'm thinking I'll just change both front hubs. I'm finding a rather wide range of parts options and prices. Does anybody know if the Ford Performance kit with the extended ARP studs is the same as a stock OEM hub assembly just with the ARP studs or is the bearing upgraded too?

 

[2morrow]

I'm thinking I'll just change both front hubs. I'm finding a rather wide range of parts options and prices. Does anybody know if the Ford Performance kit with the extended ARP studs is the same as a stock OEM hub assembly just with the ARP studs or is the bearing upgraded too?

I believe it’s just upgraded studs. I bought/installed it and everything other than the studs looked the same

 

[2morrow]

Good luck OP

 

[WItoTX]

Common issue. Mine did something similar, without the noise. Just a little vibration that went away as soon as I did 3-4 laps.

 

[SheepDog]

I'm thinking I'll just change both front hubs. I'm finding a rather wide range of parts options and prices. Does anybody know if the Ford Performance kit with the extended ARP studs is the same as a stock OEM hub assembly just with the ARP studs or is the bearing upgraded too?

@Optimum Performance can help you with that

 

[Optimum Performance]

There are no upgrades, only cheap China downgrades. Stick with Ford, BCA, SKF. All basically the same hubs with numbers rubbed off.

 

[SHOdaddy68]

I'm still getting a slight harmonic vibration with a little noise going through tight or fast curves. Not nearly as bad as it was at the track. I ordered a set of Timken hub assemblies from RockAuto. I've had good luck with that brand in the past. Hopefully this will solve the issue.

 

[HeelToeHero]

I've heard Timkin bearings for these cars are not great.

 

[GJarrett]

It is fascinating and enlightening to make a chalk mark on the tire sidewalls at the valve stem before a track day and then see where the mark moved to away from the stem after the day is finished.

 

[GJarrett]

So THAT's what those yellow spots are for.... I always wondered about that.

 

[2morrow]

Awesome, thank you

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