Play in front wheel

[Mini the Minx]

Hi Folks,

Just being and had two new front tyres at the garage and the mechanic came and told me that my car has to much play in the nearside wheel (possibly wheel bearing)

I've changed bearing before so thought it would be easy and cheap to sort but just realised its a whole sealed hub and qouted £124 a side from my usual reliable parts place

I've not heard any humming or droning sounds so can there be any other cause for thye excess play

Note - My car lost it on the ice just before christmas (see thread, pics on page 2) http://www.vectra-c.com/forum/showthread.php?t=124355

the nearside wheel hit a grass/mud kerb quite hard could this have anything to do with it ??

Any Help for this this confused lassy would really be apreciated
Thanks Guys

[markj23]

how hard was the hit did you not even lose the wheel trim?

cant quite see in pics but doubt that would cause bearing damage but like most things they are strong in the direction they are meant to be used but put pressure on in a different way and they give up

[Mini the Minx]

Impact was at about 30mph but just sort of rebounded off
The hub stayed on and isn't damaged or cracked

The tyre ended up with a tiny pin hole and very slow punchure but the everything seemed fine at the time of checking

[markj23]

get it checked somewhere else!! females and garages = pound signs in the eyes for the majority of garages would not think it was a bearing/hub gone

[Mini the Minx]

I turned radio off and listened all the way home from work tonight (about 16 miles of pot holed country roads)

There's NO droning, humming, whiring, banging, klonking, knocking ........ nothing

Only thing i can hear a very very low speed is the creaking of arb bushes that are getting to point of replacing.

Im out putting new front bumper and ns wing on tomorrow so will jack it up and shake the hell outta the wheel lol

[tony-1977]

Could be a ball joint if play in the wheel. Happened on my old Astra. Hit a herb at about 25 mph and from then on, there was play in that wheel. Turned out to be a track rod end

[Mini the Minx]

Right new bumper and wing on - looks alot less like a banger car now lol

Wheel does have play in it
When you yank it at 9 and 3 0clock its very noticeable at 12 and 6 0clock it hardly moves ??

I wondered track rod end too - but its ****ing down now so can't go and investigate
Will hopefully be able to jack it up and have a proper look next weekend - mot soon so will have to sort it out before then.

Thank you guys

[lee gsi]

Could be track rod end or inner rack joint.

[tony-1977]

Play at 9 and 3 o'clock almost certain track rod end

[Mini the Minx]

UPDATE :

Righty oh folks, this is what i've changed so far :

NS Steering Rack End (Drumstick shaped thing)
NS Track rod End
NS & OS Droplinks

I took the car to have the tracking done after fitting the above parts, i've since being back 4 times as the tracking is still out !!

The supervisor did the tracking himself today and said he got it spot on front and back (four wheel alignment) but im still having to hold the steering wheel about 5 degree's to the right to get the car to go in a straight line, if the steering wheel is central the car pulls to the left

There is now a rattle / knock coming from the drivers front area

Im stumped - please please help ........................... is it damage to the steering rack from my 360 skids on the ice by in december (only hit grass/mud bank with the passenger wheel, did 360's along the road then collided with hedge on NS)

Any help would be much appreciated
Thank you