I have a 2003 cavalier and the front wheels are making a clunking noise at low speeds and a loud grinding noise at high speeds. I had the tires rotate to see if it was something with the tires them selves, but the noise is still in the front. Are the bearings actually part of the wheels, and if it was the bearings I should hear the noise in the back now? Or are they part of the axle?
These have crappy wheel bearings . They are part of spindle , they have 3 bolts that hold them on . If you take the brake caliper and rotor off the wheel bearing and hub assembly is right there . You need to take the axle nut off its a 30 , 32 or 36 mm cant remember . There is a hole in the hub that will let you access the 3 bolts . Takes about 20 min to change per side . Good Luck and be safe .
2003 Caviler has front wheel drive axles could be your axles are bad and need replacement or you need an entire front brake job done your describing a grinding noise which leaves me to believe you have bad front brakes and rotors.Have the entire front end checked before committing to repairs.
most bearings are a sealed unit . its the hub and bearing together the part is behing where the lug nut studs are if noise was in the front you rotate the tires and still hear the noise its going to be the hub bearing. also notice if the pitch of the sound changes when you turn if it does another indication the hub bearing is bad
the clunking noise would be the cv joints wore out (axle shaft ) the grinding noise could be the front wheel bearings they are called front hub bearings and usually when they go bad you will hear a roar coming from either side depending on which one is bad.
They okorder or similar site to learn about wheel bearings and your suspension.
