wheel bearing? axle? strut?

Do you have a YouTube account, are you able to post video there? I struggle through that process and was then able to post video link here. Once...

 

This video shows how I found the noisy wheel bearing.

I had a strut failure at 100,000 so they do go bad. Blew its oil all over the place and very obvious.

 

Is the center axle nut tight and the two bolts that go through the steering knuckle and strut and the bottom ball joint bolts and the bolts that hold the bearing flange tight?

Is the axle trying to separate from the transaxle?

From the video I can't tell what direction you are applying pressure, is it in and out, up and down or side to side?

You are going to have to find out where the movement is coming from and then you will find your problem. A good light and a helper to make it move while observing would help. While moving, move your hand in different locations and feel the vibration.

 

Maybe tapped a curb when parking? What would that tend to damage?

 

I leave one nut on loose, at 12 o'clock, put a 4x4 timber block on the slab against the back of the wheel, then smack that with a sledge hammer. The impact is so sudden it breaks the wheel loose with minimal suspension strain. I think...

 

I have had wheels seize up and used the loose wheel nut trick. If really bad drive around in a circle with the lugnuts loose.

Make sure you remove the corrosion buildup on the wheel and the hub or there is a possibility of the wheel coming loose even after doing a proper torque job on the wheel nuts.

Try physically grabbing the strut and see if it moves.

 

I did get the idea, but you're right, if you had a tripod (or even just a helper) a more useful video could result.

That is a lot of play. And a lot of the video is too close up to see the big picture. Something that showed the knuckle and control arm all in the picture at the same time would help ... with the camera stationary.

The knuckle is the big casting that the axle goes through and the wheel hub and brake mounts on. The top of the knuckle connects to the strut with two bolts. The bottom of the knuckle has a ball joint, connecting it to the control arm (vaguely L-shaped or triangular big steel stamping that attaches to the car with big bolts through rubber bushings).

There is also a tie rod (steering control, attaches to a lever-shaped part of the knuckle sticking out rearward).

For as much play as I'm seeing/hearing there, I'd have to think maybe the ball joint is really worn (if you can see that you're moving the knuckle around relative to the control arm), or the control arm bushings attaching it to the car (if you're moving around the knuckle and control arm together). I just can't tell from the video.

A very loose tie rod could also allow the knuckle to move the way you're moving it toward the end, kind of rotating around the strut.

Just need to keep doing that, shooting better video maybe with better light, and notice what's moving and what isn't.

-Chap

 

The steering knuckle is the big aluminum piece that everything attaches to. The strut fastens to it by two big bolts at the top, the ball joint attaches to it from the bottom, the axle passes through it with the bearing flange bolted to it. The tie rod fastens to it for steering. The long rod is the stabilizer link. You will know all the lingo by the time you are done with this.
Do you plan on making any kind of repair yourself? Even if you don't and you take it to be repaired it is nice to be able to talk the same language as the guy working on the car.

 

Here is the lower control arm from Rock Auto. Looks like he found the movement causing the noise.

2012 TOYOTA PRIUS C 1.5L L4 ELECTRIC/GAS Control Arm | RockAuto