Wheel bearings or worse? Advice needed

[mattnorgrove 0]

My VR has recently started making a rumbling noise noticeable from about 10mph all the way up to motorway speed, and all the way back to standstill again.

 

When i turn a sweeping left bend, the noise reduces drastically, almost to the point where it cannot be heard. In a straight line, the noise is always there, and round a sweeping right bend the noise is louder.

 

I'm thinking wheel bearing (obvious choice) but have jacked both front corners and felt for play top to bottom on the wheels and felt none.

 

Worth mentioning that the noise remains when i dip the clutch and coast along.

 

Would i be right in thinking bearings (if so which side) or could it be more serious? It's gotten to the point where i'm worried about going above 40ish, as the noise just gets louder, and higher in pitch/tone (if that makes sense).

 

I've had a good look through the search, and found a few old topics covering this, but changing the wheel bearing didn't sort out the problem.

 

Thanks in advance gents.

[carrots 1]

its sounds like the bearings to me,my tyres are very noisey on mine and that sometimes sounds like a bearing

[mattnorgrove 0]

its sounds like the bearings to me,my tyres are very noisey on mine and that sometimes sounds like a bearing

 

Someone mentioned it could be the tyres, had new Kuhmo KU31's recently, but the noise wasn't there immediately after they were fitted, about 3-400 miles after i'd say (the KU31's also have a pretty good rep on here, no-one else has mentioned excessive noise from them).

 

Also if it was the tyres, the noise wouldn't disappear turning left and get louder turning right i wouldn't think...

[Kevin Bacon 5]

Bearings for sure.

 

You won't feel play in the front bearings by jacking it up unfortunately. You need to first slacken off the hub nut and if the bearing is utterly knackered you might feel it, but otherwise they have to be removed completely to fully assess the damage, as it were.

 

Generally speaking, worn taper bearings (the rears) tend to go quiet when loaded up and cartridge / roller bearings (fronts) tend to get noisier under load, so I'm leaning towards one of the fronts being the culprits at this stage, and by the sounds of it, the nearside one.

 

Given a pair of rear bearings are £50 in parts and a couple of hours labour, you might want to stick some in, just to outrule them. The fronts are considerably more work and money.

[mattnorgrove 0]

Cheers Kev, shall get ordering. Would it be worth doing both front sides while i'm at it or are these a a part that only fail rarely?

 

Thanks again, Matt.

[Kevin Bacon 5]

It's up to you mate. If you can afford to do all 4, all the merrier :D

 

The fronts can collapse if left too long (when worn), with obvious reprocussions! The rears can groan for ages and not do any harm.

[davidwort 0]

if you're not sure where the noise is coming from, then whack the rears off clean all the old grease out of the bearings and races and inspect them, if they are rumbling/roaring then you'll see (probably v small) pits in the bearing rollers and races, if they are spotless no point in replacing unless they can't be adjusted without excessive play.

As for the fronts, as Kev says you can't check on the car at all, FWIW mine were making a fair old noise and yet still had no play in them even when the hubs were totally removed from the car, doing this the noise was really bad when you just spun them with your hand.

If you do the fronts it would be worth taking off the CV boots, cleaning and inspecting the joints and repacking with grease if all seems well, as long as the CV bearings and surfaces are smooth they should be OK, wear marks you can see and feel would be bad news.

It's only going to cost you a bit of CV grease and some CV boot clips (plus time) if it's all apart anyway (hubs out etc.) old CV joint will thank you for some fresh grease :)

[Guest]

Not that I'm an expert but if one set is worn then the other is probably on its way out too.

 

Having said that, the front nearside is the corner that gets most abuse while driving as it has to cope with all the crap near the gutter so it could be much more advanced in its wear depending on what it's had to deal with.

 

If you can afford it get them both done. If cash is tight start with the nearside but be prepared that if it has to go back for the offside the sum of the 2 jobs could be more than getting them done together (unless you are able to do them yourselves)

[mattnorgrove 0]

Cheers for the replies folks, i'll send it in for the fronts to be done, as these have to be pulled out and pressed in anyway, whicj i'm unable to do. I'll get my mechanic to check the CV's at the same time, as you say, might as well while its on the lift.

 

The rears I'll take a look at as i'm planning on replacing the rears with MK4's at some point, but if they're not making a noise i'll probably leave them alone until later this year.

 

Again, thanks for the inputs! :D

 

Matt.