Help me Identify Road Noise. bearing or tires?

[84convertablegt]

Please watch this video and tell me what my problem is. Im thinking either tires or hub bearings?? But the tires are almost new Kenda Klever A/T's and they are supposed to have low road noise so Im thinking I have some kind of bearing issue. I cant really isolate the noise to either side, but believe it is coming from the front end. Varies with speed. Comes on around 45mph. Ignore the banging noise. That is just something weird with the microphone. Would recommend headphones.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lgzg3WKgN4o

 

[mikey4563]

yup sounds like the hub bearings to me. thats exactly what they sounded like when my dads hub bearings on his 98 ex were on its way out. By the way where did you get that awesome looking backing for your instrument cluster

 

[84convertablegt]

yup sounds like the hub bearings to me. thats exactly what they sounded like when my dads hub bearings on his 98 ex were on its way out. By the way where did you get that awesome looking backing for your instrument cluster

Those are OEM Mountaineer gauges. They swap right over.

 

[mikey4563]

awesome Ill have to take a look at finding those. are they hard to replace?

 

[rainbow9]

Yup wheel hub assembly, changed several over the years in 88 explorer 2003 explorer same proceedure for my 2003 taurus not too difficult there has to be a sticky here. They kinda sound like a plane taking off when they dry out and start roaring...you think it is a tire but much more consistant and will change kadance when turning left or right depending on which side is bad.

 

[rainbow9]

Jack up the front end and spin each wheel by hand(pull the calipers off) you may hear it whining on one side, when you get them off its very clear the one that is bad, it will have a grinding sound they should be tight and quiet when spinning by hand.

 

[rlmason]

Just bought a 96 explorer, love it but noise is bad on highway

My noise is similar to truck tire sound. My suv has new tires and don't think it's that. No other clicking or other noises. Some at every speed but increases considerably at higher interstate speeds. No vibrations. How expensive are the hub bearings?

 

[imp]

My Experience

Similar noise, frequency suggests tire/wheel speed, therefore not inside differential.

Was certain it was the left front. Picked up new hub w/bearing, but could not resist ripping the old bearing apart. The wheel turned smoothly enough by hand, before starting, and the old bearing turned smoothly in the hand, no feel of roughness. Here's what it looked like inside:

There was still enough smooth surface in the outer race to allow rollers to ride smoothly when you turned it by hand. Under load of vehicle weight, it sounded like hell! BTW, I drove several thousand miles after first noticing slight noise, finally decided it had gotten bad enough to dig into the job.

imp