Humming at 30mph like clockwork

[Hunter32]

Title says it all guys,

as soon as I hit 30mph i start getting this humming from the tires and it seems to be coming from the front right side. When I turn to the left, its much more evident and is a bit deeper meaning my front right side is making the noise.
I researched this and many people said it was the bearings so today I went and replaced both the bearings in the front right side. I drove it today and still the humming is there. When i hit 30mph it starts and above 35 mph it disappears. When I take a left or when I hit my brakes it does get louder though.

I've replaced my wheel bearings--what more can I do? I replaced the bearings and races..could I have done it wrong and still made it have the humming sound? do i need a new hub or something? help!

thanks

 

[sport97]

Did the same thing today... Mine is the drivers side though. When I turn left the noise goes away. Replaced hub bearing assembly (which was def. bad) but it still makes noise. I mean, it could be the tire... maybe CV joint?

Are you AWD or 2WD?

 

[Hunter32]

Did the same thing today... Mine is the drivers side though. When I turn left the noise goes away. Replaced hub bearing assembly (which was def. bad) but it still makes noise. I mean, it could be the tire... maybe CV joint?

Are you AWD or 2WD?

I hope its not the tire! These things are like 3 months old. And i'm only 2wd so I dont have cv joints... Its gotta be bearings but I dont understand because i just replaced mine today

 

[sport97]

Hmmmm... My tires are worn so I hope its just that. I don't know. Hopefully someone else can be of help.

 

[4rd4life]

sounds like a wheel bearing to me?? did you replace left and right bearings. sometimes noise and vibrations travel in weird ways. any play in your front end? are the front tires cupped or worn funny?

 

[Hunter32]

I did only replace the passenger side bearings, but then again i still get major humming when turning left..

And actually I discovered some play in my passenger side lower ball joint. Its not side to side play, its only up and down play. I'll be fixing that very shortly.

and as far as wearing funny, the front driver side seems to have worn more in one particular spot, just inside of the middle of the tire. And I got an alignment when I put these tires on.

 

[Joe Dirt]

Try rotating that tire somewhere else and see if it goes away. If it does, replace your front end parts. Sounds like they're worn out anyhow.

 

[4rd4life]

I did only replace the passenger side bearings, but then again i still get major humming when turning left..

And actually I discovered some play in my passenger side lower ball joint. Its not side to side play, its only up and down play. I'll be fixing that very shortly.

and as far as wearing funny, the front driver side seems to have worn more in one particular spot, just inside of the middle of the tire. And I got an alignment when I put these tires on.

if the tire is worn funny or has a flat spot that could cause ur humming. try rotating that tire to the back like joe said see if it goes away.. if its wearing strange though theres somethime more wrong with your front end ie ball joints tie rod or shocks

 

[Hunter32]

alright I will try rotating my tires. I checked my ball joints and I even brought my car back to the alignment shop after they gave me my alignment because I thought something was loose in the front end, but they rechecked everything and they said it was all fine. I just got new shocks in the front like 3 weeks ago.

My uncle owned the truck before me and said he replaced the ball joints but I know at least one is bad (passenger side lower ball joint). I had been checking them every time I lifted the front end up on the jack because I really felt like something was loose in the front. I never discovered this lower ball joint because I would always try to shake it side to side, never thinking of shaking it up and down. But i did try up and down to find that there is some play in the ball joint.

I'll let you know how rotating the tires go. Thanks guys

 

[sport97]

Hope that works for you. Flipped my tires and still have noise. Now, my tires are low and feathered on the inside but its just the front left on my car making noise and it started all of a sudden... I guess I'll know when something snaps off or it goes away when I get new tread.

 

[Hunter32]

could it be caused by me not tightening the nut enough or perhaps tightening it too much?

 

[Joe Dirt]

They may have already failed if you didn't reach correct torque on the axle nut. 185 ft. lbs. is about where you want to be. Or, if you're about 185 lbs., stand on the end of a 12" breaker bar.

 

[FIND]

What kind of shape are your motor and tranny mounts in? It would be a heck of a coincidence, but it could be a harmonic resonance.

 

[Hunter32]

They may have already failed if you didn't reach correct torque on the axle nut. 185 ft. lbs. is about where you want to be. Or, if you're about 185 lbs., stand on the end of a 12" breaker bar.

youre talking about the nut that tightens the bearings on the spindle? Because I thought you were supposed to snug it and let of alittle to the next cotter pin hole

And I'll check the mounts because I've never checked them before. if anything, it wont hurt. thanks

 

[Hunter32]

update:

so over the weekend I drove about 150-200 miles to my camp and back. I definately heard the humming and all the entire time on the highway but tried not to think about it..

Got home today and went maybe 6 miles from home and was hearing noise coming from right side, and the noise got worse when turning left. The noise was almost like a loose washer; like a light ping rather than a constant scratch or something. But it really started when I was on my way back to my house. It was worse and became a pretty constant noise even when I was ever-so-slightly turning left.

I got it home and pulled in the back and the wheel hub was pretty darn hot. I couldnt keep my hand on it. Checked over everything and it all seems solid! No play in the wheel or hub (only play is up/down in LCA balljoint) so i loosened and retightened everything once again to no avail. So she sits in the back right now, pretty much undriveable :/ The sound seemed to be getting worse pretty fast.

So I am positive that the problem is with the hub/bearings. How does taking a good looking hub/bearings assembly from an explorer from the junkyard sound? Buying a new set of bearings doesnt seem like it would do me much good considering I just did that and it hasnt fixed a thing..

 

[4rd4life]

hows the brake pads wearing? is one of the brake calipers or hoses holding up or grabbing?

 

[Hunter32]

well the brake pads in the front are wearing fine. they've still got a bunch of life left in them. Haven't noticed anything holding or grabbing though. Are there any tell-tale signs?

 

[TPain177]

It's definitely the bearing hub. I had to get mine replaced and less than a year later replace one side again (luckily parts under warranty).
Same problem as you, humming noise, louder turning left, quiet turning right. Right side was bad on the last fix.
I'd replace both just to be sure.

 

[Hunter32]

latest update:

I replaced the hub to no avail. Nothing I've done so far has even changed the tone of the humming at all. After replacing the hub, I even took the bearings back out and de-greased then re-greased with different grease because after some investigation, the grease I first used was "Not for disc brake bearings"

I don't know what next

 

[Hunter32]

Replaced the driver's side bearings. Rotated the front tires to the rear and rear tires to the front. Rotation seemed to help alot with noise but there is still an issue, just not as loud.

The only things I have yet to replace that [in my mind] could have any possibility of causing this humming would be both front spindles and drivers side hub.

I'm running out of ideas. Could a bad spindle cause this?

I have access to a junkyard nearby.. should I grab some old hubs/spindles off of an explorer out there and test on mine? That way I wont remove the bearings at all?

Any help!?