Humming at 30mph like clockwork

[4rd4life]

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!?

ok with the rotation where is the noise now? still in the front? also help me out you are 2wd right? what do you mean replace the hub. arent the wheel bearings in the brake rotor, or are the older ones different? im sorry its been awhile since i did front end work on a 2wd.

 

[sport97]

I'm really thinking my new bearing is bad. Mine is so bad the whole car is now vibrating making the a pillars and dash rattle at highway speeds... Gotta love these mystery noises.

I plan to replace the CV before re-replacing the bearing

 

[Hunter32]

4rd4life,

Yes the noise is still coming from the front. I am 2wd, and yes the bearings are inside the rotor. Its basically a rotor/hub as one piece. So when I say I replaced the hub, I basically replaced the rotor..

Its hard to pinpoint which side its coming from right now really, if I were to guess it would just be a shot in the dark.

 

[4rd4life]

4rd4life,

Yes the noise is still coming from the front. I am 2wd, and yes the bearings are inside the rotor. Its basically a rotor/hub as one piece. So when I say I replaced the hub, I basically replaced the rotor..

Its hard to pinpoint which side its coming from right now really, if I were to guess it would just be a shot in the dark.

thats really odd. your sure u greased the bearings well, and also the races and spindle. with the nut i usually snug it, then go a little tighter, turn the rotor a few times back the nut off and then bring it to snug. not much more too it then that if youve done all that then may wanna start looking elsewhere. are the bearings good quality?

 

[Hunter32]

yes sir.

I've used the greasing tool every time so far and visually see ample grease coming through the bearings when I install them. I also grease the races well before installing.

I went to a local tire shop and they taught me one way to check the bearings without having to remove them. Simply lift up the front end and spin the tires. Put your hand on the upper control arm and if you feel tiny vibrations, then you know your bearings need to be replaced. I had taken it there after replacing the passengers side bearings but before the drivers side bearings and they tested both sides. They said the passengers side was good but on the drivers side there were small vibrations (I felt them myself too). That's when I replaced my drivers side bearings and when I did the test myself after replacing them, I no longer felt those vibrations.

BUT i still have this annoying noise problem

 

[Hunter32]

oh bearings are from advanced auto and im pretty sure they're moog too

I've been using a torque wrench and i tighten it snug then let off and re-snug to ~15 ft pounds

 

[BIGJL913]

im having the same problem only mine is 4wd. i thought if you jacked the front end up and could wiggle the wheel with your hands at 12 and 6 oclock that was how you could tell if the bearings were bad....it didnt wiggle. mine also gets quiet if i turn to the left but the sound is coming from the passenger side. any ideas?

 

[Hunter32]

BIGJL I would try the test i just described above. I tried your test on both sides and neither of mine moved, but the test i described I felt the light grinding so it went away when I replaced the bearings.

As far as my problem goes, I took a video but I dont know how good it turned out. Its certainly louder than this video will lead you to believe, but maybe it'll shed some light on the problem.

 

[sport97]

im having the same problem only mine is 4wd. i thought if you jacked the front end up and could wiggle the wheel with your hands at 12 and 6 oclock that was how you could tell if the bearings were bad....it didnt wiggle. mine also gets quiet if i turn to the left but the sound is coming from the passenger side. any ideas?

Same thing here, jacked it up and just spinning my passenger wheel I can hear the noise. The bearing is bad even though it only has 20k miles on it. I replaced it last year. I was convinced it was my drivers side but its my passenger side.

 

[BIGJL913]

BIGJL I would try the test i just described above. I tried your test on both sides and neither of mine moved, but the test i described I felt the light grinding so it went away when I replaced the bearings.

As far as my problem goes, I took a video but I dont know how good it turned out. Its certainly louder than this video will lead you to believe, but maybe it'll shed some light on the problem.

mine doesn't sound quite like that... mine is more of a growl when going at low speed and decelerating. also when i raised the front end yesterday and turned the passenger side wheel all i could hear was a very slight sound like rubber moving... no growling or anything.

 

[BIGJL913]

i should also add that it only started when i got new tires... i had micheline xtl's or something like that on there before and switched to firestone destination's