Slight front end humm and vibration at 75 MPH - SOLVED

[fugereb]

Posting as I had a unique experience with front wheel hub bearings on my '07 Explorer with 130K miles. At 110K miles I noticed a slight humming noise and ever so slight vibration at 78+ MPH, the problem went away under 78 MPH. This year at 130K miles it started happening at 70 MPH, not a good trend. As I drove straight I could get the vibration to change pitch a slight bit by turning the steering wheel on the interstate. Under power, in 4x4 high, or coasting the noise was unchanged. I took it in to a reputable tire place and they nor I was convinced it was a wheel bearing. At this high speed it is very difficult to diagnose. Rather than starting with the next obvious front axle I decided to replace the driver side hub, still the same noise!!

Perplexed I doubled down and replaced the passenger side hub and guess what the noise at 70 MPH went away. I even hit 90 MPH and no noise! The wheel bearing itself was tight and there was only a slight gravel feel as I turned it by hand. Very odd as typically wheel bearings noise is something that can be heard 35 - 45 MPH and is quite obvious when turning, pitching the weight. Posting as it took me over 1 year to figure this out.

 

[07EddyB]

I basically had a similar experience last year. From 65 to 75 my steering wheel would shake and I could hear a roar. I drove it for a few months more until I finally got the noise to change when turning. It was a right side bearing. Considering that my right front was fairly new and my right rear was OEM I went ahead and replaced the rear one. That took care of the problem. I was shocked that you could feel a rear bearing in the steering wheel that bad. Had my front bearing been old I would have started there.

 

[tripplec]

Wow, yeah the rear has a lot between it and the front to induce steering vibration. I would have said the front for sure as well. It must have been bad and working with that pressed bearing that Explorer_PL has mentioned a number of times is no piece of cake for a DIY. Big vehicles like these should have the bolt on assemblies that other SUV's have instead of pressed ones.