Wheel bearing noise…….but not wheel bearing, maybe.

[EddieJ]

156 petrol car and few weeks back started to hear what sounded to be a wheel bearing noise.
I am convinced it’s from the drivers side front however lifting the car and spinning each wheel gives no definitive answer and there is no play in any of them.
Wife is convinced that it is driver rear, I am getting on and my hearing could be telling me fibs.
Its not in the engine as taking the car up to a low ish speed, about 35-40 and then take it out of gear the noise remains and alters as the car gradually slows.
I have purchased 2 rear hub kits, and 2 of each of the sizes there seems to be for the front (I’d rather have two I don’t need on a shelf that a car in pieces and the wrong ones).

Tonight I changed the driver rear hub kit and still have the noise, at the week end I’ll be changing the front driver side but with the amount of stripping to get it done I am wondering if anyone else has ever experienced the same sort of issue but found it to be the long driveshaft bearing or something else. Hate using the parts cannon method but also hate stripping it down to find out what it is and then have to wait for parts to build it back.

Narrowing it down before stripping, wheel bearing, CV joints, drive shaft bearing then gearbox (that one will make me cry).

Thanks in advance.

 

[Lanciaman]

I don't know about the rcz wheel bearings but on the Subarus I've had over the years, duff wgerlbearings did not make themselves evident when jacking up and spinning / Trying to rock the wheel. But duff they were.

 

[Pedro]

Jack the car right up after chocking the REAR wheels & start car put it in first gear the wheel will turn as normal then you may hear any motion noise ?

 

[EddieJ]

Jacking up and spinning by hand showed nothing, nor was there any axial play. Noise was only coming in around +30 to 40 and gone either below or above. There is a probability that I am ‘odd’ noise sensitive as I do drive mostly with the radio off, just to listen So may have been very early wheel bearing noise.
Any how, decided to change all four wheel bearings With just the rear passenger side left to do but have hopefully found the noisy one as front passenger side, grease had an orange rust look and balls where dull, water seal must have been failing on the bearing.
Amazing the amount of muck and rust dust that collects about the abs magnets, specially at the front and the drive shaft end.
Along the way I also refurbed, cleaned and painted everything I took off, inc new ball joints whilst there, a little play in old but should now be good for a fair while.
Few pics of how the front knuckle came out.

Aim to get the pass rear done next week end and hope that’s everything for quite a while, though did notice a bit of paint bubbling on the front roll bar……

 

[Kenneth]

Jacking up and spinning by hand showed nothing, nor was there any axial play. Noise was only coming in around +30 to 40 and gone either below or above. There is a probability that I am ‘odd’ noise sensitive as I do drive mostly with the radio off, just to listen So may have been very early wheel bearing noise.
Any how, decided to change all four wheel bearings With just the rear passenger side left to do but have hopefully found the noisy one as front passenger side, grease had an orange rust look and balls where dull, water seal must have been failing on the bearing.
Amazing the amount of muck and rust dust that collects about the abs magnets, specially at the front and the drive shaft end.

Along the way I also refurbed, cleaned and painted everything I took off, inc new ball joints whilst there, a little play in old but should now be good for a fair while.
Few pics of how the front knuckle came out.

Aim to get the pass rear done next week end and hope that’s everything for quite a while, though did notice a bit of paint bubbling on the front roll bar……

I got my bearings out for similar reasons. Could hear the usual dull thrumming at particular speeds. Took it in to be checked by my mechanic. He did the usual rocking and spinning but didn’t see anything amiss. Drove it another week or so and ordered bearings and asked for the fronts to get changed. He admitted that the passenger side was at the stage yours was. Just starting to fail. Would have become more noticeable and obvious a few hundred miles on no doubt. I hate driving about knowing there’s something failing/gone.