Wheel Bearing detection

[travs]

I've got a low humming noise from the car when going round sharpish bends (ieroundabouts) at low speed. Always right turns only.
Not really getting anything in normal driving although when on the motorway I've thought I've heard the odd hum but seemingly not for long.

On reading here I'm fairly sure its a wheel bearing but I'm struggling to be sure which one is the likely culprit. What tips/tricks can I try to find out which one?

I'm getting an 'impression' its from the front, and, I'm guessing, from reading on here, that in turning right, its the nearside.

Any help gladly appreciated.

[david7m]

CV joint?

Dave

[Trig]

Hmmmmm, wheel bearing I would have thought.
LHS on the front, asyou said.
£20 from GSF for an FAG one ,OEM spec.

[ShaneyB]

Yep,
What he said...

[StuH]

I have had to change a front CV joint and a rear whell bearing.

The CV joint presented as a clicking noise under large ammounts of lock.

The O/S wheel bearing didnt cause any wheel play for the first 12 months but did create a middle pitched drone getting worse with speed. (I'd try and describe the noise as mid way between try roar and turbo whistle) It would show up when ever there was any lateral load on the wheel and vannish when i turned left. Still no tyre wear but when it was picked up as an advisory note on an MOT i had it swapped while car at MRC. Part £48 labour 1-2 hours.

Good luck.

[travs]

Cheers for the responses guys,
Annoyingly the sound appears to be getting worse. Quicker than I imagined. There's no clicking so I'm hoping to rule out CV joint unless anyone can ally my noise to it. The noise itself is akin to really bad road noise - a little like when you drive over the anit-skid surfacing before junctions/crossings or as if running on a really low tyre (but I keep checking the tyres and they're fine).
Additionally, I thought I heard something when on the A12 over the weekend but when I turned my head sideways to try and distinct between front and back, it appeared to come from the back.
Really bloody confused on this one......

[StuH]

Youve done a better job at describing the noise than me. Have you tried jacking the car up and checking on wheel play?

[travs]

Cheers.
Got to admit I haven't checked for wheelplay - very limited ability to do so where I live but if its a good way I'll do it tonight. Jst doing a lt of runs up to Huddersfield to see the Mrs and therefore want to get this sorted asap.
I'll let you know if i get this done tonight.....

[UKS4APR1]

N/S Rear is common - Have replaced both mine although O/S was OK. O/S gets less road cr@p on it as N/S is running in the gutter UK. Parts are cheap.

Can be done on the car with the SIR B90 Bearing puller tool.

Vid here........ http://tychl.txf.com/SIR-B90/2%20minute ... 0-xvid.avi

[travs]

Funny you should mention that but, in a swift change of heart, I did really start to suspect that it is coming from the rear. I think I automatically assumed the front because of the steering. Thanks for that.

Cheers for the vid, but I've no way of doing it myself. I've got a trusted family friend who owns a place and has year of experience on practically everything so I'll give him a call.

Will report back when its sorted.

Cheers for the help/tips/advice - much appreciated

[bobbler]

Sounds like a bearing yes, that's the same sound I would have described mine as.
Jack car up and spin the suspected wheels, the knackered one will show itself up as you will hear it grating/grinding. Mine had no actual play in it that I could determine by yanking at it. Got both rears off the ground and span them by hand it soon became apparent which one it was.
To be honest, that bearing puller looks like the best part of a couple hundred quid from a quick google search. I did my own by removing the upright which is only a few bolts and the brake caliper out the way, took it up to a garage and gave them a few beer tokens to press it out and new one in for me.

[travs]

I've spoken to the chap that works on me car. I'm taking it in first thing Monday morning for himto have a look. It is annoying cos m dad was a mechanic and it meant that pretty much any normal tool was on hand along with jacks/axle stands/grease everythign you'd need. Now he's retured and moved to france, I'm stuck for that sort of stuff being on call.

Anyway, I'm digressing. We're gonna do what you guys have suggested and then he says he's going to take the hub off and press it out. Fingers crossed it is only the one and there isn't anything else cos I'm really pushed for cash at the moment what with christmas approaching and some other things.

Fingers crossed! I'll come back with results as soon as I know.

Cheers again for the confirming posts

[travs]

Current update:
Dropped the down to my mech. Phoned him up later in the day and he told me it doesn't seem to be the bearings at all. He said the tyres however are "double-ducked". He said the outside corner of them looks like ats got about 40 flat edges rather than round and when the car goes round the corner it runs on these flat edges and makes the rumbling. Good news on the bearing front but does mean I've got to shell out for rears now AND I've got to do it quick cos he said its "going to be hammering the <beep> out of the bearings". Going to get tyres today so will let you know if that solves it!

[travs]

OK - final update!
Went down and got the car from Alan (Mechanic - Alan Scott from S&Js in Erith. Really good honest chappy by the way).
Got shown the tyres and he was spot on!
Feeling across the tread, you could feel how I'd obviously run them overinflated and the middle had worn down. I was running them about about 37psi and was told to tune it down to 32psi. Feeling on the outside shoulder, round the circumference, you could feel the lumps and bumps every 2 inches or so, just distortions in the tyre structure. Scary really cos I've got no idea how this had occurred.

Alan told me that this is a product of the independent suspension and how the rear wheels try to lean when turning and it wears the tyres a funny way. Said it was common as muck on 4wd cars.

So - with this in mind, popped to Dartford Tyres in Bexleyheath - again, good firm. Changed the rears and voila. Noise gone and I've also noticed how smoothly the car drives now!

All fixed - if you've got suspected bearing noise from the rear, give the tyres a feel!

Cheers again for the responses and advice. Just wanted to get a conclusion in case future people searching find this.

Ta

[s4-99]

Glad you got it sorted m8....You said the mech said run 32psi, that seems a bit low? I run 37 front 35 rear, i wonder if thats too high?? hmmm..