So my car failed its mot last week, on a front nearside wishbone bush :( So I replaced that, passed the mot fine

 

Only problem is now I have a deep droning type noise at 70mph that sounds as if it's coming from that corner. The noise definately wasn't there before.

 

Oddly, if I steer slightly left it goes completely.

 

Would the wheel bearing go that quickly or could I have made a mistake during the install?

 

Bit of trim rubbing possibly? there's nothing obvious when I look underneath.

In my experience bearings start becoming obvious at higher speed with a low droning sound which becomes more and more obvious at lower speeds. Unloading the corner you think its coming from will reduce/eliminate the noise as you have mentioned. VAG bearings tend to be pretty strong so unless its at 30mph and constant its nothing to be worried about.

It could be sheer coincident that its now gone, or it could be something else all together. Im no expert when it come to greasy bits.

might'nt have been noticed during mot. and they wear out lowly. id reckon its a bearing... what milage is on the car?

You know when you have your missus in the passenger seat, she's in a bad mood, and she starts droning on and on and on so much so that you just 'switch off' to the constant low-level noise?

 

Well, that's also what a knackered wheel bearing sounds like...

 

 

Heheh, sorry couldn't resist!

 

 

But seriously - yeah, as you say, a low-frequency rumble-type noise is what you get. It obviously gets noisier as you speed up - but can also shut up immediately as soon as you steer one way - normally getting MUCH worse when you steer the other way.

 

Funny it's come up so quickly though - I normally notice them bubble up in volume over a few weeks. 

 

Give us a list of parts you disturbed / undid / fiddled with when you did the wishbone install - that might help with a diagnosis?

Thanks for the replies chaps.

 

You know when you have your missus in the passenger seat, she's in a bad mood, and she starts droning on and on and on so much so that you just 'switch off' to the constant low-level noise?

 

Well, that's also what a knackered wheel bearing sounds like...

 

 

Heheh, sorry couldn't resist!

 

 

But seriously - yeah, as you say, a low-frequency rumble-type noise is what you get. It obviously gets noisier as you speed up - but can also shut up immediately as soon as you steer one way - normally getting MUCH worse when you steer the other way.

 

Funny it's come up so quickly though - I normally notice them bubble up in volume over a few weeks. 

 

Give us a list of parts you disturbed / undid / fiddled with when you did the wishbone install - that might help with a diagnosis?

Lol - sounds about right.

 

It does only appear at around 70 and as you say, it disappears on a left turn but gets a little worse on a right turn.

 

Does seem odd it's appeared out of nowhere. So I have just replaced the entire wishbone, excluding the balljoint on the hub.

 

In my experience bearings start becoming obvious at higher speed with a low droning sound which becomes more and more obvious at lower speeds. Unloading the corner you think its coming from will reduce/eliminate the noise as you have mentioned. VAG bearings tend to be pretty strong so unless its at 30mph and constant its nothing to be worried about.

It could be sheer coincident that its now gone, or it could be something else all together. Im no expert when it come to greasy bits.

Hmm, maybe it will become more obvious as time goes on.

 

might'nt have been noticed during mot. and they wear out lowly. id reckon its a bearing... what milage is on the car?

 

Wasn't put as an advisory, but they do seem quite relaxed at my local station, the other wishbone got noted as small amount of play, but it squeeks when i go over bumps! Just gone past 101k mileage.

Edited 1 April, 201412 yr by JSme

It does sound like a bearing. My first one failed at 97k. Rear drivers side. I never actually heard that one but it got flagged up on a service/inspection. The next one went at about 110k. Passenger front. No play in the bearing but you could hear that rumbling approaching motorway speeds.

I forgot to say, its probably coincidence with doing your wishbone. There isnt any reason why that would cause a bearing to fail as the hub/bearing isn't really disturbed.

Did you get the wheel alignment checked after you replaced the track control arm? The droning could be just tyre noise from the wheel tracking being misaligned.

Thanks Meaty, that's a bummer. Can you remember how much it cost to get replaced?

 

I haven't had an alignment done Tom, but everything seems as straight as it was before I started. No drifting at speed and no vibration through the steering wheel. If it's worth it i'll happily shell out.

I've just found the reciept. I didn't do that job myself its one job I've never thought about doing. The bearing was replaced at a indie vag specialist. The bearing was £39.60.There was other labour on the receipt for other work but I think he charges about £40 an hour and I would say that's how long it would take.

You need a bearing press to change the fronts on these, so I'd say it's not worth most people's while going DIY.

Yeah that's why I left it to someone else although I'm sure it would be possible to make a contraption at home. Just one other thing to mention to the op, I would recommend having the tracking checked. I've just had both wishbones out to fit some Audi tt bushes and my alignment was all over the place. I did replace a track rod end but that went back onto marked threads so it was in the same place.

by the service history in mine, the front left bearing was done at 98k miles - 30k before i bought it.

AS said, not a DIY job, unless you happen to be mechanic with wheel press..

Also, i brought my old car for its NCT (MOT equivilent) and i was failed on an ARB bushing worn.

when my local indy at the time whipped off the wheels to change, we discovered my front brake pads

(which functioned perfectly.... dead straight and good stopping power) had worn the whole way down

to the mounting plates on both inner pads.... this never got picked during the test, and was Waaay more fail worthy than the poxy bush!

after that, my confidence in the whole testing system went out the window..

A lad I hung around with years ago once fitted a new bearing for me on a ford Orion. I seem to remember he had a makeshift press that used an old bearing of the same size to get the new one in. Unless those old cars were easier to do im not sure but I think it is possible at home.

Thanks guys, i like having a go myself but this does sound a bit beyond me. I'll get some quotes :(

Just jacked the little sucker up. The wheel does rock top to bottom, whereas the other side does not.

 

Stil seems odd to me that this has happened just after changing the wishbone. I had to force the new wishbone in, just wondering if I disturbed something in the process?

 

Doubt the hub nut would've come loose. Sounds like it's the bearing but I'm so short on money right now it's be great if it was something else.

If you've took the wishbone out and left the ball joint in the bearing isn't touched. I've just replaced a bottom ball joint and I have no bearing noise. Play at the wheel could be either ball joint or bearing. But a knackered ball joint wouldn't make a groaning noise. That would be more than likely juddering at the steering wheel or knocking over bumps. You could get a second pair of hands to rock the wheel while you look underneath to try and see where the play is.

Thanks meaty.

 

Will do.

If it turns out to be the ball joint, how do you replace it?

 

I didn't bother as when I've done them previously you need to put an allen key in the top to prevent spinning when you tighten the nut. However it seems the drive shaft doesn't give enough clearance to slot an allen key in....

...Unloading the corner you think its coming from will reduce/eliminate the noise as you have mentioned...

These bearings have two races in the same shell, so you can't unload one side. When you jerk the wheel to the left and right, you load up one race and unload the other on each side. If the noise goes away,

it does indicate a bad bearing but not the side. You can't tell the difference between LH inner race and RH outer race or vice versa.

Well the ball joint isn't moving at all. Guess it's the bearing then. Pretty sure it's the nearside as that wheel rocks top to bottom, and the other doesn't.

Yeah your right. It looks like the proper way to get the joint off would be to remove the driveshaft because there isn't enough roomto get an allen key in to stop the thread from spinning. But if its a worn joint its getting replaced anyway so I slackened the nut off so far, it holds to a point because the joint will be firm into the hub. Then give the hub a tap with a rubber mallet, grab the joint at the bottom with some grips then undo the rest of the way. Wire brush the exposed threads at the top as much as you can before you start though because the nut is a nylon lock one and it gets tight near the top of the thread.

Well the ball joint isn't moving at all. Guess it's the bearing then. Pretty sure it's the nearside as that wheel rocks top to bottom, and the other doesn't.

If cash is in short supply you could always strip the hub out of the car and take it to a friendly garage nearby and get them to press your new bearing in for you. That'll save you a small fortune in labour.

Good suggestion, that'll help keep the costs down, cheers.

I thought I had a wheel bearing gone but took it to the garage and they said the rear tyres were becoming mishapen and creating the same sort of noise , worse really as 2 tyres will cost more to replace !