I have developed a noise very similar to that of driving along a motorway rumble strip, or a low pitch wha wha wha wha, it seems to be coming from the FO could the wheel bearing be on the way out????

If so how easy are they to change

Edited 10 August, 201411 yr by skippy41

Check the rear tyre inner edges for uneven, sawtooth type wear, this can cause unreal noise throughout the car

Check the rear tyre inner edges for uneven, sawtooth type wear, this can cause unreal noise throughout the car

 

I can vouch for that... my Exeo had two sets of tyres in 28000 miles because of this issue, dealers could not find anything wrong, worse on a smooth road surface, but does sound like a wheel bearing.. 

 

If you run your had around the tread in the opposite direction to rotation you will feel the front of the tread blocks raised.  

 

What tyres are they? 

When it is safe to do so, jerk the steering to the left and then to the right. If it goes away in one direction, then it is likely the bearing. The bearings have an inner and outer race, so when turning one race is always loaded whilst the other is unloaded. Despite what some may say, you can't tell what side it is on using this test.

It is also very common for the wrong bearing to be diagnosed by listening from the driver's seat. Jack up BOTH sides and listen for noise whilst rotating a wheel. It sometimes helps to put a finger on the spring - you can feel the vibration more easily.

When it is safe to do so, jerk the steering to the left and then to the right. If it goes away in one direction, then it is likely the bearing. The bearings have an inner and outer race, so when turning one race is always loaded whilst the other is unloaded. Despite what some may say, you can't tell what side it is on using this test.

It is also very common for the wrong bearing to be diagnosed by listening from the driver's seat. Jack up BOTH sides and listen for noise whilst rotating a wheel. It sometimes helps to put a finger on the spring - you can feel the vibration more easily.

We had a Volvo V50 in work the other week, it sounded like the N/S/F was the noisy bearing, even with the use of "chassis ear" it couldn't be diagnosed or determined which side it was, I fitted a N/S/F bearing only to find it was the O/S/F

Its not the tyres, the noise just started while on the M6 last week, will get the garage to check today. had a new clutch fitted in the middle of June so the drive shafts would have had to be removed, checked on line bearings are around £50 depending on supplier

Update, mechanic checked it out , the OSF has some play in it, he drove it and he said its noisier when you turn right, so new bearing being fitted on Thursday

When it is safe to do so, jerk the steering to the left and then to the right. If it goes away in one direction, then it is likely the bearing. The bearings have an inner and outer race, so when turning one race is always loaded whilst the other is unloaded. Despite what some may say, you can't tell what side it is on using this test.

It is also very common for the wrong bearing to be diagnosed by listening from the driver's seat. Jack up BOTH sides and listen for noise whilst rotating a wheel. It sometimes helps to put a finger on the spring - you can feel the vibration more easily.

Why on earth would you Jerk the steering to the left then the right to check for a wheel bearing noise.

Far easier and safer to go to a big car park and drive in circles.

Why on earth would you Jerk the steering to the left then the right to check for a wheel bearing noise.

Far easier and safer to go to a big car park and drive in circles.

Jerking the steering applies both a very high load and a high change of load. It is far more effective in the early stages, where the noise is intermittent or where the noise is more pronounced at higher speeds. Unfortunately, just driving aound in circles doesn't always work.

The best way to check for a bearing issue is to do none of the above. You jack a wheel up off the ground and feel for play by push and pulling at 12 o'clock and six o'clock and then 3 o'clock and 9 o'clock. If there is no play the bearings are not sufficiently worn. Any mechanic worth their salt would know how to do this so I'm amazed that they ended up changing the wrong bearing.

cheers, Steve

The best way to check for a bearing issue is to do none of the above. You jack a wheel up off the ground and feel for play by push and pulling at 12 o'clock and six o'clock and then 3 o'clock and 9 o'clock. If there is no play the bearings are not sufficiently worn. Any mechanic worth their salt would know how to do this so I'm amazed that they ended up changing the wrong bearing.

cheers, Steve

With these dual race bearings you often see cars where there is a noise but the test you describe doesn't show anything. I've seen plenty of VAG cars get through an MOT with a noisy/failing bearing. You can hear/feel the roughness in the bearing when you rotate the wheel long before the test above shows anything.

If you put one wheel in the air and keep one on the deck and engage a gear you should hear it if it's gone

If you put one wheel in the air and keep one on the deck and engage a gear you should hear it if it's gone

I'm hoping you mean without the engine running.

If you have EDL or similar, the ABS will brake the wheel in the air to transfer power to the wheel with traction. i.e. the one on the ground. Very dangerous.

Here's a description of what happens http://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/204436-diff-bearings/#entry2420624

Please folks don't go jerking your wheel or the above. There are mechanical tests which can diagnose play in the bearing ir any suspension bushes. Driving normally negotiating a roundabout should be sufficient.

I'm hoping you mean without the engine running.

If you have EDL or similar, the ABS will brake the wheel in the air to transfer power to the wheel with traction. i.e. the one on the ground. Very dangerous.

Here's a description of what happens http://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/204436-diff-bearings/#entry2420624

 

 

Normally if you lift one wheel the other won't spin, I know it's a bit of a messed up concept but unless things have changed it always used to be the car won't move unless both driving wheels are on the ground, I had to do it with a 2.8 Capri I used to own, sure enough as it span it droned like hell.

 

Good point about the abs kicking in btw, so if anyone does try it (I would say not to if you're not competent btw) turn off the TC before you do, even then it might electronically jump in as well, so to err on caution I guess Jonnie is right.

Edited 13 August, 201411 yr by Supurbia

From my experience it is very hard to diagnose a faulty wheel bearing

 

I had an oscillating drone  around 70mph which I noticed after changing tyres  ( turns out this was just coincidence) 

 

No play in wheel bearings, no rumble on turning wheel by hand , even used the car engine to turn all wheels when on car lift ( needed to lift all wheels off the ground as mine is a 4x4) and no noise detected even with a stethoscope.  Pass MoT and tested did not notice any thing  - I think the problem is the wheel bearing needs to be under load to notice the rumble/defect.

 

Tried swapping the front tires over to see if it was tyre noise  - but no change

 

But I found if I put the spare wheel on the nearside wheel the noise went away ( if I put it on the offside the oscillating noise was still there)

 

 Concluded the spare wheel being narrower ( a space saver on the 3.6)  loading the bearing differently and the near side front was therefore defective

 

Therefore changed the front nearside bearing ( found a unwanted one on E bay for £5 ) and the noise went away - Its not too difficult to change but you need a Triple square M12 socket bit to undo the bearing casing

 

Bearing lasted 60k miles 

 

Chris

Jerking the steering applies both a very high load and a high change of load. It is far more effective in the early stages, where the noise is intermittent or where the noise is more pronounced at higher speeds. Unfortunately, just driving aound in circles doesn't always work.

Well I will stick with the way I do it in a car park.

It been working for me for 27 years without fail. 

Normally if you lift one wheel the other won't spin, I know it's a bit of a messed up concept but unless things have changed it always used to be the car won't move unless both driving wheels are on the ground, I had to do it with a 2.8 Capri I used to own, sure enough as it span it droned like hell.

 

Good point about the abs kicking in btw, so if anyone does try it (I would say not to if you're not competent btw) turn off the TC before you do, even then it might electronically jump in as well, so to err on caution I guess Jonnie is right.

Its a bit different on the rear axel of a RWD car with a live axel and no ABS of any other kind of stability or traction control systems.

New bearing fitted and the whine that the car has had since I got it last year has also gone, so nice and quiet now

Good to here the Superb is back to full health.