Evening all

Can anyone recommend a Skoda/vw specialist in the Burty St Edmunds/Diss area.

There is a droning type noise coming from the fron of my Octavia that isn't bearings. Both front bearings have been replaced. It is louder from 40mph. Sounds like a bearing problem though but is hard to locate.

Molex

Shouldn't need a specialist to diagnose that.

 

Does the noise still happen with the clutch depressed?

 

Have you tried swapping the wheels front to back in case it's caused by the tyres?

 

Is it a rotational noise - does it get louder/change as you speed up?

Tom

Thanks for the reply. Noise only heard during forward motion - 40mph plus. Quieter below this but very obvious at and above. Not tyre noise. Mechanical/rotational noise like bearings. Sounds like it is coming from low in the front.

M

Yes. Still heard when clutch depressed and moving.

Is the noise the same regardless of what gear you're in? Is there any vibration through the steering?

 

Might be worth swapping the wheels front to back to see if it makes any difference. If it's no different then at least you can rule out the wheels/tyres.

 

Another thing to check would be that none of the wheel arch liners are loose.

Tom

Just checked the liners. They look fine. The noise can be heard in any gear above 40. What else can wear out in the form of bearings at the front? Hopefully not the gearbox.

M

Bit further afield, but in Ipswich, there is a specialist called VW Audi Workshop. I have not used them personally but some friends have for work on their Skodas. Details: Unit 4d, 45 Milton St, Ipswich IP4 4PR, 01473 729818.

Don't dismiss the tyres so quickly

i had a similar month of "jesus my wheel bearings are knackered i really must get them fixed" only to find when the tyres were changed the noise went away.

Alignment or wear problems can cause sawtooth wear on the tread blocks and it causes a drone on he move exactly like a wheel bearing

Edited 11 February, 201610 yr by PastyBoy

Thanks for the rec in Ipswich Mankee.

Pasty - the tyres are virtually bown to the markers. I'll swap ends and see what happens.

Thanks.

M

Tyres or diff bearings I'd say.

Thanks for the rec in Ipswich Mankee.

Pasty - the tyres are virtually bown to the markers. I'll swap ends and see what happens.

Thanks.

M

 

I had an Avensis in today to diagnose a wheel bearing noise. It was audible from 20-40 mph but didn't really get any louder the faster I went. This led me to suspect tyres and when I looked at the rears, they were down to the limits and worn squint and gone out of shape.

 

A satisfying diagnosis if I do say so myself. So don't rule them out, they can make a lot more noise than you would ever think. If they're making a noise, you should be able to feel the undulations if you rub your hand around the circumference (usually the inside quarter of the tyre).

 

Hope you get it sorted. Tyres would be a nice easy fix.

Just popped out for a feel of the tyres Heavy. They're concave in shape - the edges are higher than the middle. The tread is more pronounced at the edges for sure. The rears fell flat to the touch. Will swap ends after breakfast.

M

If there's more tread at the edges than the middle then that would suggest over-inflation.

 

I normally swap tyres front to rear 2-3 times in the tyre's life to even out the wear. When I got my car the rear tyres were sawtoothed which caused a wheel bearing type noise, but I haven't had it since and have been through nearly 2 more sets of tyres (Hankooks and Goodyear Eagle F1s).

Tom

Took it out for a spin and the noise was not so obvious. I did forget to adjust the pressures though & all tyres are near the mark. I have them now at front 32psi/rear 28psi. Is that too high?

M

No that's not too high, though I think the pressures can depend on what size wheels you have. My VRS has the standard 17" wheels and I run my pressures a couple of psi higher than that.

 

Sounds like a new set of tyres will probably sort it out then good to see you saved time/money using the forum!

For tyres I have been recommended e-tyres as supplier and Hanccook tyres. Anyone had any experience of them? I have the standard wheels with mine - the 5 spoke type.

M

Just popped out for another test. Had the front tyres set to 32psi on the way out. Noise was present as it has been. Pulled off the road and dropped the pressures on the fronts to 25psi. Noise was reduced. Has to be the tyres. Would never have guessed that to be the cause.

Many thanks to all.

M

For tyres I have been recommended e-tyres as supplier and Hanccook tyres. Anyone had any experience of them? I have the standard wheels with mine - the 5 spoke type.

M

There's a tyres sub section on here - have a look in there for recommendations.

Sent from my ONE E1003 using Tapatalk

Update

Had tyres changed today. Unfortunately they were not the cause of the problem. There is still a droning grinding noise from the front. Seems to change in character when the wheel is turned slightly at 50/60mph. Both front bearings have been replaced but I will check for play tomorrow. Any suggestions as to what it could be?

M

If no play is evident in the hubs, and the bearing makes no excessive noise when rotating the wheel, then as Tech1e said earlier, as the pitch is changing on turns it would point towards diff bearings.

 

Just one question, how worn are your front brake discs/pads, as they can kick up a row if really badly lipped.

Edited 19 February, 201610 yr by kentphil1

Kent

Discs & pads ok. Not excessively worn. Front n/s calliper binding slightly but able to spin when up on a jack. Looked underneath earlier. Both inboard drive shaft boots look ok. I take it diff bearings are not the same as drive shaft bearings. Any idea what d/s bearings cost to replace?

The diff bearings are actually internal to the gearbox, so will not be cheap to renew. if you grip the inner driveshaft with the car securely supported on axle stands in the air, can you feel any major lift up and down on the flange that the driveshaft bolts to on the gearbox?. Also can you hear any noise coming from the area of the drive flange if you spin the wheel up by hand?.

 

You would be wise to free off the caliper as it probably wont cost you anything more than an hour or so of your time. If the caliper starts to bind up as the brakes warm up, that could also produce a noise that sometimes sounds like bearings. As it is an easy one to rule out, it would seem to be worth the effort.

 

Hope it helps

 

Phil

Edited 19 February, 201610 yr by kentphil1

Thanks for the reply K

Not freed up a calliper before. What is the best method?

M

Normally, once the caliper is released from the carrier, you can then see the sliding pins in their rubber boots, if you are lucky, and they are not too badly seized, they will just pull out of their holes with the boot attached.

 

You would then just clean them with some wd40 to get rid of the corrosion, then apply some copper grease to the pins and push them back into their holes and secure the boots. If they are more heavily seized, then you will need to use a pair of mole grips to manipulate the pin while you spray the wd40 or plusgas.

 

Once the pins are refitted, refit the caliper over the pads and see if you have any improvement. If it still sticks, you may have to retract the piston into the caliper then pump the caliper back out to the pads 2 or 3 times to free off the piston itself, but this is not a common problem unless the dustcover on the piston is compromised in some way. Usually, freeing off the pins suffices.

Thanks Phil.

M