Technical Wheel bearing

[DaveMcT]

My HGT has a Peco exhaust so I was not especially bothered about a growling at speed. However the growl has got louder on M-ways and I'm now suspecting a rear wheel bearing.

This is a deep growl rather than the exaggerated tyre noise sound you usually get from a duff bearing.

I think its at the rear; there is no difference on bends so very hard to tell.

Can anyone say what a failing (rear) wheel bearing sounds like?

 

[shaunpunto2000]

Hi mate

My beloved and much missed Mk2 SRI Cavalier used to have the rear wheel bearings fail reasonably regularly and the sound was just an annoying drone/rumble that got faster as the car went quicker obviously. Also, it was possible to say which side it was if you were to find a quiet road in the sticks and zig zag left and right as you drove along. It was always more noisy as the affected side was loaded up if you see what I mean.

Hope this helps you mate

 

[DaveMcT]

I've tried that and it make no difference that I can really screw down. Its a right old WOOOORRR noise that gets louder but at some speeds I can hear a thrum - thrum. At town speeds there is no undue noise.
Jacking up the wheels everything is fine. It seems louder on the right rear so I'll do that one. Hopefully I wont end up with a new axle set.

Back in the 1980s I had a Citroen BX with a typical drone/rumble wheel bearing noise. More noise on right cornering, so I was convinced it was a left front. It needed special tools, so the garage got the job and it turned out to be the right front!!! What?
Really odd, but the noise went so clearly he was right (and he did only the one side).