I have a front end howl that gets worse when turning right.

ANGELAJW

MEMBER
2004 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER
119,000 MILES

I have had this howling sound from the front end that keeps getting worse. When driving, if there is a right hand corner it gets louder and almost gone when turning left. We have changed the drivers side bearing, changed all the brakes and now are at a loss. It is an AWD. We feel no play in the passenger side bearing at all. All the tires are in very good shape and have been rotated. There is no clicking noise that might indicate a CV, so any help would be appreciated.

2 Replies

RASMATAZ

MECHANIC
75,992 POSTS

Try raising up the vehicle on all fours and attempt to duplicate the problem-

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Saturday, February 18th, 2012 AT 7:14 AM

CARADIODOC

MECHANIC
33,908 POSTS

Change the right front wheel bearing. First of all, with the bolt-on style, you absolutely can't go by where the noise sounds like it's coming from. I've been fooled many times. You should be able to bolt the old left one onto the right side.

Turning doesn't provide a clue either like it did with the old Ford and Chrysler pressed-in bearings. Those got noisier when more weight went on them during cornering.

Also, there is a tool you might be able to borrow or rent from an auto parts store that borrows them called the "Chassis Ear". It is a set of six microphones, a switch box, and headphones. You clip the microphones to suspect points, then drive around while listening with the headphones. You can move the microphones around to zero in on the source of the noise. Be aware that many mechanics have never seen or even heard of this tool. Suspension and alignment mechanics use it to find rattles, squeaks, and other noises.