Bad wheel bearing

DAMOL72

MEMBER
2006 HOLDEN COMMODORE
3.6L
V6
2WD
AUTOMATIC
2,500,000 MILES

I believe I have a bad bearing on the left side, humming sound increases with speed, but can't determine if it's front or rear. When I turn right the noise goes away returns when going straight. There is some play in the front passenger wheel but none in the driver's side or unusual noises or behavior from the other wheels. Thanks.

1 Reply

CARADIODOC

MECHANIC
33,871 POSTS

We don't have information for your model, but if you turn right and the noise decreases, it is usually the front right bearing that is suspect. Turning right, as in when changing lanes, reduces the weight on the right bearing and makes it get quieter.

Reduced noise affected by turning is common with pressed-in wheel bearings. Most cars today use bolted-on bearing assemblies. Those don't react to turning as much as the pressed-in type. With the bolted-on style, if you replace the wrong one, you can put the old one on the other side. Pressed-in bearings are usually destroyed by removing them.

If your car has a strut front suspension system, raise the front wheels off the ground, reach over the top of the tire and lightly wrap your fingertips around the coil spring. Rotate the tire with your other hand. If that is the noisy wheel bearing, you'll feel the vibration in the spring.

My preferred method with front-wheel-drive cars is to run them in gear on the hoist, then listen next to each bearing with a stethoscope. One will be seriously louder than the other one.