Front Left Wheel Noise

[Bob R]

What's a good test to see if a half shaft is bad or going bad? I haven't heard any popping on turns.

[Blueox]

Not only to I get a noise that sounds like a bearing, I can have intermittent vibration felt in the steering and door. I had the left transmission/differential (I yeah thats what they called it) replaced and also did the hub and shaft at the same time. Did't cure the problem Still was hear what "wow wow" bearing sound. But the side to side turning to load and unload the bearing does not change the sound. I will replace the right hub and shaft next week. Before all this I did have the tires checked and balanced. So it is unlikely tires. They have about 12,000 on them and look good. If replacing the right side cures it, I will post. Hey at 138,000 on it, it sure could be an axle/CV joint.

[Bob R]

Checked the air pressure in all the tires. They were all, including the left front where I hear the noise, eight pounds over spec. I let air out of all of them down to a couple pounds above spec because the tires were warm from driving the car. I didn't take it back out for a test drive after that.

I doubt if it will make any difference. I've been riding on that pressure for a couple months unknowingly, and the noise just started a couple days ago.

Freekin Monroe tire center to blame for that. They balanced the tires a couple months ago and were the last ones to touch them.

[Bob R]

Tire pressure made no difference. The noise is still there.

[sheila]

Bob, might remove both front wheels and place ea. side on jack stands with e-brake applied. Install 2-3 lug nuts to hold rotor on, or remove caliper/rotor, start car, place in D and carefully listen to ea. hub with a mechanics stethoscope (~$3 @ HF).

[regl404]

Originally Posted by sheila

Bob, might remove both front wheels and place ea. side on jack stands with e-brake applied. Install 2-3 lug nuts to hold rotor on, or remove caliper/rotor, start car, place in D and carefully listen to ea. hub with a mechanics stethoscope (~$3 @ HF).

I might add that if you do this, to leave the rotor and pads on so you can use the brakes to completely stop the wheels before shifting to park. Or, you can shift to neutral then kill the engine and wait for hubs to stop spinning, before shifting to park.

[Bob R]

Nursing a bad foot from surgery. Going to have the guy who put the wheel bearings in take a look at it. Starting to wonder if it's the tire. It's worn evenly but just about to the wear bars.

[Bob R]

Went to my buddy's shop, put it on a lift and ran the wheels off the ground. Left wheel bearing is gone.

The original lasted 211.000 miles and was prrobably still good when I replaced both front wheel bearings. This POS lasted 9,500 miles.

Now I'll be getting a warrantee replacement for the bearing and they will refund me the cost of the bearing and the outbound shipping cost. Who pays for the labor to replace Timken's defective screw up?! That cost almost 3 times what the bearing cost.

[Blueox]

I am glad you solved your issue. I still am fighting my problem.

Replaced both hubs and axle assemblies. Maybe a 30% reduction at most. Tires are balanced. Suspension has been check by dealer. If it isn't tires, then what? What the heck else could cause a vibration?

[Bob R]

New bearing in and growling is gone. Sent bad Timken back to Rock Auto for a warrantee refund. Now the car only sounds like it has two jet engines in the back seat instead of 2 jet engines in the back and a turbo fan in the front. Noisiest Taurus I have ever owned.