PROBLEM: Dull Roar, and not in a good way.. NEW INFO Options

[malcolm2]

I took a video this afternoon to see if anyone knows what is causing this sound. I have a dull roar at MPH above 35-ish. Tires? Bearing? Axle? Front? Rear?, right?, left? I determined that coasting gave me the best chance at recording the sound. So I found a hill and turned the video on.

At 30 seconds I top a hill then take a significant left hand curve and the roar goes away. Listen a couple times to confirm. Has anyone fixed this before? How can I trouble shoot something like this? In the video I assume that it is front since it goes away. Good assumption or not?

This car/engine, etc... has 4400 miles on it... old tires, old tranny, new front bearings and bushings, a new right hand axle (both CV joints from Tangerine Racing). alignment all round. I guess the sound showed up a week or so back, best I can remember. Just last week I finished sound proofing and new carpet, so it is a bit easier to hear.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kaGpgxC4iR4

[ThePaintedMan]

Rear wheel bearing. I couldn't hear it, but if you said it went away on a left hand turn, then it's likely the left side. If it were me, I'd do both at once though. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)

[toolguy]

I just went thru this with my 'other' car. . sounded like I had off road tires about 35 MPH and above. . new tires didn't fix it. . ended up being the rear wheel bearing. . you may be able to confirm by jacking up the car and rotating each wheel and see if there is a difference when you spin them by hand. . On mine, I couldn't actually hear a difference, but actually felt an unevenness as I rotated the wheel/tire . .
The best test, is throwing the car in a sharp turn and listen for a change in the noise. . as the above post said, left turn gets quiets is a left rear wheel bearing going bad.
Get an FAG or SKF bearing, not a place to cut quality of part.

[Cap'n Krusty]

Not to derail the band wagon after everyone's jumped on, but I'd sure look at the front wheel bearings before investing a lot of time and money in the rear ones. Less expensive, easier to check, easier to do, and a more common failure point. But then, I'm lazy; I prefer to evaluate all the possibilities before throwing money at something.

The Cap'n

[ThePaintedMan]

I believe he said the fronts were just done. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)

[Cap'n Krusty]

Maybe the "bushings" threw me off. I thought of suspension, not wheel bearings. I've also seen low miles failures when cheap bearings were used, and there's a LOT of those out there. Takes only a couple of minutes to check 'em.

The Cap'n

[malcolm2]

Maybe the "bushings" threw me off. I thought of suspension, not wheel bearings. I've also seen low miles failures when cheap bearings were used, and there's a LOT of those out there. Takes only a couple of minutes to check 'em.

The Cap'n

As mentioned above, the sound is like mud tires on one side. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/confused24.gif)

Hell, all the bearings have been done... with exception of the large rear ones in the control arms. I suppose something could have happened to the right rear wheel bearing when I did the axle. I did not take it out, but maybe should have.

I'll have to dig up the receipts to see what brand and quality I used.

Of course, I am driving, so I am on the left side and I can, with some difficulty, stick my head out of the left window. I hear nothing. I suppose I should let someone else drive and stick my head out the right window. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/hissyfit.gif)

I really hear nothing on the left. I'll check them all.

Breaking out the jack stands, I guess. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/mad.gif)

[ThePaintedMan]

Cap'ns points about cheap bearings definitely hold water.

BUT, I would be willing to bet these are original bearings that are now 40 years old. Eventually everything on the car needs replacing. It can be done on the car with very basic tools, if you know what you're doing and take your time (though of course, using a press is far preferred). Won't even need to re-align it. Check my thread in my signature.

Mine sounded just like what you're describing - mud tires. Was definitely the rears. One died, then another within 4 months. Which is why I recommend doing both at the same time.

[76-914]

If your paint is solid; duct tape a piece of garden hose down the side to the center of the wheel and into the cabin. Then listen thru it. Be sure the end of the hose isn't catching or pointing into the wind or it's just noise. Warning: Duct tape will pull a crappy paint job right off!

[malcolm2]

Cap'ns points about cheap bearings definitely hold water.

BUT, I would be willing to bet these are original bearings that are now 40 years old.

Yes almost everything has been replaced on this car. I have replaced all wheel bearings before I started driving the now 4000 miles that I have driven this car and engine after rebuild. Again, not sure about the quality of what I bought last time or the grease I put in them. So I'll get to work on buying high quality of both.

Clark

[malcolm2]

If your paint is solid; duct tape a piece of garden hose down the side to the center of the wheel and into the cabin. Then listen thru it. Be sure the end of the hose isn't catching or pointing into the wind or it's just noise. Warning: Duct tape will pull a crappy paint job right off!

Now your talking.... I just need an old hose now. The paint is on my car, but it is the worst part of the car. I just wanted to drive, so I decided not to spend $ on the pretty things like paint. I do have carpet and door panels now tho, but still the old crappy paint.

Love the idea.

[malcolm2]

Ok it has been a while since I have been under the car or even looked in the book. For some reason I was thinking the rear have wheel bearings AND the big one, which is the one that might be 40 years old. I was wrong on that... Rear has only the large bearing in the control arm.

I don't feel any play on the front wheel bearings, either side. Is there another way to TEST? Or should I just remove the hub and take a look.

I am going to throughly go thru the front before I hit the rear. Sometimes you have to read the Cap'n's comments several times... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blink.gif)

[malcolm2]

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/icon_bump.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/icon_bump.gif)
Took some time off and played golf at Myrtle Beach (too much golf), now I am back at the DULL ROAR.

I took the front right apart and found the small outer bearing to be damaged. How does this happen in less than 4000 miles?

BEARING AND RACE

[Mblizzard]

Not sure on how that would happen. But it makes me want to check mine!