What does it sound like when an axle bearing goes?

I am having this rotational squeaking noise coming from the rear I can’t seem to track it down. At first I thought it was the brakes. So I took the pads out, which are almost new, discs have normal wear no grooves, and then adjusted and bled the brakes, but it didn’t really make that much difference.

The squeak starts up after I have been driving for 20 miles or so. The sound seems slower then the rotation of the wheels, but does speed up seemly as I go faster. When I brake the pitch of the squeak doesn’t change. But the squeak stops just before the car stops or another words it does not make noise under 5 MPH.

It could still be in the brakes as one of the pad adjustment screws was loose and had been leaking fluid on to the pads.

The car has about 50K miles on it but wasn’t driven for the last 16 years, and sat outside for at least the last 8 years. I bought it this year. (my first 914). Been running great since July, squeak appeared about a month ago.

Any ideas?

If it's a wheel bearing, the sound will increase and decrease with varying speeds in the same gear. It will not change if you shift gears as the rotational speed of the the wheel remains the same unless you accelerate or deaccelerate.

is it more intense on bumpier roads then smooth roads or is it constant?...If it is more intense on bumpier roads...or more prominent in colder weather..could be rear trailing arm bushings. Especially if it sat awhile and they got older...harder...and cracked.

Nope stays the same no matter how bumpy the road. And it stays the same no matter the gear. Definitly seems to be with the wheels but I always think it's slower then the wheels.

The seals on rear wheel bearings can squeak after siting for a long time.
If the bearing was bad it would be more of a rumble grinding noise, and would change when cornering.
Spray a little bit of light oil in back of the CV joint and the hub (on to the bearing ) and see if the squeak go's away.

Thanks Mike I'll try that. I was wondering what a bearing sounded like when it goes bad. This helps.

i have the same noise, i'd call it a squeal/whine noise, not a grinding noise that comes and goes, but a slightly "wavering" noise that seems to come from the rear. the pitch doesn't change related to the wheel rotation speed. when the car is slowing down, it stops when the speed reaches 30mph predictably. at speeds above 30, sometimes it makes the noise, sometimes it doesn't. i thought i'd try to rotate the half-shafts to see if it's the CV's.