I come to you again for some help, for a different vehicle...

We have an '08 Mountaineer 4.6 AWD that has had a humming in the front for a couple of months. It is worse when turning right and disappears when turning left. Today I replaced the front driver side wheel hub and bearing assembly. I took it for a test drive and guess what...noise is still there. It definitely sounds like a bad bearing to me but it is brand new. I know that new bearings are not always good but it sounds the exact same. I am certain now that it is not the hub/bearing. What else could it be? Thanks in advance for the help.

 

Are you absolutely certain the noise is from the front and not the rear? You could have a bad rear bearing. You could also locate an alignment shop with a hoist that supports the vehicle by the suspension and carefully check for the noise with the wheels off the ground to help pinpoint the source.

If you know anyone with a ChassisEar you could install the microphones in various locations and see where the noise is loudest to attempt to locate it that way.

The quickest, although least likely to provide meaningful results, might be to swap tires around to see if the noise changes based on tire location. There's a chance you have a separated belt in a tire that is making the noise.

-Rod

 

shorod,


Thanks for the reply, I do not know anyone with Chassis Ears. It would make this process so much easier but I am not dropping that much for a diagnostic tool until I can rule more things out. I am going to put it up on jacks tomorrow and check the tires, bearings, and transfer case. Like a said, it sure sounds like a bearing but it could be a tire.

 

For anyone else who is having this issue...

Forget anything that you have ever learned or heard about wheel bearings with these types of bearings. I was able to find the issue by jacking up the front end and wiggling and turning the wheel that I was for sure was not the problem. It was the passenger side wheel bearing and hub assembly. Everything that I heard from riding down the road and turning certain ways told me that there was NO WAY it was the passenger side, but it was. I replaced it and all is well now.

Thank you for the help!

 

Our 2007 is starting to hum a little. I plan to do both front bearings.

I did this job on our 2002 years ago and it was a bear. It appears to be easier and cheaper on the 2007. How was it?