Left or right wheel bearing? Mind games.

[Markus1]

6 months back my mechanic said my left front wheel bearing was starting on its way out, there was a very slight noise I was complaining about that I couldn't pinpoint. At the time I tested and there was no 12/6 o'clock play.

Now 6 months on somethings noticeably noisy and with a droning reverb between 40 and 60kmph....any gear or neutral, regardless of load or rpm, coasting or accelerating its there. Sometimes worse than other times. I checked again and the left front has some play. It's small but there's movement to me.

So that's all fine except the noise disappears on turning right. Hmmmm. So now I'm confused. The right front wheel bearing has no play. Rears seem ok.

First up this weekend will be a tyre rotate. Bfg ko2's which aren't particularly quiet in themselves.

Anyone got any thoughts???. Is the old rule about diagnosing wheel bearings turning left or right just a guide or absolute truth? Other options are a bung tyre as I dropped hard in a hole under water a while back. Or diff perhaps....fluids are new. Rims seems all good.

I am in the city of roundabouts so a front left was always on the cards.

Cheers.
Mark

[Ean Austral]

Sure its not a rear one ? make sure you dont apply the handbrake when doing the jack test

Cheers Ean

[scarry]

Many workshops run the vehicle on a hoist then go around with a stethoscope.

I have actually seen this done at a LR dealer.

[Graeme]

I changed my D4's left one because it was loose but the noise persisted so then changed the right one.

[Markus1]

Yeah that's my suspicion Graeme. I guess the obvious starting point is the loose one given its probably on its way to becoming a potential hazard.

Are air tools needed, or will a decent breaker bar and a trusty hammer be enough. Ive never done it before. I assume a new hub nut is best practice.

Cheers.

[DiscoJeffster]

Yeah that's my suspicion Graeme. I guess the obvious starting point is the loose one given its probably on its way to becoming a potential hazard.

Are air tools needed, or will a decent breaker bar and a trusty hammer be enough. Ive never done it before. I assume a new hub nut is best practice.

Cheers.

When one of mine went I just did both. Use Timken only - the cheapies fail very quickly. I found it a very simple job. Wheel off, caliper off, disc off, leave one side grounded so you can get the wheel nut undone, crack nut (pretty easy with a standard breaker), push back shaft, undo four hub bolts, slide out hub, reverse for assembly.

[Graeme]

The axle nut can be re-used if it is ground so that it stops at a new spot when tightened to the required torque but best to fit a new nut.

[DiscoJeffster]

The axle nut can be re-used if it is ground so that it stops at a new spot when tightened to the required torque but best to fit a new nut.

Advanced factors and some others do kits which have the nut, new hub bolts, plus the bearing in a complete kit.

[Markus1]

Pretty sure I saw 4wdindustries do the hub plus nut for $330.

eBay says $250

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Timken-HA500601-Front-Wheel-Bearing-Hub-Assembly-Discovery-3-4-LR014147/302798206707

[eddy]

Sure its not a rear one ?



Noisy front wheel bearings diagnosed by local Indie...both replaced ..no difference.Turned out to be a rear bearing became obvious many kms later and with a full load aboard.Electronic chassis ears are the way to go for pin point diagnosis.

[Markus1]

I went a bought a $16 Korg contact mic. The ones musicians use. Along with a long guitar lead and a USB speaker, both of which I already owned, I was able to make myself a portable set of ears to use while driving.

So yep, front left wheel bearing is noisy. Crunchy bad grinding sound very obvious through the mic. The other three hubs seem ok. The rear left is maybe just a touch noisy but certainly no play.

No idea why I get a cabin drone between 40 and 60kmph. My hope is that it's just a resonance/harmonic from the bad wheel bearing. After placing the mic at different areas I couldn't really located the drone. Randomly switching tyres around didn't get rid of it either.