Over the past few months, I have had a hum coming from the right from tire. The hum is relative to speed and goes away when the weight of the car is briefly lightened (going over a dip in the road). However, I was in a gentle left turn and the noise suddenly got much worse. Now it sound like a growl. I can feel the vibrations in the floor boards, petal, steering wheel... I just replaced the bearing about 30k ago. Any chance this could have gone bad again, or could the CV joint be making the noise? When I make left turns, there is a slight noise coming from the right tire. I don't know what else to do. I have jacked up the car and there is no play in the wheel at all. Any help is greatly appreciated, I'm at my whits end!!

 

If the boots arent split on the cv joint its most likely wheel bearing. Is the boot on either of the CV joints ripped?

 

No, but they did about 75k ago. I replaced the outer boots on both sides. I believe I got to the on the same day they ripped, so I don't think they got crudded up.

Will the CV joint even make a virbration while driving?

 

yes, the cv joint can make noise and vibrate if it's dried out enough or if it is separating or just worn that badly.

take a look under there....look for grease that has flung all over the place....take the wheel off, check the boots for tears.

you can also check for play in the bearing by grabbing a hold of it, straddling it, and see if it moves or has unusual play in it.....if the bearing itself has play, it's most likely bad, if the play is further inside, it could be your tie rods on the rack!

many possibilities, only one way to find out!

 

I have crawled under the car and played with the tire and nothing seems out of place. The boots for both inner and out CV joint are in good shape. I figured since the vibration is proportionate to speed, it either had to be the CV joint or the bearing, as these are the only things that rotate, correct?

 

well, not exactly, you have to remember that the wheel and tire themselves also move, so you also want to check your alignment, check the condition of the tire to make sure there is no bubbling or uneven wear.

alot of times, it's as simple as an alignment issue, especially if it's proportional to speed.

since you got the noise while turning left, check the outside edge of you passenger side front tire for any unusual wear.

 

Tires are new (only 2k on them). Also had an alignment done a little before that, so everything is in spec. The noise is kind of a growl/grinding/vibrating. The slight hum existed before the new tires, but like I said, I was in a long gentle left turn and I heard a slight noise then the vibration got much worse...

 

growl/grinding/vibrating sounds more like a bad cv joint....odd that you're not feeling any play when you straddle the wheel.

 

Check the extra bearing on the passenger side axle. These occasionally go bad.

Also lift the passenger side front wheel and check it for play. (Wheel bearing)

Dave

 

You definately have a wheel bearing gone bad.

 

I am not sure what extra bearing you are talking about, could you elaborate? Also, I did check the wheel for play and it seems solid, no play.

 

Follow the passenger side CV and you'll see it runs into a bearing housing just inboard and below the PS Pump. That's the bearing that might have some play.

Dave

 

Is it part of the inner CV joint?

 

I think hes reffering to the bearing where the axle is supported by the bracket. If you look at the passengerside axle you will notice its like a 2 piece design, has a long shaft then one boot, then another. There are 3 bolts holding it onto the bracket, the bearing there could be bad? never really thought of that but it makes sense.

 

pull harder or something...there's gotta be some play if it's making a noise almost all the time!

 

You should make sure your tires are fully balanced. Sounds like an inner CV joint is going bad, give it the squeeze test (squeeze the boot) and if you see any grease, replace that axle. Although since you say it is proportional to speed, it could be a bent tie rod or a wheel bearing if whoever did them forgot to fully torque them in an unladen (unburdened) condition with the tires on the ground. Good luck!

 

TYPICAL failure mode for a CV joint is clicking, while bearings often groan, hum, or grind. A few simple things to try:

Rotate your tires. Work your way from simple to complex. Even new tires can have defects that make noise.

Jack up the car, secure it, then have someone power the front wheels while you listen. If the noise can be duplicated, you can pinpoint it.

 

When I put the car on jacks and rotate the wheel, there is a slight clicking noise about 2 per revolution. It is so faint it is hard to pinpoint. Also, the brakes seem to be dragging a little, so that creates some extra noise. I might have to remove the pads to get a clear shot at the noise.

The noise is pretty bad, and you can hear it as soon as the car starts moving. Another point of interest, if it helps at all, when I drive in a counter-clockwise circle, there is a pretty faint popping noise (not the "typical" clicking that I have heard of a bad CV joint. But then again, maybe it is just the early stages of failure and not making the horrible clicking I have heard in other max's. Thanks for the advice so far, keep it coming. I will get under the car in the next day or two and really see if there is anything else I can pinpoint.

 

Is it further in toward the tranny past the inner CV joint? Or is this actually the inner CV joint?

 

I also have that grinding sound. I have replaced a bearing and still had the same noise. I then replaced the whole knuckle thinking maybe bad hub or damaged knuckle that might be causing the cv shaft to have to much movement. I still have the same noise. I truly believe that I have a bad cv shaft no ripped boots no clicking. I simply have a thump sound and and the grinding. My noise is coming from passenger side.

 

its your c.v when it get bad enuf it feeling like a wheel is lose it did this to me when when whent! lucky i was going around a corner!! if u get one re place you should get both done at the same time!

 

now this may not be the safest way to do it, but at my work (nissan dealership) we just get one of the lot guys to drive the car say 50kmh in 5th gear so there little engine noise, when the car is on the hoist, the tech will listen to were the noise is coming from.

i was and still am skeptical of the safety of doing it this way, id hate to see something blow/break while the tech was around there.

this was the way i determined my wheel bearing was bad, the noise is audible at 50kmh, but when it was on the hoist i could not believe how loud it was, it was perfectly clear where it was coming from.

 

Well, I hope it is the bearing because I am going to be replacing it tomorrow. If that is not the case, I am going to be P.O'ed... I'll do the work and report back...

 

Be sure you use a good quality bearing (like from dealer stock). If I was going back in, I would go ahead and replace the axle. Plenty of new axles are bad and that may be the source of your problem. Consider using one from Raxles.

As the others have said, bearings typically hum, axles click and pop.

 

AHHHH!!! I replaced the right fron bearing today and NO improvement. When I took off the axle nut, the hub was very loose, I'm talking I could pull the inner part of the hub about 1/2" out (the bearing was separating). So I thought that was for sure bad. So I think that needed to be replaced anyways, but it did not fix the noise. I think the noise is actually a little worse now. I am lost...I think I might just have to take it to the dealership and have them diagnose it, even if it costs me...I am afraid to drive this thing. Any other suggestions?

 

jack up the rear end and check the rear bearings by spinning the tires with your hands. maybe it is the rear ones but you cant tell.

 

Turns out the right front bearing was bad also! Geez...never thought I would have to replace the front bearing again! The left original lasted 200k, and the right original 210k. Now I am having to replace both after 20k and 5k...WTF is up with that? Also the right one is still making noise after just changing it! Piece of crap bearings...

 

Then obviously it's not the bearings, but an installation issue or problem with the spindle or axle.

Dave

 

I'm having the same problem as well - I hope it only needs a new kit

 

I'm in the midst of replacing bearings too. Do you have another set of tires that are the stock size? You could try switching and see if you still get the sound. I"m assuming here, obviously.
BTW, I had play in my left front bearing when I took it off, but there was NO play when the wheel was mounted, so you can't always go by how it feels.

 

I have the same problem, I have changed both axles,(passenger side only has one bearing, where it attaches to the mount isnt a bearing, I know this from having to hammer the s**t out of it to get it out of the mount for replacement)strut mounts, strut bearings, etc. I still have the noise, not as bad but its there, this seems to be a big issue for us, also is your car lowered?