Noise help

[Scottrick]

Hi peeps,

Been having an issue with my car (2015 1.4 leon fr, has around 43k miles) for a bit now with noise. It's what sounds like a wheel bearing is on it's way out. Before it only showed up at fast speeds and found out my back driver wheel would moved in and out, its bearing was gone and the bolt was actually bent. That one was replaced and noise was gone but after maybe 1 week I started hearing it again, showed up at over 60mph and only came after maybe 20mins of driving, that was a few months back and it has now started showing up just under 60 and I can hear it from the very start of my drive (anything under 55 and I don't really hear anything). Some times on a straight it'll be a constant moaning noise, sometimes it's there for a second, gone a second, back for a second and so on. Its louder on right bends which would say it's to do with the LHS.

All the tyres have been replaced and all are round (no 50p) and ive moved alloys about but it doesn't seem to follow, so I've ruled these out. Standard 18" alloys.

I'm tempted just to replaced both front bearings and back passenger. Since the back driver was so bad, maybe the rest are the same.

I've got 2 front and 1 rear good to go but don't want to cash out if I dont need too. I've taken wheels and discs off to check them and confirmed they're the correct ones.

Thank you for any help

 

[martin j.]

Could you jack the car up and spin the wheels one at a time, you may not hear anything but you might feel roughness in the movement or even play, might save time and money?

 

[Scottrick]

Could you jack the car up and spin the wheels one at a time, you may not hear anything but you might feel roughness in the movement or even play, might save time and money?

I've tried that too mate. Can't feel any play, they all spin normally and only noise I can hear is the pads on the discs.

Had my mechanic look at it multiple times and he says he can't see anything obvious. Have read others having similar issues, saying no play or noise when testing the bearings, but they replaced them anyway and the noise went away.

It's no real biggie, can live with it, just don't want it to get to the point of it being dangerous some day on a drive. I'm sort of lost now lol

 

[martin j.]

If you're dead set on replacing the wheel bearings, do it one at a time and test drive before starting on the next, that way you may only have to replace 1 or two? Good luck.

 

[adam davies]

Why not stick a gopro session to each corner of the car outside one corner at a time to find where the noise is loudest to help you locate.

 

[Mr Pig]

It's pretty easy to tell which corner a noisy bearing is on. As the car goes round corners and up and down hills the different bearings will be under more load. Just see which one gets louder under load.

 

[Scottrick]

It's not that I'm set on replacing them but I'm out of ideas lol. Was just wondering if someone had the same annoyance before and even though the bearings seem okay, they were the cause anyway.

I had that idea of the gopro but sadly I don't have the feasibility.

Yeah piggy, it is louder going round a right bend indicating it's the LHS, and it seems similar uphill as downhill, and I've taken both discs off front and rear wheel to check them out and they seem fine with no movement. I'd replace one at the time but I haven't the accessibility to do it myself, so I'll be getting my mechanic to do it. So it's either one on the left but whilst I'm at it I might aswell just do the driver front so that's them all done.

 

[Scottrick]

It's pretty easy to tell which corner a noisy bearing is on. As the car goes round corners and up and down hills the different bearings will be under more load. Just see which one gets louder under load.

So thought about this again and took it out there for a hard drive. Going round a left corner hard the noise is gone. Going round a right corner hard, the noise is crazy. So yeah definitely left.
Went down a hill, foot off and let it cruise and it was noticeable but quiet. Drove it hard up a hill and it was more noticeable.

Took the wheel off the back passenger again, made sure the pads definitely weren't touching and when span like the way I did before, it was quiet. Span it as hard as I could and then I started hearing something, so thinking definitely the back left.

So just gonna buy and replace that one then see what happens, thank you mate

 

[martin j.]

Have you axle stands? That would let lift the front and run it in gear to check front/rear noise. It does seem now you have a better feel for the faulty unit, let us know how it goes.

 

[Scottrick]

Well back one replaced and most of the major noise is gone. There is still a slight hum which sounds from the front left so I could see both front bearings just being replaced so it's back to quiet but I'll leave that for another day.
Thanks for all the help