Noise from front O/S wheel

**Clark Peacock** · 05-05-2008,02:34 PM

Hi all

Your help would be appreciated on this. I have a noise/vibration coming from the front o/s wheel which I thought was the wheel bearing. Having changed the bearing this weekend the noise is still there!

When making a right turn or going over a bump that takes the weight off the wheels the noise dissapears but is constant in a straight line.

Car is a 1989 Golf 1.6TD.

Thanks

Benignus · 06-05-2008,12:21 AM

Is it a clanking noise - intermittent and usually heard on speed bumps or rough bits of road at slow speeds?

If so it may be your upper strut bearing. Available from VW or GSF.

**kcorfognik** · 06-05-2008,01:03 PM

Check the balancer weight hasn't come loose on the driveshaft and has slid down the shaft towards the wheel. This allows it to contact things that it shouldn't. When cornering the postion of the shaft alters in relation to the body and may alleviate the problem temporarily.

It can make an awful racket but is unlikely to do any real damage in the short term. A quick emergency fix can be made with a bit of sellotape to lash it to the diveshaft!

If it's not this, then it might be worth having a quick check on any play in the cv joints??

Happy troubleshooting,

R

**Clark Peacock** · 06-05-2008,04:59 PM

Thanks for the replies. The noise is more of a droning that increases with speed. Thats what made me think it was the wheel bearing. There's no clanking that I can hear.

Someone has suggested that it might be the CV joint?

Thanks again

**kcorfognik** · 07-05-2008,10:09 AM

Have you had a chance to look underneath yet?

Probably best to jack up that corner and give everything a good wiggle - a loose wheel bearing or worn cv joint should be readily apparent once there is no load on the part.

Best to eliminate possibilities to diagnose the fault.

R

**Oddball** · 16-05-2008,09:08 AM

Does sound like a wheel bearing to me. Sure it's coming from that corner? Sounds can be deceptive inside the car.

**Smutts** · 23-05-2008,11:27 PM

You wont be the first to have changed the wrong side wheel bearing. My 250,000 mile polo droned hellish on clockwise turns. Changed nearside wheel bearing, droned hellish on clockwise turns. Canged offside (ie the one it shouldnt be!) and quiet as a lamb. Does anybody know if it is a weird quirk of those VW bearings?

lucan138 · 24-05-2008,09:37 PM

It definately sounds like cv joints, just had mine done on Audi A4 1.8 Auto
Cost £98 each joint
No more noise or problem

Good Luck

**Clark Peacock** · 25-05-2008,09:43 AM

Originally Posted by lucan138

It definately sounds like cv joints, just had mine done on Audi A4 1.8 Auto
Cost £98 each joint
No more noise or problem

Good Luck

Well, its not the CV joint either! Just changed it and noise still there. Fortunately it was only £22 from Virgin Autoparts and was a piece of cake to change so not too big a deal.

Originally Posted by Smutts

You wont be the first to have changed the wrong side wheel bearing. My 250,000 mile polo droned hellish on clockwise turns. Changed nearside wheel bearing, droned hellish on clockwise turns. Canged offside (ie the one it shouldnt be!) and quiet as a lamb. Does anybody know if it is a weird quirk of those VW bearings?

Hmmm - maybe....... Guess thats next weekends job then!

Thanks again for the replies

**Smutts** · 28-05-2008,10:07 AM

Good luck, I will be up to the same IF it stops pouring down. The last time I did this...... Haynes- "simply tap out the bearing with a suitable drift" Real Life-"beat it gently with hammer, beat it some more with lump hammer, beat h*ll out of it with sledge hammer, find that I've broken all my paving slabs, give up, walk 3miles to engineering shop with offending item. It simply pressed out with 19 tons showing on the guage. Life must be nice on planet Haynes

. I've saved up for the pukka Sealy bearing kit, looks as though it will do nicely.
Be carefull with the hub flange though, as I managed to bend it slightly last time prying off the bearing inner. Brake vibration results. Have fun, and don't loose your temper too much.