HELP !! - Wheel bearing or differential ?

[percymon]

One month on from a clean bill of health at the MOT..

a droning noise started - starts at 58mph and subsides at 65mph. Sounds like a propeller aeroplane flying overhead, but i'm pretty certain its coming from the front nearside wheel area.

I managed to find some quiet tarmac to test on and the drone doesn't fully subside at higher speed, it gets quieter and the pitch changes to more of a whine.

Dipping the clutch makes no difference to the sound so i hoped that ruled out gearbox and most of the drivetrain
Same noise at same speed irrespective of what gear i'm in - 4th or 5th at these speeds !
No play when i rock any of the wheels with car on the ground.
There is no knockng on full lock either.



Anyway i dropped car at local garage this am for cambelt change and asked them to look at wheel bearing - just had call, they can't tell whether its wheel bearing or failing differential.

Any ideas on what it is ?,  if its the diff what cost am i looking at - got quoted £50 for wheel bearing change.

[brisdriver]

Wheel bearing, I had it on the back, not too hard to do yourself and only 10 20 quid for the bearing!

[percymon]

Turns out the cost of the front wheel bearing is more like £110 fitted

Agreed with garage to start on the bearing, and once the hub assembly and bearing are off to spin te driveshaft to check for noises at the gearbox end - if they detect anything , then put it all bak together and sell on - not worth me seeking a used gearbox to fit.

[boneybradley]

£110....fk me as the bearings are only £14 each for the kit!! and dead simple to fit on the front..an hour very max!! rears are pressed in the disc but still with a press an hour and there on (and about £12 for the bearing kit!)

[percymon]

Well i haven't got the time to do it myself, nor the space at present, so its booked back in for Wednesday - all i need when i fly off on holiday Thursday


Anyway - i tried rocking the front nearside wheel - can't feel any play or knocking noises at all.

Opened bonnet any grabbed driveshaft - there seems to be a bit of play and a faint clicking on the gearbox end - can't tell whether its the gearbox or the coupling outboard of it.

[Mooby]

No wishing to hijack a thread... But are front wheel bearings that easy to do yourself, given limited space and tools (i.e. no press)  I think I need to do one on my passat, and I thought you'd need a press for it, but if you don't then I'll have a crack meself. 

[percymon]

Quick update - since returning from hols on tuesday, have covered 170 miles with no repeat of the noise - no matter how hard i try i can't get it to appear on my normal roads that 2-3 weeks ago it was present on.

So garage appointment cancelled and money still in the bank for the time being 

[percymon]

Well i suppose it wasn't going to last....

noise is back with a vengeance,  still got it starting around 58mph but now still there even over 70mph

and its there top around 30-35mph

Strange thing is both these speeds represent about 1900-2450rpm in 5th and 3rd gear, so still none the wiser, although now suspecting gearbox rather than wheel bearing (still can;t feel any play in it when rocking the wheel).

Dropping it into my local vw bosch specialist for another opinion tomorrow 

[brisdriver]

Why dont you change the wheel bearing yourself as it's only between ten and twenty quid, if it makes the noise go away great, if not then it is the gearbox which will cost more, but at the end of the day the wheel bearing will still be done!! you might as well try the cheap option first!

[percymon]

As stated previously i haven't the time or space to do any work myself at present.  Anyway driving to the VW specialist this morning, i suspected the sound was actually more from the rear (different roads and first time i've detected it being rearward). So pulled over dropped the rear seats and sure enough it does sound more rearward.

Test drive by mechanic at specialist highlighted more noise swerving one way than the other and definitely sound from rear - agaoin first day loading one side has made a difference.  Suspected it was rear offside.  Back at garage jacked up front corners and engaged drive - no noise from either front bearing, and minimal noise from gearbox 

Rear corners jacked up, spun wheels and some slight noise from offside rear - sounded a bit dry n gritty.

So one rear wheel bearing to sort out next Tuesday - while they have it on the jacks i've asked them to change the gearbox oil, since they can do that whilst doing the bearing at no additional labour cost.  So about £90 all in, no gearbox or differential issues - happy chappy provided Tuesday night is a quiet one 

Thanks for all the help - been a bit of a long diagnostic session !!