Loud Rear Driver-side wheel
Thread Starter
6th Gear
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 6
Likes: 0
Loud Rear Driver-side wheel
I get a noise from the wheel just behind my driver's seat on my 2001 CV convertible.
My local corvette shop says the wheel bearing is fine.
The sound is exactly like a loud tire tread - but I just purchased a new set of Bridge-stone Perensia's. Sound is still there and just as loud as before.
Does anyone have any suggestions on how to narrow the search down?
JH
My local corvette shop says the wheel bearing is fine.
The sound is exactly like a loud tire tread - but I just purchased a new set of Bridge-stone Perensia's. Sound is still there and just as loud as before.
Does anyone have any suggestions on how to narrow the search down?
JH
Pro
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 681
Likes: 2
From: The Woodlands TX
When you put the car into a turn - like an on- or off-ramp from the freeway - does the noise go away or change? I've had bvearings go out, and when I did this I could hear the noise change as I loaded the bearing differently. Just an idea ... 
Heel & Toe
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 22
Likes: 5
I think I have a similar noise. 2000 Hardtop with about 63,000 miles. Here's what I've noticed:
The frequency of the noise is proportional to road speed.
It's most noticeable around 65-80 mph.
I can engage and disengage the clutch and the noise doesn't change.
Going around a curve doesn't change the noise.
It seems like a tire issue but I'm not sure; I have Goodyear GSD3 tires with maybe 20,000 miles on them. My plan is to live with it until I get new tires and then see if anything changes.
The frequency of the noise is proportional to road speed.
It's most noticeable around 65-80 mph.
I can engage and disengage the clutch and the noise doesn't change.
Going around a curve doesn't change the noise.
It seems like a tire issue but I'm not sure; I have Goodyear GSD3 tires with maybe 20,000 miles on them. My plan is to live with it until I get new tires and then see if anything changes.
Thread Starter
6th Gear
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 6
Likes: 0
Could it be a slightly out of line rear tire?
Thank you for you responses! I would like to hear from more owner/mechanics also.
Could it be a slightly out of line rear tire? I haven't noticed excessive tread wear on that tire.
But! I have never had a bad u-joint and have no experience with what they sound like when going bad.
Anyone got any experience at this noise?
Could it be a slightly out of line rear tire? I haven't noticed excessive tread wear on that tire.
But! I have never had a bad u-joint and have no experience with what they sound like when going bad.
Anyone got any experience at this noise?
Heel & Toe
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 22
Likes: 5
Well I said that I would wait until I got new tires to see if the noise would go away, but I became impatient and decided to change my rear wheel bearings now.
Bad idea.
The result is that nothing changed, the noise is still exactly the same. I knew the chances of success were very slim as soon as I got the first original bearing out. It felt nice and smooth and solid. Perfect bearing. I went ahead and installed the new bearings anyway (I used the Timken 512153 parts from Rock Auto), and also adjusted my parking brakes while I was at it. And installed Hawk HPS pads on all 4 wheels which replaced the AC Delco Durastops that I put in a while ago.
So the parking brake is really nice, the pads seem good, but I just replaced 2 good bearings for no reason.
As far as I can tell, the noise seems to be a "once per wheel rev" frequency, so maybe it really is a tire problem. On the other hand, the final drive assembly also turns at once per rev, so maybe it's a diff carrier bearing or worse yet the ring/pinion mesh is getting noisy. But it definitely wasn't the rear wheel bearings. Is it possible for a CV joint to make this sound? Doesn't seem like it but I could be wrong. In fact I was wrong just this past weekend, haha. If anyone has further info, please let us know.
Bad idea.
The result is that nothing changed, the noise is still exactly the same. I knew the chances of success were very slim as soon as I got the first original bearing out. It felt nice and smooth and solid. Perfect bearing. I went ahead and installed the new bearings anyway (I used the Timken 512153 parts from Rock Auto), and also adjusted my parking brakes while I was at it. And installed Hawk HPS pads on all 4 wheels which replaced the AC Delco Durastops that I put in a while ago.
So the parking brake is really nice, the pads seem good, but I just replaced 2 good bearings for no reason.
As far as I can tell, the noise seems to be a "once per wheel rev" frequency, so maybe it really is a tire problem. On the other hand, the final drive assembly also turns at once per rev, so maybe it's a diff carrier bearing or worse yet the ring/pinion mesh is getting noisy. But it definitely wasn't the rear wheel bearings. Is it possible for a CV joint to make this sound? Doesn't seem like it but I could be wrong. In fact I was wrong just this past weekend, haha. If anyone has further info, please let us know.
