Wheel Noise after new tires/rotate and balance

[3.8SuperPacer]

Hello all,

I'm back from a long hiatus from these forums due to life putting a hold on my car modding budget. Sorry for the following book, figured the more details, the better.

I have a new car now, 2004 Grand Prix GTP Comp G, got it at 88k and it now has 167k.

Nearly no problems other than routine maintenance, but here I am with an issue I can't seem to figure out.

A few weeks ago, I blew a tire on the highway, ended up getting 2 new tires put on the front and moved the fronts to the back. Tires were then rebalanced and the alignment straightened out.

The guys at the shop said the front tie end rod needed replaced, but I'm pretty sure they were trying to make extra money off a new customer because my bill was going from tires/alignment to tires/alignment, bearings, tie end rods, and speed sensors.

Now, on to my issue. When I'm driving on the interstate, I notice a humming sound that seems to come from the front passenger wheel between 68-80mph. Soon as I go over 80 or under 68, it's gone. I noticed that the noise lessened when I veered to the right, so I assumed it was the bearing.

Took the car to my usual shop, had the bearings checked, got the front driver bearing replaced under warranty. Mechanic said the passenger bearing seemed fine. Got it on the highway again today, noise is still there.

Any ideas if it's not the bearings?

Thanks in advance, you guys have always been a wealth of knowledge when it comes to GPs.

3.8SuperPacer
2004 Grand Prix GTP Comp G with Ram Air
1998 Grand Prix GTP 40th Anniversary Daytona 500 Pace Car Edition

[Tech II]

First of all, no good alignment shop, would try to align a vehicle, if a component, like a tie rod end, was bad......

Wheel bearings make noise way before 60 mph......you can hear them at low speed, and they get louder the faster you go......if you drive straight ahead, when the noise is at it's loudest, and you turn the wheel SLIGHTLY to the left, and then SLIGHTLY to the right, and then straight again, if the noise is louder in one direction, and less in the other, then it usually is a wheel bearing.....

It's possible, they replaced the wrong bearing.......

If this noise happened after putting new tires on, could be a tire(s).....to eliminate then, you could rotate the new ones to the back, and hear if the noise has transferred to the back, or if there is no longer any noise from the front......

If the noise is still there after doing this, I would be leaning towards the other hub/bearing.....

[3.8SuperPacer]

Thanks for the quick response!

As for hearing the noise at all speeds, I haven't noticed it until I get around 68mph, but it's most pronounced at 75mph.

I'm not too sure on the quality/trustworthiness of the shop I took it to for the new tires/alignment, as I was only there because there was no other option.

I can have the other bearing replaced, but it won't be very soon (read: won't be this week or next probably.) I'll take it by my local shop this weekend and have them rotate the tires again to see if the sound moves.

Thanks again for the quick response!

3.8SuperPacer
2004 Grand Prix GTP Comp G with Ram Air
1998 Grand Prix GTP 40th Anniversary Daytona 500 Pace Car Edition

[Tech II]

I don't want you to be randomly changing parts...have the bearing checked out correctly....

[FISH96]

are the new tires the same tread pattern as the others that are now on the rear?
as tech says have the bearings properly troubleshot. while they are at that job make sure the tie rods are not also a problem.
with the noise manifesting it self at high speeds it may be tire tread noise compounded by
these other maybe problems.
I concur no shop of any worth would do an alignment with any suspect suspension or steering component.
How are the rear sway bar links? these a often overlooked and forgotten during an inspection.

[Stealthee]

Check the rear wheel bearings. I chased a wheel bearing noise all the way around my car, literally.

I had a bearing noise that went away with right hand curves. I replaced the left front wheel bearing. Noise was still there. I replaced the right front wheel bearing. Noise was still there. I was going insane so I drove to my uncles to get someone else's ear on it. He said it sounded like right rear. I bought a rear, replaced right rear..... noise was still there. I threw the old right rear into the left rear and SILENCE!

[3.8SuperPacer]

Tires are the same tread pattern, just newer than the rears, so more tread depth.

It will have to wait until Monday before I can have the shop check it again, but can't hurt to rotate tires again and while they're at it they can swap the bearings on each side.

Thanks for the ideas, I'll post back here again after I get her back from the shop again.

[SierraB]

My car makes a similar noise, but only when it's going slow. As I get faster it calms down, could it be the same problem ? 

[Tech II]

3.8SP

"while they're at it they can swap the bearings on each side. "

You don't want to do that......You will be paying for labor, for swapping two bearings, and then if the noise transfers to the other side, now you have to pay labor for a third time to install a new bearing.......just have the shop diagnose if the bearing is bad.....if they don't know how to do it, go to another shop.....

One thing I learned is, you never swap worn bearings side to side, because the bearing develops a wear pattern over time, and if you install it on the opposite side, the rotation becomes the opposite, and that bearing which previously did not make a noise, will, eventually......


SierraB, the second post tells you how to test for a bearing noise....