Vibrating/wobbling sound front drivers side wheel area

I've noticed a vibrating/wobbling sound in my '99 Cavalier a couple weeks back on the front drivers side. It feels a little bit like I'm driving over a constant slightly bumpy section. I had it into the shop and they apparently checked it all over and the only thing that required replacing was the strut (and I also had an alignment) - that cured a squeak I had for quite a while, but the vibrating is still there.

I can feel the vibrating in the gas pedal, but it's still there when I let go of the pedal as well. It's most apparant at 70-90 km per hr or so, tends to just be a hum at speeds of 100 or higher.

When I first took it to the shop I thought for sure it was going to be a wheel bearing or abnormal tire wear...but the mechanic didn't say anything about that (maybe I need a new mechanic).

I still think it's the tire(s) or bearing...any suggestions or comments would really help, as I don't want to get any more work done that doesn't fix it.

Thanks all!!!

Any of the following... if your mechanic says the wheels are true and balanced.

Wheel bearing
Lose Tie rod
Bad lower ball joint
CV shaft.

Try checking those yourself and save yourself some money.

If the noise seems louder or more promenent while turning, especially at the extreams, I'd be more suspect of CV joints. If it happens while driving straight, especially only during certain speeds, then I'd be suspect more towards bearings. My new-to-me Cavalier was diagnostic with lose bearings last weekend when getting new tires and checking the alignment. I had noticed the car shaking starting around 45MPH (~70kmph) but was presuming it was the crappy very worn out tires were on it.

Bearings and cv joints won't kill you if you drive on them until they break although I wouldn't recommend putting it off for ever. tie rods and ball joints could cause severe damage if they let lose while you are traveling at any signifiant speed due to losing control of your wheel.

Thanks for the replies.

It's definately most promenent when at 70 - 90km/h. I don't notice it getting all that worst when going around a turn, maybe a little bit, but not enough that I can recall it as being much worse.

Like I said, it seems to go away and become more of a hum after 100km/h.

Thanks again!

One additional thing I can add to help w/ the diagnosis is that as the car goes faster the rhythm of the sound goes faster - I guess that is why it seems more like a constant hum as I reach 100km/h.

Does this help narrow it down anymore?

Thanks.

If it's speed variable, you are looking at the wheel bearing or CV joints. A ball joint or tie rod shouldn't make a rhythmic sound directly and constantly variable to the wheel speed.

the same thing happened to me in my 95 cavi. it turned out to be the wheel itselfs. i got 2 new front tires and the problem went away forever. how old are your tires?

i had something like that but my tires just weren't properly tightened...

i drove from dc to baltimore....


tighten ur shit and don't rush!