FWD Rumbling Noise/Vibration

[termiflyer]

I have a harsh "rumbling" sound in the front of my Accord FWD. It's a rythmic vibration, but doesn't vibrate the steering wheel like an out of balance wheel or mis-alignment. Here's some traits:

(1) The noise varies with speed: increases with increasing speed.
(2) The noise occurs when going straight; the noise gets louder when turning right; the noise goes away when turning left.

I thought it was the front left wheel bearing so I replaced that, but no luck. I'm thinking it's the front left outer CV joint, but read some things that say a CV joint problem wouldn't vary with speed, and that the varying with speed is usually a wheel bearing. I also read that it's next to impossible to determine which bearing is bad, so even though (2) indicates it would be the front left, maybe it's not.

Any suggestions?

Thanks

[Greenblurr93]

instead of throwing money at it blindly, maybe bring it to someone? you'll probably save money in the long run. And yes, it sounds like a wheel bearing. Are the boots on your CV joints still intact?

[termiflyer]

I definitely don't want to throw money at it, but I'de like to learn how to diagnose and fix it also (so I can know what's wrong and fix the right thing!). I didn't specifically look at the CV boots when I changed the wheel bearing but I will do that.

You think it could be the right wheel bearing?

[Greenblurr93]

it COULD be anything. including crappy tires... excessive road noise sounds like rumbling and if they arent wearing correctly that will give a vibration.

[Moppie]

Generaly you can tell a bad wheel bearing by feeling movement in the wheel from the increase tolerances.
A bad C.V. will make a clicking noise, not a rumble.
So that leaves you with a bad wheel bearing, or a bad gear box or engine bearing.

You should be able to tell a bad wheel bearing by listening to which side the noise is coming from. Should be easy to do unless your deaf.

If its an engine bearing then you would hear it when the car is stopped in neutral, if it a gear box bearing then its a little harder to spot, but you can get creative.

And of course it might not be a bearing at all.

[KiwiBacon]

If you think it's a wheel bearing, then jack up the wheel and see how it feels.

[termiflyer]

Good stuff, thanks.

I "thought" it was a wheel bearing, and I thought it was the left one: the noise is coming from the left side and is exacerbated when I turn right and put the weight on the left side. So, I replaced the left wheel bearing, but that didn't fix it (should have done what you said, just feel it, first). It definitely doesn't sound like a "click".

I don't hear it in neutral at a stop. I wonder if I can remove the left driveshaft and see what happens (is this creative, or destructive?? ... can you drive a FWD with only one driveshaft to diagnose?) ... I guess this wouldn't eliminate the CV joints or isolate down to the gear box but would the eliminate the wheel bearings on each side.

[Greenblurr93]

nope, it will leak fluid everywhere, and it wont move

[INF3RN0666]

It will move, but you will have no control. you'll probably break a tie rod or a ball joint too.

A rumble could be due to your axles man. They're especially obvious when you're accelerating hard while going straight --> The car feels like it's vibrating front to back. The turning thing you're talking about could be due to the angle of the axle.