Possible hub bearing issue?

[MojoMan317717]

'96 Lumina with 144K, just recently noticed a mild vibration at all speeds, but more pronounced at hwy speeds coming from the front end. Seems to be the left, but haven't ruled out the right yet. It's more pronounced when braking, especially from 60-0. It's definitely not just brake rotor related because it happens when I'm not braking, and it is more pronounced when curving to the right and not at all noticeable when curving to the left. I'm leaning towards thinking it's a bearing hub assembly, but the fact that it's significantly more pronounced when braking is something I've not heard of in relation to a bearing hub. I'm going to jack it up tonight and listen to the bearing hub with a stethascope on both sides and see if I can identify anything.

Any other ideas? Does the braking thing fit with the bearing hub issue?

[Airjer_]

Are you sure its not a tire out of balance/seperated and warped rotors. If a bearing was causing a vibration you would have started to hear it making noise about 6 months ago and it would be making so much noise by now that there would be no question as to what the problem was. I guess what I'm trying to say is that it would be pretty rare for a bearing to cause your symptom.

[MojoMan317717]

Would a warped rotor cause the issue when NOT braking? Also, I would think a warped rotor would cause the vibration when curving BOTH left and right.

The thought of it being a rotor is definitely on my list of possibles, but I don't see how it could cause the issue when not braking.

[MojoMan317717]

OK, I just took lunch and went out of my way to drive on a very smooth newly paved hwy so I could listen and feel without the usual bumps of a worn road. The main thing I discovered is that the issue increases over time, so I would guess that something gets warm or warmer through friction over time and becomes more pronounced. It was barely noticeable at first, but after being on the road for 10-15 minutes it increased noticeably. I would also now describe this as not only a vibration, but a mild grinding or rubbing. I couldn't really hear any grinding but I could feel a definite rubbing or grinding through the steering wheel especially when curving to the right along with the vibration. Not continuously, but intermittently and rythmic like with every rotation of the tire in the same place. On a really nice long curve to the right I braked aggresively and the vibration was significantly more pronounced.

Does this help anyone to see more clearly what I'm dealing with?

[Airjer_]

If you hear/feal it more turning to the right it usually indicastes a left side bearing. I usually describe the noise as a low pitched vacuum cleaner type sound. Its unusuall to have a vibration but the noise your describing sounds an awful lot like a wheel bearing. One other thing to check is to make sure the tires are not cupped. Athough the noise they make is usually steady and makes no difference turning.