growl that is stronger when turning right

My car makes a growling sound that I also can feel as a vibration through the steering wheel. The frequency of the sound goes like the wheel speed. It isn't /very/ loud, and at first I though it might be tire noise, but it is noticeable and could be heard by a passenger. It seems it is coming from the front left, but I'm not sure about it actually is. It is lessened a little when turning left, but it becomes a lot stronger immediately when I turn the steering wheel even a little to the right.

The strength of the noise/vibration has some dependence on vehicle speed. As I accelerate, it is strongest from around 15 mph to 35 mph and above 45 mph.

I don't know whether it is related, but the "Traction Off" warning light is always on, meaning that the Traction Control System (anti-spin system) detects a fault somewhere and shuts down.

1995 Park Avenue Ultra, 162K miles
Reply to
Matt
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Oh, yeah ... what might be causing this growl? :-)

Reply to
Matt

Left front wheel bearing is failing.

Probably unrelated, but the vibration *might* cause spurious outputs on the tonewheel pickup on the left front wheel.

Reply to
Steve

Thanks for your reply. I'll try to guess some details.

The noise is related to turning because it is a thrust bearing, and there is an axial compressing force on the left bearing when turning right.

The noise is felt through the steering wheel because there is a path from the bearing, through the steering knuckle, tie rod end, steering gear, and steering column, without any insulation against vibration along the way.

Presumably the tonewheel pickup is what the GM service manual calls the wheel speed sensor.

Reply to
Matt

That, plus the fact that when you're turning the outside wheel bearing takes the brunt of the turn (weight transfer, and the twisting of the wheel perpendicular to the axle.) The inboard wheel is much less loaded.

Pretty much. You can isolate the steering gearbox from the chassis with rubber, but for steering to be highly precise there HAS to be metal-to-metal contact from the pinion all the way to the knuckles mounted on the wheel. So there's a good path to the steering wheel that way.

Yes. Most wheel speed sensors are tonewheel or tone-ring pickups of some sort.

Reply to
Steve

Reply to
man of machines

Thanks. And you agree that it is the left front?

Do you usually need the special bearing puller J 28733-B, or maybe a general-purpose puller---or no puller?

I'm a little worried about hurting the wheel alignment if I have to loosen the hub assembly by hitting it with a hammer.

Reply to
Matt

i run the car in the air using a stethoscope to each bearing bolt and listen for a grumble i use a airhammer on the bolt heads with the bolts half out to drive the bearing out but you have to be careful so you can still get a socket on them so the bolts come out i also replace the bolts and anti sieze everything

Matt wrote:

Reply to
man of machines

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