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Hey guys,

Hoping to draw from your collectively vast knowledge....I started noticing a very weird low level droning noise from the front left of the car last nite while driving home. It's a very low sounding drone that increases in frequency to how much the wheels were spinning (the faster I was going the more frequent and obvious the droning). It also seemed to be present mostly when going forward and turning right, and not when going left.

I got home and had a brief look and press on the tyre, doesn't seem to be the problem.

I only started noticing it last nite. And the only work that was done to the car that day was an aircon regas.

Thoughts/ideas?

wheel bearing?

If it's the wheel bearing, would the car still be safe to drive without causing damage to other bits?

Could be something stuck on the tyre?

sounds like a wheel bearing to me...............jack the car so the offending wheel is off the ground, & grab the wheel & see if there is any excess movement on the hub, if so, your wheel bearing is probably shot.............simplest test i know of to check suspect wheel bearings

Good chance its a wheel bearing.

Caff had a place which is about 1/3rd of the cost for new bearings than Mazda.
mania have 2nd hand ones as well. getting them from the UK is not really a good idea due to the weight factor.

might pay to do a search.

Calling Caffeine ......

CBC Bearing Centres is your answer - or any of the other big bearing chains should be able to get the complete hub for you, much cheaper than genuine.

Bearing traders - less than $150 brand new.

Haven't flat spotted the tyre, have you? Perhaps just a little brake lockup?

Jack the wheel up, spin it very slowly with something like a pencil held almost touching it. Spin and check the gap between the tyre and the pencil. 2 or 3 mm of flat spot will make it sound like your wheel bearing is stuffed. The best cure is to abuse it on the track for 20 laps - makes tyres round again.

Wow....I've been away from a PC for the whole weekend and suddenly all your replies. Thanks heaps guys for the feedback and tips!

Will jack it up and have a look tomorrow morning myself before giving mechanic a call. That CBC place sounds good...will check that out too as well as contact Caffeine.

manga_blue: I don't think it's a flat spot (haven't done any hard driving for a while) but good suggestion

Thanks heaps guys! Guess as long as the wheel doesn't just drop off then I should be fine for now eh?

yeah, they'll whine for years before they die as a rule.................my old monaro had a shot rear one once............went for 2 years before i couldn't stand the noise any longer........pull the hub off & the bearing fell on the ground in a billion pieces

If it is the front LHS wheel bearing, when you turn right, it will get louder. When you turn left, it will become quieter. This is due to weight transfer on your car.

You replace the entire hub, not just the bearing. You will need a 29mm socket (6point preferred) and a really large breaker bar - and that is just to get it OFF. You will also need a few other assorted tools to get the dust cap off and un-stake the nut.

To get the bearing back on, you will also need a torque wrench that can go to 216Nm - very tight.

Timken also do a replacement hub. Mine cost around $140ish, but that was a couple of years back.

CT wrote:Bearing traders - less than $150 brand new.

Chris, is that a pair or just a single hub?

Bulant 111 wrote:FYI Im a retired bearing engineer

So you've been 'round' a few times then?

Bulant 111 wrote:Craig Wrote
'So you've been 'round' a few times then'
Guess so - just like those R888's you sold me!

this will be good.