Whooshing Noise

[cstreit]

Originally Posted by legion

And I would have thought that a bad wheel bearing would be a high-pitched noise?

A failing wheel bearing usually sounds more like a moan.

[Jims5543]

3 cars have bad wheel bearings at the same time?

[legion]

I jacked up the right side of my car, then the left.

I did a "wiggle" test on each of the four wheels. All were tight (no excess play). I don't think it is the wheel bearings.

I turned each of the four wheels by hand. The last time I did this, all of the wheel turned freely. The rears turn freely. The front left has constant resistance. The front right has intermittent resistance, corresponding to the same point while turning the wheel each time. I hear a very slow version of the "noise" when doing this.

I took out my battery powered impact wrench. I can't budge the lug nuts with the POS. (See my thread on wanting a decent air-powered impact wrench.) I tried a breaker bar, but the wheel just turns while off of the ground and I can't figure a way to "lock" it while jacked up.

My theory is that I have a warped right front rotor, and the left caliper is too close to the rotor.

[lm6y]

Loosen the lug nuts with the car on the ground.

(we all know not to completely remove them, but just Loosen them, then jack the car up)

To re-install:
Tighten them as tight as you can while in the air, then set the wheel on the ground, and then torque to spec.

[legion]

It appears all four calipers are sticking. Joy.

[VINMAN]

Originally Posted by legion

My theory is that I have a warped right front rotor, and the left caliper is too close to the rotor.

With a warped rotor, you would feel it in the brake pedal.