hearing low 'drone' sound from front....

Dave_Obsession · 13-03-2009, 12:07 AM

just wanted to check......when I'm driving along, I can now hear what sounds a little like a low pitch drone in the noise coming from the engine....as revs rise, so does the pitch of the noise......just had the trans serviced 6 weeks ago, plus it definately sounds like its coming from the front...

Now I have put on the XR6T snorkel & k&n filter, so is this just increased air induction noise? Or do you guys think it's something else?

It doesn't appear to affect driveability or performance....and I'm not saying I don't like the noise, just want to know what it is!!!

Cheers!

Dave_Obsession · 13-03-2009, 12:59 AM

EDIT - after listening to it again on the way home from work just then......the noise increases when the speed increases (not affected by engine revs), seems to peak at around 70 - 75 kms, then seems to go quieter again as I push towards freeway speed..........does this sound like tyres????

ronwest · 13-03-2009, 01:12 AM

May be wheel bearing. Does the sound go away when turning left or right?

A little light reading...

http://www.fordforums.com.au/vbporta...article&id=319

Dave_Obsession · 13-03-2009, 01:33 AM

not sure........when I've been turning, it's been at low speeds so the noise has gone away somewhat......from what I remember when changing lanes etc on the drive home, I don't think the sound went away.......

**Mechan1k** · 13-03-2009, 01:22 PM

Cheack you inner guards for signs for wear on the front ... you may have one of them move slightly due to a lost plastic self-tapper ... it may be rubbing on the tyre.

Dave_Obsession · 13-03-2009, 01:23 PM

after further 'testing', I have concluded that it's the tyres.......ah well....just have to put up with it until I get new ones I guess!

**Mechan1k** · 13-03-2009, 02:14 PM

I had issues once where the inner tread block was scalloped due to too much toe-out on it (causing a roaring noise at different speeds ... and on decelleration as well) .... I rotated them to the back of the ute and made sure the alignment was fixed ... the noise went to the back then ... but made sure I had the front set up right so I didn't suffer that issue again.

Get your alignment checked out just for piece of mind

Dave_Obsession · 13-03-2009, 11:09 PM

had alignment done 3 times in 2 days a couple of weeks ago (see workshop build thread), and had service done 1 week ago and no mention of any wheel bearing issues etc.....maybe I need a camber kit??? what exactly do they do???

Dave_Obsession · 14-03-2009, 08:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dave93761

after further 'testing', I have concluded that it's the tyres.......ah well....just have to put up with it until I get new ones I guess!

After still listening to the noise further, now I am pretty sure it's NOT the tyres......would recently having changed to larger / different wheels have helped cause any wheel bearing issues??

**Peuty** · 14-03-2009, 09:27 PM

Wheel bearings fail often. Would be worth changing them.

aye you · 14-03-2009, 10:03 PM

this is going to sound really strange, but your not using an iPod fm transmitter or similar are you? I found i could hear a droning sound that i thought was from the front of the car ages ago, turned out that as i was accellerating and slowing somehow the FM transmitter induced a drone through the speakers. went when i ditched the damn thing for a descent iPod setup

and no, im not drunk and was/am not under the influence of anything..

Dave_Obsession · 15-03-2009, 11:37 AM

nah no ipod transmitter in here.......first time i noticed the noise was when the cd player was off!!

any idea how much it costs to replace a wheel bearing????

FTGAutosalvage · 15-03-2009, 12:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dave93761

nah no ipod transmitter in here.......first time i noticed the noise was when the cd player was off!!

any idea how much it costs to replace a wheel bearing????

we do new wheel bearings/hubs for $60.

if we can get a group buy happening we can do a bulk discount on these.

Dave_Obsession · 18-03-2009, 08:59 AM

just went to tyre place this morning for a 'expert' diagnosis.....guy takes it for quick drive around the block.....then very rudely pronounced that I had ruined a very nice car with the tyres & wheels....

essentially, he reckoned that the tyres were so crap & noisy that if there was anything wrong with the wheel bearings, he wouldn't be able to tell as there was so much noise from the tyres!! He said I should put the stockies back on and you'd have no noise! (which is true, there was no noise from the stockies!)

I knew they were crappy tyres when I put the tyres & wheels on.....essentially got them for the wheels........then he also adds in his 2c about the wheels being crap too, and if you hit a gutter they will bend etc etc.........I always though if you hit a gutter hard enough, any wheel will bend lol.......so much for customer service these days!!

So end of story, I'll probably put up with the excess noise for another 5,000 out of these tyres, and then go and get something proper, such as N3000 or Maxxis MA-V1 or Z1, or the marangonis.....