Diagnosing noise - wheel bearing? (1 Viewer)

[VTWolverine]

My '06 has 106k miles and just developed a noise coming from the passenger side. It's hard to tell if it's coming from the front or rear wheel. I'm guessing it's the wheel bearing - at speeds between 10 and 30, it sounds like driving over a pencil, which is something another wheel bearing post mentioned. I can't feel any vibration in the steering column yet. I jacked up the car and spun the tires, but didn't feel or hear any grinding or resistance. There were no rocks or debris wedged in the tires. I washed the car to make sure it wasn't ice built up in the wheels.

Is there any other self-diagnostic I should do to help figure out what it might be?

 

[bravoleader]

I was always taught to jack up the car and try rocking the suspected wheel:

"...if you have the tire jacked up or the vehicle is on a hydraulic lift, you can check this one out yourself. Grab the wheel on opposite sides and attempt to rock it back and forth. If the wheel bearings are good, the wheel won't "wobble." However, if the tire/wheel assembly moves back and forth, it is most likely due to worn out wheel bearings that need to be replaced as soon as possible." (Quote and more info here)

 

[intoodeep1113]

Also swaying side to side while the offending noise is present can help indicate a wheel bearing. the bearing may get louder or quieter as the load changes.