UPDATE: Noise when driving, higher pitched at faster speed - bearings?

[mattb10]

Hey all,

Just when I thought my Zed was all well again and ready for the road I am now experiencing a noise when driving. Here's the symtpoms;

- The noise only really starts to become audible at 20mph and over
- The noise is fairly high pitched from the get-go
- The noise increases in pitch the faster I go
- There is a definitely a correlation between the tyre revolution and when the noise 'hits'

Edit: Here is the link to the video, as it wasn't showing on mobile devices: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=supqnd0_V88

The comments suggest wheel bearings. So is this another trip to the garage? How much are we talking to fix this?

It's embarrassing driving around with this racket, sounds like a child's bike!

 

[Maniac]

Wheel bearings are usually a low grumble that gets to a hum at high speed.

Whining or whistles tend more to be rear differential.

 

[mattb10]

Hi Maniac,

Thanks for the reply. Guess it's off to the garage to find out for sure.

--

Anyone else have any input on this? Surely someone has experienced it? The two guys commenting on the Youtube vid I showed both said they changed their rear wheel bearings to solve this, but as Maniac said and as I've just read, wheel bearings tend to make more of a low drone sound? Shame it's the weekend now, my indy is shut :headbang:

 

[yoghurtman]

Just had a similar issue with my wife's Mini Cooper and I asked my local tyre shop to check the rear tyres. Both were 3 year old run flats that had `gone out of round` . 2 new tyres later and it's back to its original smooth running. Might be worth a try checking this as the tyre fitter showed me the bulge on the tread on both tyres

Weird but run flats can be more susceptible to this maybe?

Are you running on run flats?

 

[MACK]

Hi Maniac,

Thanks for the reply. Guess it's off to the garage to find out for sure.

--

Anyone else have any input on this? Surely someone has experienced it? The two guys commenting on the Youtube vid I showed both said they changed their rear wheel bearings to solve this, but as Maniac said and as I've just read, wheel bearings tend to make more of a low drone sound? Shame it's the weekend now, my indy is shut :headbang:

I agree with maniac, the video didn't play for me but if it's high pitched it tends to be the rear diff or even the gearbox. What zed do you actually have as some bmw's are much more prone to diff and box issues. Tyres tend to sound like wheel bearings, a low drone noise but it may still be something cheap like a brake shield rubbing on the disc or a stone jammed in there.

 

[mattb10]

Hi guys,

Thanks for the replies. The video didn't seem to play on mobile devices so here is the link now; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=supqnd0_V88

The noise is pretty much identical. I drive an '06 2.5 Roadster.

I did have a look for something as simple as a lodged stone and though I did find one, the noise remained afterwards.

Really frustrating. First weekend back on the road with nice sunny weather and now this happens.

 

[nb67]

That's some weird noise indeed mate.

Have you tried chocking the front wheels and jacking it up at the back to spin the rear wheels freely. Make sure it's chocked at the front though.

That way, you'll be able to see if the noise is mechanical possibly, rather than the suggestion of the run flats which, by that sound, it can't be can it???

Bugga!! Just seen it's 20mph+.

So, this is a bit risky but I've done it before. Jack it up and then start the car, pop it in 2nd and let the clutch out slowly, the wheels will start to rotate. (somebody will say this is too risky but I also think that jacking up one side will also get the free wheel to spin while in gear).

 

[cj10jeeper]

Do some rolling diagnostics.
Quiet road and at the speed of the noise. In gear out of gear, lightly touching brake pedal, under acceleration or level.

Based on noise changes eliminate major components of engine, gearbox, diff, brakes, etc. and zone in a bit on it.

 

[maxman]

Do some rolling diagnostics.
Quiet road and at the speed of the noise. In gear out of gear, lightly touching brake pedal, under acceleration or level.

Based on noise changes eliminate major components of engine, gearbox, diff, brakes, etc. and zone in a bit on it.

As above plus try and do some tight turns left and right.You will find usually with wheel bearing noise it will go quiet when there is no load on wheel.

 

[mattb10]

Hi guys,

Thanks for the interest thus far

Quick update. Just been for a quick drive to/from my parents house and tried a couple different things. Here's what I can gather.

- Today it took till about 30mph before the sound started. Yesterday I'm sure it was around 20mph.
- Holding in the clutch makes no difference
- Changing gear makes no difference
- Noise persists regardless of what gear I'm in
- Noise persists when braking

I also noticed that once the sound kicked in at 30mph, it persisted until I was down to around 20mph, then disappeared. Then it would reappear if I increased to 30mph again. At the lower speeds it's evident that the noise is related to when the wheels rotate fully.

Unfortunately I was unable to perform sharp turning but I will try that later when I go back out.

Edit: I've just recalled that there was an advisory from my MOT last Tuesday regarding my front brake pads.

 

[cj10jeeper]

Perform the tests as outlined above and then post some results
Don't don't do 'sharp turns' just gentle.
You're trying to load and unload different parts of then drivetrain, suspension steering and brakes.

 

[MACK]

I would be astonished if that was a wheel bearing. Its nothing like any wheel bearing noise I have ever heard.
It sounds more like plastic or something fairly light rubbing on a moving part such as the wheel/tyre or brake disc, maybe even the driveshaft if its coming from the back etc.
It doesn't at all sound mechanical to me in the sense of a diff or gearbox etc

That really is a strange one!

 

[GedS]

I would be astonished if that was a wheel bearing. Its nothing like any wheel bearing noise I have ever heard.
It sounds more like plastic or something fairly light rubbing on a moving part such as the wheel/tyre or brake disc, maybe even the driveshaft if its coming from the back etc.
It doesn't at all sound mechanical to me in the sense of a diff or gearbox etc

That really is a strange one!

I agree with this comment. Sounds like something rubbing. I wouldn't be surprised if you have picked some debris up. Check in the callipers for bits of plastic and any other areas things might possibly get caught. Its purely a guess, but that isn't a mechanical sound if you ask me. Ive had stones in-between the brake pads and the discs before on a couple of cars, and that sounds like your pads are grinding, so you could quite easily have got something else jammed in there.

 

[MHZ4C]

I agree with the rubbing noise. Sounds like when my chain guard was touching my rear tyre (peddle bike, but that kind of noise).
Based on the speed you mention, maybe the airflow gets high enough to push something onto a rotating part. Any areas of your inner arch liners loose? It might not look like it standing still, but look for rubbing marks, and anything that could move with a bit of air pressure.

 

[Mike6]

I think the only way you are going to diagnose this is to jack up each corner in turn and spin the wheel and check for any play, signs of crud/stones etc around the caliper and have a good look around for any signs of rubbing or perhaps leaking oil from the back axle.

 

[Gerry]

Havnt a clue the age of your car if its an older model , check out the disc protection plate fixings , it may be the plate rubbing on the disc .

 

[mattb10]

Hi guys,

Thought I'd post a quick update regarding this issue.

I visited my local Indy garage on Tuesday for diagnosis. They were able to replicate the sound in the garage but couldn't pinpoint exactly where it was coming from. They decided to grease up every moving part they could see but unfortunately it didn't make any difference.

They did mention that it may go away over time, as the car had been SORN'd for such a long time beforehand.

I decided to bomb it down the motorway today to see if some proper use could help it out, and to my delight the sound has almost disappeared now. I can now barely hear it but it's significantly reduced now!

So there you go. I'm going to continue using the car every day hoping it completely goes away.

 

[GedS]

Have you checked that the handbrake is releasing fully? If it has been sorn'd and sat for a while that could be the issue.

 

[GedS]

An episode of wheeler dealers has just touched on the same thing as you are describing. It turned out to be the rear differential. Worth a shout....

 

[MACK]

I wondering if it was something catching/rubbing that your garage may have missed. That part may have now worn away sufficiently to give you a clearance to the part it was contacting with.

Just a thought!