Identify this sound if you can.

[Azrael]

MP3 goodness just right-click and save as.

At 23 seconds in I let off on the gas at 90km/h (55mph) and you can hear the hum right up untill I stop. The symptoms are as follows:
-The sound gets louder and higher in pitch the faster I go.
-The sound goes away while turning right while turning left changes nothing.
-Braking and shifting to neutral don't change the sound in any way.
-I switched to my winter tires a week before the sound started.

Any ideas? The only idea I have is that I have a bad wheelbearing. Just want to see your opinions before I lay down $320 Cdn on a new set of wheel hubs. I figure if one's giving me trouble now then the other isn't far behind.

[SappySE107]

RE: Identify this sound if you can.

I can't say that I hear anything unusual. You woud know your car better than any of us that haven't heard it. Sounds like an engine to me:P

THe symptoms sounds like a hub issue. Does your alignment change on you? Thats what mine was doing, and then right at the end, a high pitched whine type noise could be heard.

[patgizz]

RE: Identify this sound if you can.

sounds like a right wheel hub cause you say sound goes away when turning right. when you make a right turn weight is transferred to the left side of the car, pulls some of the load off the right wheel bearings and the noise goes away. the fact that it goes away and not just gets quieter leads me to believe it's a front and not a rear.

[Rhedalert]

RE: Identify this sound if you can.

It's a Jackyl

I agree with the one above, every hub/bearing assy I had go bad created the same symptoms.

[Azrael]

I pulled both front wheels off today and noticed while turning hub that the brake pads were rubbing against the rotors ever so slightly. I have slotted rotors so that could also potentially cause the hum. Also cleaned a huge load of sand and stones off the right control arm hoping it was just the driveaxle rubbing against it but no dice there. I'll see if I can have the brakes checked for a sticky caliper.

[Azrael]

I had the front-passenger bearing assembly replaced and no more noise. That corner was out of alignment from a slightly bent steering knuckle which accelerated the wear on the bearing.