2011 CTS RWD Premium Ed front wheel growl - bearings??

[cadillacmike68]

I'm getting a roar / growl from the front (I think), after 4 new tires. It is NOT drivetrain related  and increases with vehicle speed.


The interesting thing is that if I turn the wheel to the left - only 1 or 2 minutes on the clock, as in a slow gradual left curve, the noise goes away. As soon as I straighten out the wheel, it comes back. Making a gradual right turn, does not make the noise go away, but I do not think it increases it either.


Therefore, something is having a stress unloaded in a gradual left curve. Could it be a bad tire or maybe wheel bearings?


When you curve left which bearings have lower stress? And which get increased load? 


I would think that if you curve left the left inner bearing would have some of its stress unloaded, with the right outer having its load increased. Turning right would increase the load on the left outer bearing - Am I correct on this or do I have it backwards?


There might only be one bearing in these newer hubs; in that case the left side would be unloaded in a left turn while the right side would see an increased load. Maybe, maybe not??

[Cadman-iac]

  Your thinking is correct on which side gets loaded and unloaded. I had the same issue with an older GM vehicle, and it turned out to be the hub bearings.
Even though the hubs are not as large as they used to be, they do still have a double set of bearings inside to give them some stability, otherwise the wheels would wobble uncontrollably.

HTH,  Rick

[Lexi]

Agree with Rick. Had my Ford front bearing go a year ago. Same thing. Wasn't that one of the tests for wheel bearing failure to drive down the road than weave hard both left and right then listen to where the growl comes from? Clay/Lexi

[cadillacmike68]

Well, in my case it is most definitely the left side. Thanks all.

[James Landi]

HOw many miles on your bearings... I've noted that bearings on several American built cars do not have particularly long service lives, so you may wish to consider a "might as well" and replace the other side.  The good news: not that expensive to replace, and the anti-lock sensors get changed in the process... the bad news is that they appear to fail at fewer than 100 K miles.    James

[cadillacmike68]

It has approx 108,000 miles. Boss Lady's has 120,000 with no bearing issues and they were made one month apart.

[harvey b]

Have you checked the tires to see if they are making the noise?,on my wifes car,a volvo ,put new tires on it and they had a terrible howl from them,it was the tread on them,they were wide and low profile tires,it sounded like wheel bearing noises,but it was the tires. Might be worth a look. harveyb

[cadillacmike68]

New tires, the behavior (quieting on a left curve) makes it a bearing.

[James Landi]

Mike,  I recall changing one of the bearings on my 67 Eldorado--- it had only one bearing on each side -- 67 was the only year with that configuration --- it had too many miles to count (broken odometer)--- but well in to 200K miles... back in the early 80's, it cost 400 dollars for the bearing!   Ouch    James 

[cadillacmike68]

It Was the front left bearing. Must have been slowly going bad. I didn't hear it earlier because I always have the radio on. It's all good now.

[Cadman-iac]

  I've heard that more than once from a few customers who needed parts replaced on the front end. When I asked them if they heard anything strange while driving, they would say "sure, but I just turned up the radio so I didn't have to hear it". Lol !!
  Glad you got it resolved.

Rick