Rumbling Sound

[SimonR]

Oh Dear! It was all going so well...

Over the past 500 or so miles a rumbling sound has developed, seemingly at the front of the car, in the speed band between 65 and 80 mph and it's getting louder.

It's there even if I dip the clutch and doesn't get any better or worse if I go round corners but it's very noticeable as a sound and perhaps a slight vibration through the pedal box.

So, what could it be? Is it a simple wheel bearing or are some gearbox/propshaft/etc bearings about to give up the ghost?!

The car's off for an MoT and service at the beginning of next month so I may be in for a big bill.

[Jon]

Big-end bearings?

Wheel bearings tend to rumble, they are prone to going if they've been tightened up too much. Jack the car up and give the wheels a good shake side to side, if theres a lot of play, thats your problem.

Maybe some of the more experienced old hands of this forum will have other things for you to check.

[Mark_B]

A front wheel bearing rumbling can be described as a 'howl' also (a ring of ball bearings dip in and out of a pits in the bearing races, gives it the sound of a bead necklace being drawn over a table edge), if it's this the sound should change or possibly dissapear breifly when changing lanes or curving around sliproads between motorways. Jacking up the suspect wheel and spinning it you should hear something. I often let my bearing noise 'mature' a bit so can find the right wheel to work on easily, but before the vibration and noise get so loud the mirrors blur and I begin to lose tooth filllings!

There's a thread here on changing Stubaxles and adjusting Bearings http://www.jec-xjs-forum.org.uk/xjsbb2/ ... ht=bearing

[SimonR]

Thanks for the replies, gents.

being as the weather was so nice this weekend I decided to give the S a bit of a bath and took the oportunity to check for play in the wheel bearings. The thing is that I can't feel any play at all in any of the wheels. I take it there should be a little bit of movement when you grab the wheel and rock it side to side?!

Anyway, on the plus side my alloys and inner wheel arches are now all free from brake debris and mud and have that nice concourse look again. It won't last for long, of course, but it's good to clean off the crud and check the condition of the underseal I suppose.

I've booked it in for MoT/Service/Investigation on the 3rd May so I'll let you know what is found.

SR.

[Charlie99]

Have you got to the source of the problem? I took my car (V12 auto) for a long run (>1000 miles) at the weekend and now notice a similar noise at similar speeds. Not sure where from though (front/ rear). The car seems to handle/ respond OK, just intrusive and a bit of a concern.

Thanks,

Keith.

[SimonR]

Hi Keith,

Yeah, it was the driver's side front wheel bearing, it had been over-tightened in the past and needed renewal. No big drama at all and the MoT, Service and wheelbearing replacement only set me back £220 which I thought was a real bargain.

I hope your car is as easy and (relatively) inexpensive to repair!

All the best

Simon R.

[Charlie99]

Hi Simon,

Thanks for that, i'll get it checked out. Fingers crossed.

Cheers,

Keith.

[Charlie99]

Just to let you know, it was a wheel bearing (rear), all sorted now, thanks for your help.

Cheers,

K.