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Wheel bearing or... ?

19891 Views 58 Replies 13 Participants Last post by  jn2k108
So I've been hearing this weird humming or ringing noise while going 35+ mph and it seems to be coming from the rear passenger side wheel well. I replaced wheel hub assembly with skf hub assembly. Didn't fix the problem. Then i rotated the tires... didn't fix the problem. So what I'm doing now is I ordered another skf rear hub assembly and two FW48 skf front wheel bearings. Getting them pressed in a few days after they arrive. If this doesn't work, what should my next approach be? Any advice would be wonderful. I was planning on investing in skunk2 coil overs but since this humming has cost me wheel bearing all around and i still have to pay for the wheel bearing to be pressed in, its going to be a little bit still :/
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Did the noise start suddenly?
How many miles on the car?
OEM tires?
Miles on tires?

My order of suspicion, based on your statements above:
Noise path, i.e. exhaust system touching the body.
Tires
Wheel bearing
The noise gradually started, getting louder and more noticeable by the day
car just turned 50,000.
Car has OEM tires, tire guy said I'll need to replace them soon but they are okay for now.
I bought the care when it had about 31,000. IDK if they are oem or not.

Since they were rotated and the sound stays in the same spot, i dont believe it would be the tire.
Exhaust system touching body could be possible, didn't think of that but if that was the case i'd feel vibration correct?
I dont feel vibration so im thinking its a wheel bearing. I mean, sound travels... but i couldve sworn it was coming from the rear right side. hopefully im not spending for no reason
Not necessarily. Even though sound is caused by vibration, it may not be intense enough to be felt from the driver's seat.
With 50k on the original tires, I would not spend money on other stuff until the tires are replaced.
Alright so I took it to honda after new wheel bearings and tires and they said that I'll need a set of tires.

They put a different set of wheels on and apparently the sound went away

which I will never know for sure.
This is plausible.
Short story:
There was a CRv with a noise in the rear when driving at certain speeds.
After verifying the noise.
I swapped 4 wheels/tires from a V6 Accord to the CRv and viola! The noise was gone!
So yes, tires even new ones could make noise.

Far as you will never know; ask them to put the other wheels/tires on your car...Then YOU will know for sure.
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Tires make noise.
The dealer told you they swapped different tires (wheels) and the noise was gone.
If that is true, that the noise is gone... not sure where to go, other than different tires.

Rim damage:
You said that rotating the tires (wheels) did not change the noise.
So, if a rim was damaged to the extent that it was making a noise.
The noise should have moved with the wheel/tire.
Still unanswered is what tires did the dealer put on that fixed the noise?
I wasn't told what tires they were. The tone of the sound did not change with the different sets of tires on the car. I'm starting to think that i received a defective wheel bearing.

Could be a new faulty bearing I suppose.
But not very likely if they were genuine Honda parts; aftermarket parts... not so much.

I welcome being wrong about tires.
Can you post an audio clip of the noise?
I think it is safe to say that it is just the natural noise of the car.
I was reading another thread about sound deadening.
I think I will try this method. First I will apply the material to the trunk and the doors.
Apply it to the rear wheel house too.
Funny your post popped up again today.
Yesterday I drove on the freeway and noticed a high pitch whining sound from the rear of the car.
I've driven this section of freeway hundreds of times, so I'm at a loss as to why I noticed the noise today...
Anywho, speed made little difference, but when the road surface transitioned from grooved concrete to asphalt; the noise stopped completely.

With 30k on the original tires, I'm going to start looking for quieter replacements.
Probably will pop for a set of Michelin's.
IOMG!! WoW!! My 2013 Honda Civic doing same kind of noise, right rear tire/wheel area, sounds like a owl hoot by continuous, not all the time, sometimes when breaking sometimes not, sometimes when backing up, sometimes not, sometimes when coasting, when going over 35 mph, sometimes not, and today it was raining and in the low 50’s and only made a sound once, was getting it checked and of course it made no sound at all, tomorrow I’m getting tires rotated, checked wheel bearing, the see if tire moves or not, it didn’t, I’ll have them check it out when they rotate tires, I just had motor mounts replaced, but, I did have one tire replaced due to a flat that couldn’t be repaired, and I did get one of those cheap tires cause I was short on funds that day, it could be that , right??? It’s just frustrating when I just spent 900.00 on front brakes, motor mounts, right front axle, and an oil change. It’s got 180k miles on it, and I drive Lyft and Uber, I do have things checked often and serviced when it should be, this on has me stumped and I can’t drive until I get it fixed!!! Sucks!!! Hope someone has any good ideas, I’m writing down all y’all say!!!, yes I’m a girl, lol!!!!
here is a good youtube video on the subject.

Driving the car with a chassis ear installed could pinpoint that the noise is a wheel bearing, and which one.
But that operation a dealer is likely to bill at least an hour of shop time, maybe more.

Also knowing where in the world you are located helps... city, state and/or country.
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