Identify this sound if you can.

[Azrael]

MP3 goodness just right-click and save as (http://www.mts.net/~bowditch/Misc/noise.MP3).

At 23 seconds in I let off on the gas at 90km/h (55mph) and you can hear the sound 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 doesn't change anything.
-Neither braking or shifting to neutral change anything.
-I switched to 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 $350 Cdn on a new set of wheel hubs.

[graden]

it sounds more like ither the axel is making contact with the frame cradle support, or , you just have a bad axel in general

[Azrael]

I just had the front wheels off today and there's no indication of the axles rubbing against anything other than some sand and stones caught in the control arm (which after cleaning out didn't help). The CV boots were intact and holding strong.

[cocobob]

Are the hubs free wheelin when the tire is jacked up ? Might be a bad hub bearing.

[bdlitzne]

I would guess at wheel bearing also.
Bern

Originally posted by Azrael
MP3 goodness just right-click and save as (http://www.mts.net/~bowditch/Misc/noise.MP3).

At 23 seconds in I let off on the gas at 90km/h (55mph) and you can hear the sound 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 doesn't change anything.
-Neither braking or shifting to neutral change anything.
-I switched to 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 $350 Cdn on a new set of wheel hubs.

[Azrael]

The wheels spin with some resistance when the front end is jacked-up but don't take a lot effort to get them moving. The general consensus from several sources is that it's a bad bearing so I ordered a pair of new hub assemblies from my local NAPA. I figure if one's going then the other side isn't far behind.

Thanks for your input everyone.

[cocobob]

You said`` I figure if one's going then the other side isn't far behind``
Not neccessarily. I replaced only one hub on my 97 in 2001 and the other has been no problem even today at 268,000km.
Cheers

[Azrael]

First diagnosis was right. Just had the front-passenger bearing assembly replaced and no more noise. The mechanic figures it went bad from a combination of the lowering springs without an alignment and a bent steering knuckle.