Growling Road Noise - Ford Forums - Mustang Forum, Ford Trucks, Ford Focus and Ford Cars

Aussiblue · 05-29-2004, 08:51

The NB Fairlane has developed a growling noise today that seems to be coming from the front tyres.

I have checked all four tyres and while I found a small nail in the left rear (removed; it did not penetrate past tread) and noticed the inside tread has just got down to the wear indicator bar (will replace this week) they don't seem to be the cause. There is also no movement in the wheels to suggest the bearings are gone but the front wheel bearings are now the prime suspect as a growling sound that increase with speed is a standard symptom of worn bearings.

The noise increases with speed but is most noticable over 60 km/hr. It's still there if I coast in neutral with the engine off. It also increases if while driving straight at freeway speed I turn the steering wheel slightly to the right and it goes away if In turn it slightly to the left (less than 5 degrees) so that another reason why I suspect bearings. But there is no noise on full lock at low speed.

I replaced the two small air bleed coolant hoses (the ones that goes from the catch tank the thermostat housing and radiator) and washed away the spilt coolant this morning after which my wife drove to the local servo to get fuel and she noticed the noise after this. I can't see how it would be related but perhaps I have missed something. I have checked the fan shroud hasn't moved so that's not it.

It's a 1989 NB (half way between an NA and NC) with a 3.9 MPEFI and 4 speed BTR auto. There is no noise from wheels or diff when I jack it up and spin each wheel by hand (well there was but I replaced the rattley plastic cap on the mag but that didn't fix the noise either). I guess I will replace the front wheel bearing tomorrow and report back on if I wasted my time or not.

Steve_T · 05-29-2004, 09:16

I'll vote wheel bearings 'cause from what you've described and already checked so far I can't see what else would cause it. Hopefully that's all it is and it's an easy fix anyway.

Steve.

TIKFD6 · 05-30-2004, 06:30

How old are your bearings?
Mine makes noises,but its just my tyres on the road.
Bearings are only 2000kays old.

Aussiblue · 05-30-2004, 09:39

Well the new bearings seem to have fixed it althought it is a bit hard to tell as its raining hard at the moment and that changes the way the car sounds anyway. Must check the Km and my records as I think I changed them a couple of years ago when I put new discs in. The disc/hubs that I have don't have removal bearing cups and I'm not sure that's a good thing (designed to be replaced with bearings).

TIKFD6 · 05-31-2004, 05:42

That is very odd, who are the Hubs/Disc's made by?

Aussiblue · 06-01-2004, 05:28

Can't recall the brand but were made in China I think (or was it Taiwan) and they came in blue boxes. My wife bought them on sale as old stock for around $100 a pair when Supercheap took over Marlows. The came with the bearings and and cup in situ and with paperwork saying the bearings and cups couldn't be changed. I tried pressing the cups out with my 12 ton hydraulic press but they wouldn't budge; I expect they were put in when the hubs had just been cast and were still hot. In any event, they seem to stop better then the OEM Ford ones and the only other issues is that the standard grease caps had to be shimmed to stay in (the hole for the cap is too big). Anyway at the price I can't complain (the bearings alone cost $50 to $60 a set) and the caps look OK so we will see how long the new bearings last.

TIKFD6 · 06-01-2004, 06:22

Where they RDA's?

Yeah its still a bit odd, spose it makes you spend more money that way

EA Wagon · 04-26-2006, 06:13

This could be helpfull to other people. Though I have had the exact same thing. I know this is a thread from ages ago.

Had new tyres, new alloys fitted and a wheel alignment done.
Though it still had this growling noise, like I had 4wd tyres on board.

So far I have eliminated everything but the camber angles. Whereas I told the wheel align joint (BJ's), that it had a kit fitted and to adjust as necessary.
The noise is back but not as bad, but enough to hound me.

I have noticed the before adjustment was -1.78o on the left and -.5o on the right.
After, it was the same, the only thing that had changed was toe in/out.
I am now in belief that the left hand front tyre has a little too much negative camber causing the groan.

Worn ball joints/rubber bushes and the top 'a frame' mounts cause the camber to adjust.
So I will do a trial with shims again, to see if I can get it to stop the noise.