Wheel bearings or gearbox shot?

ops:  The flub flub wasn't the clip on the CV boot after all - that only rubs when the car's jacked up and the wishbone is hanging down :roll: .

The noise is regular rub rub rub rub that matches wheel speed. I'm hoping it's wheel bearings -    but concerned that it might be the diff or something else inaccessible inside the gearbox  :cry:

Anyone know how I'd tell the difference?

Having read about wheel bearings elsewhere in this section, I think I'm getting the "makes more noise going round corners" symptoms - but couldn't feel the rough bearings with the wheel off the ground.

Ali

Ali,

Worn front wheel bearings are difficult to feel with the wheel off the ground.  You might not even feel any play at all.

Check your rears though as rear noise can often sound like it's coming from the front - been caught out on that a few times! - rears are cheap and easy to do too!

Cheers

Rich

could be a wheel, u aint banged a wheel up against a kerb or owt have you?

Usual way I check for wheelbearing is to jack the car just off the ground, then spin the wheel while holding the road spring with your free hand. If you feel a 'grating' in the spring then it's usually down to the bearing. Works for me !!

cheers

Cheers for the suggestions - I haven't banged a wheel myself, and the rubbing noise is a fairly recent development.

I've ordered front wheel bearings - the replacement process as described by Haynes looks entertaining - they suggest the complete removal of strut and hub in order to avoid disturbing the camber setting.

In theory I should be able to remove the bearings using a puller… but doing so without damaging the splines that engage with the driveshaft may require some ingenuity.

Any ingeneers out there?

If the worst comes to the worst, I'll drop it in with my local friendly mechanic.