Gevo

I searched! But nothing was close enough to this.

So, all of a sudden on the freeway at around 65mph I hear this noise from the front left wheel. As I pulled off the freeway and slowed down, it stopped. So, I sped up on the street again and just around 40 mph it starts. Then, consistently as I slowed below 40 it went away, above 40 it came back. Then I noticed in addition that when I turn left (weight off left side) sound went away, when I turned right (add weight on left side) the sound got worse.

Then when parking, as I turned the wheel all the way to the right, a significant clank sound came, just once.

I'm about to go for another drive and take the wheel off to inspect the various components, but I need guidance from your experience! What am I looking for?

Thanks.

courtgordon

No expert, but first check lug nuts are tight, then ide jack the front end off the ground and see if there is any play in the hub when you try to wiggle tire back and forth which would indicate a shot wheel bearing then check ball joints specifically the lower one as well as shock bushings. Ide start there and see what you find

Gevo

Courtgordon, thanks for the reply...

So I did a bunch of reading around here and the fsm, then started to check all the various items. Long story short.... I checked everything, other than torn boots and lack of grease in all the ball joints, and some crud in the outer cv joint... everything was good. No extra movement, no grinding sounds, nothing out of the ordinary. Cleaned and greased everything up, put things back together... test ride up and down the street, no sounds.

Then, I got on the freeway and right away it came back.. I pulled over right away to check it out again.... and what I saw made me laugh. There was some wind and the plastic portion of the wheel well was moving... Turns out as the car was speeding up the wind would push the plastic piece back against the tire to make the noise.. stupid stupid stupid!!! Spent 3 hours of pointless work today. and it took me 30 seconds to fix it with a ziptie.

umm.. everyone beware?

Sturmcrow

My ummm "friend" told me that he had a similar problem with the rubber flap on the rear side of the wheel (against the frame). "He" said it would make a weird flapping sound on the interstate but did not figure out what it was for a couple of months. This particular flap is only about 6 inches wide and also succumbed to the zip-tie solution.

Gevo

Couple months!!??.. tell your friend not to let these things linger!

Its both very annoying and relieving solving this problem.

thezman007

LMAO!!! I'm glad I'm not the only one this crap happens to!!! Seriously though, glad it was nothing to worry about and a cheap fix