Here's you an easy one!

[blacksnapon]

You're driving a vehicle with a growl/buzz/howling noise in the front. You happen to notice when you turn right, the noise goes away. Whats wrong, and where is the problem?

 

[Andyman8282]

I'm gonna guess it's got something to do with the wheel bearings.

 

[6L PWR]

Your mising kitten is stuck around the power steering pulley!!

 

[O'Rattlecan]

I was going to say somewhere IN the power steering, but I don't know what part...

Makin me feel stupid for sayin it's easy.

Ryan

 

[john112deere]

I'm going to say right front wheel bearing, because when you turn right, there is less load on the tire, and it's spinning slower, so the noise goes away.

But I don't really know...

 

[Brian_B]

Does it matter what brand, year, or model of vehicle? Or does this include all of them?

Usually, you are pretty specific on what it is.

 

[Fellro]

Damn, I've heard that one a few times, even if the other bearing isn't howling yet, it will, Left front is my pick.

 

[mrxlh]

Don't know what it is, but you fix it by hiting the starter solenoid with a hammer. (It has to be a Snap On 24 oz. with the orange handle though, or it wont work)

 

[Blue Goose]

I was kinda thinking it was my Mother-in law riding in the front seat and wanting me to turn right!!! Soooo, what's wrong, I wasn't gonna turn. What's the problem, I didn't want to...

 

[surewhynot]

Hillary is driving next to you in the left lane. When you turn right, the problem fixes itself.

 

[blacksnapon]

Hillary is driving next to you in the left lane. When you turn right, the problem fixes itself.

I can believe a growl or a howl, but a buzz?

 

[lenny1carl]

my beer in the passenger is pissing off sassy(growl). a right turn spills it on the floor and shes happy again.
i'm with the bearing crowd. the right turn puts load on it and diminishes the noise until you go staright again and relieve the top load.

 

[O'Rattlecan]

carl, if you turn right, the load is taken off the right wheel, and instead transferred to the left side as the vehicle's inertia continues to try and go straight.

Ryan

 

[lenny1carl]

yep R i left out the words "the right turn puts load on it (the left side)"i neglected to say which side loads. but sassy is still growling

 

[O'Rattlecan]

maybe you're out of buscuits.

Ryan

 

[mrfixit]

carl, if you turn right, the load is taken off the right wheel, and instead transferred to the left side as the vehicle's inertia continues to try and go straight.

Ryan

R, the steering geometry is such that in a turn, the wheel of the turn side turns tighter than the trailing side. In a right turn the right wheel turns more sharply than the left, as the left wheel follows a longer arc, or track.
As a result the right wheel meets more resistance than the left. BOTH wheels have to deal with the momentum of the vehicle, Toe and camber are accentuated in any turn, and in the case of the right turn, to the right tire.
A loose, worn bearing would effectively cinch up in a turn, but really should be ANY turn.
Sounds almost more like a TIRE problem or alignment... Or the driver went brush-jumping and wedged a branch up in the wheel well.
Hey, this IS a vehicle in otherwise good condition, right? so the fender or moulding isn't rubbing the backside of the tire?

 

[lenny1carl]

but tom, the weight is loaded to the outside(of the turn arc) with the body roll and center of gravity shift.
thats why nascars have so much camber on the right front. so that in the max point of the turn the tire is perpendicular to the track.

 

[mrfixit]

I wasn't denying a shift of weight. I WAS denying that shift affecting the wheel bearing.
But if you have a properly dialed-in car, that shift should be minimalized...

 

[lenny1carl]

my thinking is that even minimal weight decrease on the bad bearing will lessen or stop the noises

 

[mrfixit]

I would think that would have to be a signifigant decrease. That's the way I CHECK a bearing is to take all the weight off, by lifting the vehicle, and spin the suspect tire. I'm thinking if its a bearing at all, it's the inner wheel bearing, as the load WOULD transfer more to the outer.