Wheel Bearing or Tire? Which is the Problem?

Hi,
My Octavia has been [doing something] for a few days (or maybe I've only just noticed it now ).
Sounds reminiscent of the rolling noise of a vehicle on these profiled shoulder strips.
The noise becomes noticeable around 40 km/h, and above approximately 130 km/h, it's masked by engine and wind noise.
covered.
It's also present even when the engine is off and disconnected, and it gets louder in left turns and...
Quieter right turns (initially, the noise would disappear temporarily during these turns).

I suspect at least one of the front wheel bearings.

Normally, I would wait until the error is clearly identified before taking action, but since it's happening in a very short time...
If the used car warranty is about to expire in four weeks, I would consider such a "damage" as...
(if there is one) I would be happy to handle that.

Best regards, Micha.

Hi,
If there's still a warranty on the used car, then go to the dealer immediately.

If you want to put in the effort yourself:
Jack up the car by the wheel and rock it horizontally and vertically.
If there's noticeable play, it's the wheel bearing.
Run your flat hand across the tire tread in both directions.
If there is greater "resistance," then it's likely due to the tires.

It can also be both.

Good luck.

I'm going to jack up the car and then turn/shake/feel around.
The warranty has just expired because the wheel bearings are considered wear and tear items .

Best regards, Micha.

Hi Micha,

If the noise increases when turning left, it would likely be coming from the side of the vehicle that is under more stress during the turn. It's difficult to determine whether the noise is coming from the front or the rear, as reflections can sometimes make it seem like it's coming from the other axle.

I'm definitely keeping my fingers crossed that it's "just" the tires.

You can already test whether it's the tires (shark fin profile) without jacking up the car. Simply run your hand across the tread pattern, once in the direction of travel and once against it, and pay attention to whether it feels the same in both directions, or whether you can clearly feel edges in one direction. If you need a tactile example of a shark fin profile, I can gladly provide you with two sample tires on the 14th .

Best regards,
Hendrik.

hello,

So, I've experienced these issues multiple times with both my Passat and my Golf 2.
Three options:
- Tires
- Wheel bearing
- defective shock absorbers
If you drive with one of these defects for a long time, you will eventually develop all three of them in the long run.
It should be noted that wheel bearings or dampers are usually the cause of tire sidewall bulges.
cause. The damper starts gradually, while the wheel bearing manifests more "suddenly."
In my vehicles, it was usually the "simpler" rear wheel bearings that failed, and the cause was related to lower mileage.
a) The wheel bearing develops play (due to wear) and is not adjusted in time.
b) The roller bearing is running too dry.
c) Wheel bearings damaged by hitting a curb or by driving with a heavy load and excessive lateral acceleration.

Remedy:
"If it's a rear wheel issue, it can be easily identified by gently rocking the rear wheel while it's lifted off the ground (jacked up) and the handbrake is released. The rear wheel bearings are relatively easy to adjust. If the noise returns after only a short distance (without a full tank of fuel), a new wheel bearing needs to be installed, which is a manageable task."
If it's on the front, it's more difficult to replace because you have to press it in.

"I would start by testing the rear ones. The Passat has 200,000 km, the Golf has 215,000 km, but so far, none of the front ones have failed. It's probably the rear one that's causing the noise when cornering on the outside of the turn."

Best regards,

Quote:

If it gets louder when turning left, it would likely be the right side that is under more stress.

Yes, it's likely in 90% of cases, but it's unfortunately not always guaranteed. It depends on whether the inner or outer side of the bearing is damaged. Raise the vehicle and let it idle in a high gear. An assistant or you yourself should compare the noises from the left and right sides.

Hello,

Here's another way to identify a faulty wheel bearing.

Lift the vehicle or jack it up from the front, turn the wheel by hand, and while the wheel is turning.
touch (feel) the spring of the shock absorber.
The noise (vibration) from a defective bearing is transmitted to the spring.

As far as I recall, the rear bearings cannot be adjusted on the Golf IV generation.
They are pressed in like the front ones (and are also more expensive than the front ones).
"When lifting the rear and slightly rotating it, no abnormalities were detected. However, there was a noise coming from the front right."
Unlike the left side, it's somehow a bit 'gnubbelig' .
The two front bearings will be replaced on Monday.
I really hope it was them.
"In the past, I didn't have any problems with the rear axles of my three Golfs (one had over 400,000 km)."

Best regards, Micha.

Quote:

Lift the vehicle, or jack it up from the front, turn the wheel by hand, and while the wheel is turning. touch (feel) the

spring of the shock absorber.

Okay, I do that even with the wheels spinning, but I wouldn't recommend it to anyone who doesn't know what they're doing. However, you can still feel the defective wheel bearing through vibrations at the upper strut mount.

Quote:

The two front bearings will be replaced on Monday. I really hope it was them.

Start with the supposedly defective part. It's often a waste of time to replace a wheel bearing prematurely. The remaining wheel bearing often lasts for 100,000 km or even longer.

It's good to read that other people are also experiencing wheel bearing problems with the G4 platform.

Only the one on the left rear is still the original... all the others have been replaced at least once. The ones in the front have even been replaced twice...

The front wheel bearings are actually not difficult to check.
It's been described in a thread here before.

Sometimes, a type of stethoscope, in the form of a long screwdriver, can also be helpful.