Wheel Growling Noise

Technical questions and answers concerning all models of VW diesel vehicles.

Moderator: Fatmobile

Post Reply
BlueDog
Turbo Charger
Posts: 223
Joined: Thu Nov 09, 2006 11:25 pm
Location: West Michigan

Wheel Growling Noise

Post by BlueDog »

My '89 Jetta has developed a growling noise. Driving down the road at anywhere between 40 and 70 it growls like I'm running big nobby tires. If on the highway and I change from the right lane to the left lane I turn the steering wheel a bit to the left and the growling goes away momentarily, until I straighten out. Does this only when fading to the left, not to the right. What's causing this?
'89 Jetta 2-dr gasser converted to 1.6L NA
'04 Jetta TDI GLS Platinium
'87 F350 dually 7.3 future project
'79 Mainship Perkins T6.354
82vdub
Turbo Charger
Posts: 4922
Joined: Wed Jun 20, 2007 1:44 pm
Location: Green Bay, WI
Contact:

Re: Wheel Growling Noise

Post by 82vdub »

Likely a front wheel bearing is going bad. Typically the bearing that gets unloaded when you shift weight by turning the wheel is the bearing that is bad, but that's not always true.
Everybody else lists their cars here - but not me.

I have too many to count
surfcam
Turbo Charger
Posts: 1482
Joined: Tue Sep 28, 2004 8:43 pm
Location: Canada Southern Alberta
Contact:

Re: Wheel Growling Noise

Post by surfcam »

Do some figure 8's in a parking lot or field with the windows down to see if you can hear which one it is. I usually take the brake calliper off to check for play.
99 TDI Jetta (Z1 engine code)
94 Grand Caravan
89 Dodge Gold Stream B class
http://www.antiquedollhouseofpatterns.ca/
Fatmobile
Global Moderator
Posts: 7564
Joined: Wed Oct 30, 2002 10:28 pm
Location: north central Iowa

Re: Wheel Growling Noise

Post by Fatmobile »

Yeah, sounds like a front bearing.
You can lift the wheels off the ground and see which wheel wiggles.
'91 Golf gasser converted to a 12mm pump, M-TDI.
'84 1.6TD Rabbit with a VNT-15 turbo, still setup to run on vegetable oil.
'84 GTI with 1.7TD pistons and intercooled.
2003 TDI wagon
2000 TDI Jetta.
BlueDog
Turbo Charger
Posts: 223
Joined: Thu Nov 09, 2006 11:25 pm
Location: West Michigan

Re: Wheel Growling Noise

Post by BlueDog »

Turned out it was both rear wheel bearings. Left one was the worst and right one starting to make growling noise. Replaced both.
'89 Jetta 2-dr gasser converted to 1.6L NA
'04 Jetta TDI GLS Platinium
'87 F350 dually 7.3 future project
'79 Mainship Perkins T6.354
Post Reply