Has gradually been getting louder. Used to appear at ~35 now maybe ~25 mph. Putting the car in neutral or a light application of brakes does not alter the noise. I have also checked for loose pieces of plastic. I do notice a noise becomes quieter when the road curves to the left but there’s no change if the road curves to the right. I jacked up each front wheel and spun it by hand with no apparent noise or looseness.

2005 S-Type R
132,000 miles.

Any ideas would be appreciated
thank you

 

Since the noise varies with the direction of turns, I'd lean towards a bad wheel bearing.

You mentioned checking them by jacking up the front end. Good troubleshooting, but without any weight on the wheels, a marginal bearing might seem okay tested like that. I don't know of any method to simulate weight on the suspension, though. If no better suggestions are offered, it's probably worthwhile just to change out the bearings and see what happens.

 

Greetings Dave, and I believe, like Karl, that your focus on wheel bearings is most likely cause. Advise repeating wheel tests, but with an important difference, especially if bearing is worn or uncertain history.

Often, "spinning the road wheel" provides only part of the diagnosis. Grip the tyre top and bottom, see if it rocks vertically, then rotate 45 degrees and repeat several times more. It is not unknown for only 1 or 2 chipped rollers or a single score on a bearing surface, to be glossed over in a simple "spin the wheel" test when unloaded . . . just as Karl says.

Yes, a pain to repeat, but IMHO, worth rechecking before throwing money.
Cheers,

Ken

 

I concur the above comments - wheel bearing. If it goes quieter when curving to the left but not to the right, then I would suspect the left bearing (more weight on that wheel in a right turn). I had this a few weeks ago and the noise gradually got louder and began a drumming sort of noise, it was my front right bearing (worse when going round a left curve). I jacked up the front end and there was a marked difference in the bearings, the right one was more notchy than the free turning left one. Bearings are relatively easy to change for a competent DIYer. Once the brake caliper and bracket are removed, the disc just slips off. There are only 4 bolts holding the bearing onto the carrier but there is a possibility that the bearing maybe stuck in place due to alloy and steel be mated together, I required a slide hammer and quite a lot of force to extract mine. There is an abs connection behind the inner arch to disconnect too. The bearings are available on a well known auction site (just under £50) and the same bearing fits either side. The whole bearing comes encased in its housing with the abs sensor attached. If you have trouble extracting it, then it would be possible to undo the track rod end and the top and bottom ball joints and have it hydraulically pressed out. The difference once the new bearing was in is amazing. I hope this helps

 

There are 2 different length front wheel bearings. One is about 1/4" longer and will hit the A arm and not allowing to seat correctly.

I have a thread about it somewhere here. Advance search "joycesjag front wheel bearing".

 

Thank you all. Bearing(s) sounds about right. I’ve ordered a pair. Let’s just hope that the hub is not as siezed as the spark plug was (horror story) was on the Ford 5.4 3-valve.

 

Replaced both sides. Parts were $80 on flea bay.
Easy install.
Nice and quiet now.

 

Just a tip, when checking fo wheel bearings, spin the wheel and have a hand on the road spring, you can normally feel a vibration/rumble by lightly holding the spring.