Grinding up front =(

[col200]

Greetings,
I posted this in another forum, thought this was a better place.
I recently just discovered a new sound in my 03 protege5. It seems there's a dull grinding sound coming from the front of the car. The faster my wheels are moving, the louder the sound. The sound lessens when I turn the steering wheel to the right and gets worse when I turn the steering wheel to the left. it's constant when going straight.
I can only describe the sound as a thick, dull, muted, grind. I can feel it in the gas pedal as well. In gear or in neutral, the sound is there.
Any ideas?

Thanks much!

 

[kboutsider]

i'm thinking wheel bearing. Look around the forums seems a few ppl are having trouble with them lately.

 

[MazdaSpeeder]

+1 sounds like wheel bearing...

 

[SuperProtege5]

I would say wheel bearing as well. Definately fix it now before it gets like my brother's car and feels like a jackhammer when going at any kind of speed over 10mph.

 

[dxaveP5]

its most likely ur right wheel bearing,
i just had that same problem
and brought it to mazda for repair.
it was 330.

 

[goodfornothing]

I'm not sure if I'm having the same problem as you are. Everything sounds the same, except it's not a grinding noise, but more like whirring from the wheels. Road noise maybe?

To check if you're wheel bearing is bad, jack up one side of your car by the left or right front tire (you can do this one wheel at a time using the jack that comes with your car). Once your car is jacked, place one hand on the top of the wheel and one on the bottom. Push and pull in the opposite direction with each hand and if there is play and you can hear a clicking noise, you most likely need to change the wheel bearing.

I tried this, but the wheels were solid for me. Here's some advice, don't go to the shop or dealer and have them do all the work for you. Buy the wheel bearing/whichever replacement part you need, Get a buddy, remove the front left or front right tire hub (whichever needs to be fixed) and take it to the shop and ask them if they can press the old bearing out and press a new one in for you. Then you can reinstall the hub back and that should save you some green.

 

[dxaveP5]

smart. +1 to that.

 

[Captain KRM P5]

i replied to that thread when you put it in my section - wheel bearing or CV shaft