Vibration & noise as speed increases

[ssteed]

This is my first day on this forum and I am looking forward to collaborating with everyone. A quick intro on my background, I am an electrical engineer who got through high school and college as a heavy equipment operator.

My protege5, 2003, increasingly vibrates as I increase in speed and it maintains constant vibration with constant speed. It has 129K miles on it. Also it makes noise that increases in volume as we increase in speed. The noise and vibration seem well correlated

Our local repair shop balanced our tires but it still remained. After he balanced the tires, he mentioned that we have 3 rims that are bent. So today we purchased four new rims and it still vibrates The repair shop told us that the left front bearing was bad so we replaced that. While they were in there they told us that we should also replace both front rotors and while they were doing that then we ought to replace the pads as well and on top of that we should do an alignment. We did ALL of that for about $950 today and we still have a vibration and noise coming from the car. The repair guy told me that he think it is much better than it was but that we probably will want to replace the right front bearing as well sometime in the future. My wife thinks it makes the same vibration and noise.

Any advice on what to do next?

 

[Crash5291]

Can you describe the noise?

 

[iJay]

I know my rear end was wobbling, it was to do with my rear sway bar, look under the rear of the car make sure the 2 brackets that hold the bar in place are there.
Also check all 4 endinks The rears connect tot he sway bar the fronts connect to the struts.

Wheel bearing I think would make a grinding noise if n e thing. Rotors and pads would only cause virbration apon braking. I think its time you find a new mechanic.

 

[tweety2300]

def new mechanic and it does sound like a wheel bearing mine did the same thing. if you turn does it get louder/quieter?

 

[cutchemist]

Yeah when I had to replace my driver side bearing, I remember starting to hear clicking/popping sounds. I then remember hearing like a roaring sound on higher speeds and clicking sounds at parking lot speeds. I could not feel it though the pedals but my passengers could feel vibrations at their feet.

I'm not really sure it needed the brake parts since the vibration seemed to happen even when you were not braking.

 

[ssteed]

I'll try. It starts as a humming at low speeds and then increases linearly to be loud buzzing sound. How was that?

 

[ssteed]

My wife believes that it does seem to affect the sound as we turn to the right. So she is guessing it could the right wheel bearing. I am just wondering what my mechanic should have done. It seems like he at least should have spent more time trying to establish the root cause and have better reasoning for each item that he suggested. I am wondering if I should start using the Mazda dealer.

 

[ssteed]

I can take a look at the rear end but it does seem to be coming from the front of the car. By the way, your red protege looks like it has been well cared for.

 

[ssteed]

It does seem to affect the vibration/noise when I turn.

 

[bigpturgeon]

Does the sound go away when you take a left or right turn entering or exiting a highway? If you put most of the weight of the car on one side then if its a bearing the sound should almost go away and that will tell you what bearing it is. If al else fails just replace both bearings.

 

[mmmalone40]

Me too

SSteed
any results?

I am having the EXACT same conversation with my wife now. Went through the same process with mechanic (as i thought spending a little money would be better than taking the time to do it myself, oh well) 3 bent rims, alignment, 2 new tires same sound.

Does the sound go away when you take a left or right turn entering or exiting a highway? If you put most of the weight of the car on one side then if its a bearing the sound should almost go away and that will tell you what bearing it is. If al else fails just replace both bearings.

changes sound with turning, but doesn't go away in either direction.

I currently have the car on jack stands, and the bearings seem fine. grab wheel at 12 and 6 and push/pull, with no play. I do however have some play at the joint axle to the outer axle i can move it in/out 1/4". Is this a normal amount of play at that joint?

Sorry for the resurrection, but this could help me and others doing searches.

Thanks,

Mike