wheel bearings whirrrr while at speed. To test if that's it find curvey roads that you can maintain the speed you hear it at. If you take a left turn and the noise gets louder it's on the right side, if you take a right turn and it gets louder it's on the left side. Weight transfer in turns increases the pressure on the bearing so it gets louder...it will also get quieter when weight is transfered off of it. If it's purely speed related and taking corners at a set speed doesn't change the sound then might not be wheel bearings.

 

Yea I finally found the perfect road for testing. Two long sweepers back to back that I can hit 45mph on. Turning left the noise goes away, right its louder. So since i bought a new wheel bearing I'll be focusing on that this weekend i think. Drivers rear....thing is screaming now over the radio.

I had been doing the left/right test but couldn't find a road where I felt comfortable doing it. Look like a drunk lol.

 

Front wheel bearings are much easier to find just by turning the steering wheel at highway speeds. However, rear wheel bearings will need a fairly long highway ramp. Depending on what side you suspect as being the culprit, leaning to the opposite side once getting on the ramp should minimize the noise and getting back on a straight road should bring the noise back. You need to be careful of course for all oncoming traffic as you might be tempted to continue the testing. Rear wheel bearings are harder to detect and of course you don't want to be wrong! lol

 

Well, I just changed the rear diff with Schaeffer's 75W-90. No difference. So I can rule out diff fluid.

 

That's disappointing to hear, no pun intended.

 

I’ve ordered the center bearing for the driveshaft.

 

I replaced my drivers rear bearing. Back to being quiet now. That thing was crazy loud. It separated when I removed it.

 

When I first started working on cars I was a tech at an independant shop that worked on a lot of city vehicles. We rebuilt the bearings as they were not pressed together like our cars (so long as the bearings weren't worn/discolored). I was shocked that so much weight was on such a small piece of equipment. But they work. I wish these were servicable, if you could regrease them they'd probably last almost forever

 

You can, you just cant get them back together

 

XD That's kinda important

 

@gebo update? I hate unresolved threads.

 

Replaced center support bearing with Lexus factory part. No difference.

Replaced differential fluid.

At mechanics garage now to replace passenger side rear wheel bearing and transmission support bracket.
(If you ride in the rear seat you can hear the right wheel bearing now)

Have used duct tape around windshield and doors and hood attempting to seal the “gaps” to no avail.

 

I think you'll be happy with that result!

 

Bearing fixed that one problem.

But we we are getting closer. Now you will get a tremendous vibration albeit intermittent coming from back end. Mechanic said it starts at a certain speed when it starts but it is not repeatable. He is thinking an axle. Any thoughts?

He said it will almost shake out your fillings.

 

Sounds like he did something wrong. Bent wheel maybe but theres no reason for that to show itself from replacing a wheel bearing. It would've done it before.