Rotational humming noise from the front. 00v70XCSE

levalexi · Post by **levalexi** » 05 Jan 2026, 08:54

2000 v70XCSE AWD

THERE IS NO AWD LEFT. The angle gear and driveshaft have been removed for the last 6 years. I only included that information to let people know what transmission is in the car.


Messenger_creation_6F44F3C8-1866-441D-8C02-AE4335C8CEB2.mp4: (3.94 MiB) Downloaded 7 times

I apologize for the potato quality sound, but if you listen closely, you can hear a rotational humming noise that cuts in and out as I turn the wheel towards the right. When the wheel is straight, it's very loud.

It sounds like it's coming from the passenger side front.

I thought it might have been my collar, as it had about half an inch of play in and out. I tightened that back up and added the missing transmission fluid. Since my angle gear is missing, I have the collar held in with 2 hose clamps. It's worked fine since I pulled the angle gear however many years ago.

I did the wheel bearings 20k ago and there wasn't any play in it. It doesn't make any clicking.

The noise happens when the car is driving straight and slight left turns. Any rightwards movement of the wheel makes the noise go away.

It isn't tire noise, as I've rotated the tires to rule that out.

Things it could be

AWD transmission seal
Passenger carrier bearing
One of the front axles
Wheel bearings

Has anyone run into this?
Thank you

Post by **abscate** » 05 Jan 2026, 11:20

It is the front right side wheel bearing. I have done a bunch of these and have never been able to tell a good from bad bearing by feel, even on the bench.

levalexi · Post by **levalexi** » 05 Jan 2026, 11:27

abscate wrote: ↑05 Jan 2026, 11:20 It is the front right side wheel bearing. I have done a bunch of these and have never been able to tell a good from bad bearing by feel, even on the bench.

Thanks man. Luckily I still have 2 (new) bearings from the blue wagon I scrapped last year. Now I need to wait for it to warm up a bit

That was my initial thought, but I haven't had a wheel bearing hum on me before, I usually just get the clicking noise when turning. So that was throwing me off.

Post by **scot850** » 05 Jan 2026, 12:13

Or it is the carrier bearing on the RHS front axle. This is what our R was doing to us last year. The bearing is still available as an aftermarket part. I bought a couple on sale last year from FCP. They currently have 2 options SKF and FAG parts. Both good options.

Good Luck!

Neil.

Post by **abscate** » 05 Jan 2026, 12:21

scot850 wrote: ↑05 Jan 2026, 12:13 Or it is the carrier bearing on the RHS front axle. This is what our R was doing to us last year. The bearing is still available as an aftermarket part. I bought a couple on sale last year from FCP. They currently have 2 options SKF and FAG parts. Both good options.

Good Luck!

Neil.

Crap - I forgot about that one. Does the carrier bearing have the right/left swerve dependence like a wheel hub?

levalexi · Post by **levalexi** » 05 Jan 2026, 15:04

scot850 wrote: ↑05 Jan 2026, 12:13 Or it is the carrier bearing on the RHS front axle. This is what our R was doing to us last year. The bearing is still available as an aftermarket part. I bought a couple on sale last year from FCP. They currently have 2 options SKF and FAG parts. Both good options.

Good Luck!

Neil.

I was thinking about replacing that and the collar seal while I'm there. If I'm pulling the hub off, what's a few more bolts and an axle?

Post by **scot850** » 05 Jan 2026, 17:28

The answer to Abscate is yes. I swapped the wheel bearing on the RHS as I had already bought it. I don't believe the wheel bearing was the issue. The carrier bearing was not in a happy place! It sounded initially to me like it was a wheel bearing, but more noise when on the straight ahead, but also when turning.

Neil.

Post by **abscate** » 05 Jan 2026, 18:00

Carefully put the car up on jackstands ,spin wheels in gear and listen with a hose

levalexi · Post by **levalexi** » 06 Jan 2026, 11:18

I ordered the carrier bearing and a new axle. Being as it's January and I'm in CT for work and have no access to a garage, I'm just going to change out the axle, rebuild my OEM one this Summer, and swap it back in . The seal looked fine when I was under the car the other day.

Side note, I was paying attention today, and the noise doesn't really show up until about 25mph and will get increasingly louder the faster I go. The noise levels out at different speeds.

levalexi · Post by **levalexi** » 09 Jan 2026, 14:46

Not the update I was hoping for.

I pulled the axle out and it carrier bearing was definitely shot. The outer race was rusted to the bracket, and the inner bearing was rusted to the axle shaft.
Took me an hour start to finish. Took it for a run up the street, as there were plenty of corners and I could get up to 40 miles an hour.

Still there ... Im hoping it's the wheel bearing. now it doesn't make the noise when turning to the right, only the left.

It looks like the good weather is here to stay for a bit so Ill do it next week. I need to change my sway bar links too, those are shot.

It never ends with this car. I guess that's what I get for letting the wife drive it for the last 6 months.