Hello

I would like some advice or conformation before I buy any parts.

Problem: I have a Polo 9N TDi, recently a groaning noise started when driving over 30mph and stops at about 50mph.

I researched here and a lot of advice seems to indicate a wheel bearing problem.

When I drive the car straight it is loud, I turn the car left it gets louder, and when I turn the car right it reduces to hardly anything.

I have checked the front and rear wheels by lifting off the floor and grabbing at 12 and 6 , then 3 and 9 , but no obvious movement in any, although the offside rear wheel is more noisy when rotated by hand off the ground.

How do I know if it is the front or rear bearings, also a passenger in the back complained of the noise back there.

What threw me was I changed the rear silencer for a cheap Klarius and I thought I had not either sealed it properly of the thinness of a cheap silencer was the culprit, but revving at 2000rpm when stationary shows no loud noise.

Thanks

Advice appreciated

Edited 15 November, 201510 yr by euler3

jack the car up and spin each wheel by hand and listen /feel for roughness

I think you've answered your own question there. What you've described points towards the offside rear. What makes you doubt it?

As Steve says. When you rotate the wheel it will make a grinding noise (don't mistake this for the noise made by discs and pads rubbing lightly).

Thanks for the conformation.

I was not sure as it is something I've not come across before and the noise coincided with the silencer change.

I have seen some FEBI ones for sale at a good price (£42 each). Are they are a good Brand.

I'll get going on this as the noise is becoming a nuisance and don't want to just accept it as a background noise or worse. It doesn't seem a difficult job.

have you tried listening for the noise on a empty road ,then once you can hear it depress the clutch and put the car out of gear and coast along to confirm its not a droan from the new silencer

I'd not take our word for it, I'm not sure we've confirmed anything. As steve says (again) rule out the silencer and if it's still there, jack up the car and check each wheel. It may not be the silencer or bearings, it could be something else entirely.

As for Febi, they are ok. I use them

I changed both rear bearings as neither have ever been changed since I have the car from new for 12 and 1/2 years with 156000 miles.

After changing both bearings spinning both wheels showed significant improvement in freedom to rotate.

Then drove the car around for a while testing, and problem solved no noise at any speed.

( I can actually listen to the radio now without turning volume too loud to overcome the noise).

Advice to anyone else, make sure you have a 30mm 12 point socket for the rear bearing/hub nut and Haynes says 70Nm with 30^o extra turn.

It was a straight forward job the hub came off easily and the original nut was easily removed.

I bought 2 Febi Bilstein code 24224 from Amazon £42,90 each (the cheapest) and free delivery !