whining

I have a 2005 Tacoma,166k miles.I have had a whining noise for a while,i thought it was the old tires but can still hear the same noise after new tires were mounted, the dealer wants $85 bucks to drive it on the highway and diagnose it for me ,im not ready to pay them $85 to go on a joy ride yet,i have been reading a lot of the wheel bearing threads on TW and i am wondering what your opinions might be if i should just go ahead and change the front wheel bearings and see if that stops the noise, also i saw a thread that had all the Timkin bearing part numbers, but now i cant find which thread it was in.maybe the first one i read or the fifteenth,any info would be appreciated,

 

can you tell if it's coming from one area?

 

Not really, i can't,but i also am about half deaf and wear hearing aids,maybe i should just pay for a mechanic with good ears to listen and drive it.Before i tear into something that might not be the problem.


best i can tell is it seem to be the front right side ,sometimes i feel a minor vibration.

 

That's when I changed wheel bearings on my 2006. Sounds like same symptoms.

 

At 166k and you have not at least repacked your wheel bearings, probably time for some new ones.

 

Yessiree, Bob.

 

Wheel bearings are more of a rumbling noise, in my experience.

Jack the truck up and give the wheels a shake, see if there is any play. The rear bearings may also cause the axle seals to wear and leak oil if they are going out.

Could also be the center bearing on the driveshaft. I've never had to change one, so I'm not sure what that sounds like.

 

Bet it's the wheel bearings.

$85 to take it for a drive? Take it to a good independent shop and tell the dealer to go f#ck himself.

 

Wheel bearings are more of a rumbling noise, in my experience....... I think this is a better description of my problem ...rumbling

$85 to take it for a drive? Take it to a good independent shop and tell the dealer to go f#ck himself......Thought about that too.

I think i will do the work my self,just need to look over some of the threads again and order parts .i appreciate the comments ,

 

What you need is to recruit a strapping young lad with good hearing. Pay one of the neighbourhood kids $10 to sit in your passenger seat and listen. I'm willing to bet it's wind noise from the windshield, or possibly the blower fan under the passenger dash.

 

That might be a good idea,but i can hear it when the fan is off,does not sound like a wind noise but then again like you say since i dont hear well it could be anything,hell i see duck flying at me and i they quack and it sounds like it is quaking behind me lol. But with the mileage i have on the truck it probably wont hurt it to change out the bearings any way.

 

Grab a buddy with good ears to verify what you're hearing, 4 ears are better than 2.