My 2005 Grand Caravan has an intermittent whining noise (more like a high-pitched hum) coming from (I believe) the right rear wheel during turns. It happens most when making left turns after long, high-speed runs, like when exiting a highway then making a left turn at the bottom of the exit ramp. The car has rear disc brakes. Mileage is 65,000.

I suspect a wheel bearing but I'm searching all avenues. I have not been able to detect wobble in the wheel when the car is raised.

Any help is greatly appreciated.

 

you won't detect any wobble in the wheel unless the wheel bearing is about ready to fall apart. You sure could have a bad wheel bearing, did you ever try rotating the tires and see what hapens? you're sure nothing it rubbing? I personally would use my electronic ear and pinpoint the exact location. I attach sensors to various parts of the vehicle and switch between the sensors. the one that makes the most noise points to where the problem is. Maybe thats an avenue you should search

 

I agree, raise the back wheel and spin or buy two rear bearing assy. You should always replace them as pairs.

 

I never heard of replacing bearing assemblies as a pair? Why? I know struts/springs, brakes and tires should be replaced as a matched set/pair. But why bearings? Sometimes it can be difficult to determine which side, so I buy one put it in. if the noise is still there, I'll put the one I took out in the other side and that fixes it, assuming both were not bad. GM and chrysler have made bearing/hub assembly pretty darn easy.

 

Thats because, one bearing is so bad that you can't hear the other side thats also starting to go bad.Untill you go on a road test. This has happen to many techs that i have work with. This way the writer make one phone call and not two. And you only have to raise the car/van or truck just once for the repair. It cheaper for the customer in the long run, to do both sides. Has far as labor.

 

for the dealer standpoint, that is true. Afterall, dealers like to make as much money as possible. But us poor mopar owners don't like to spend anything! I get customers that bring in used junkyard parts wanting me to install them. My favorite is when they bring a used axle shaft they bought from JY for $40 and for $60 I get them a brand new one (my price is $40 and of course you charge the customer more)

 

Very true. But i am just a tech who is trying to look out for the customer, not the dealer. Safety comes first, the same as you do. I'll send you a pm later, tonight.

 

If it is the wheel bearing/s I second Master Tech on replacing both. On my '96 I replaced one (these were front and they howled not whined) and shortly thereafter the second one went. Also I believe these are hub/bearing assemblys.

 

Thanks guys for all the replies, sorry I couldn't get back to the post sooner--on the road this week.

I'll check for rubbing, etc., but it probably is the right rear bearing--I only doubted it because of the low miles--it started whining about 55k. Isn't it a little unusual for a bearing to go with so few miles? My '98 GC has 160,000 miles on it and I just replaced my first bearing on it not too long ago.