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A month or so ago I began to hear a peculiar singing out of my tires (Toyo Proxis), much like snow tires running on dry pavement. Been running these tires for three years, and this was something new. It's definitely wheel speed related, not drive train related.

Searching for answers to the mystery, I could only come up with the possibility of a wheel bearing going bad. But this doesn't sound like the tell-tale low roar or grumbling I'm used to hearing when those rear bearings fail (at least, in my Spiders).

This Sunday I rotated the tires to see if that made any difference, and noted with surprise that the rear passenger side tire was significantly worn on the inside, as if this rear wheel was out of alignment. There was also some cupping there. The other three tires looked completely uniform and normal.

Would a bad wheel bearing cause this? Haven't noticed that as a symptom of impending bearing failure before. What about wear somewhere in the Watt link? Over the past several months I've been involved with exhaust and front flex joint issues, and work on a new barn find. So I haven't been doing overall inspections, and have no idea of the shape of that center bushing on the Watt link, or of anything else on the right rear corner.

Can anybody point me toward a likely fault and cure?

Mel, I would suggest starting with a wheel alignment check and look for toe in or out misalignments at the rear. It's possible that there are camber issues as well. At that time it is logical to check things like rear wheel bearings, rim damage, watts link couplings etc.

To isolate any bearing noise from tyre noise, jack the rear up and place on stands. Run the transmission in 4th gear at idle and listen to for bearing noises. Compare left to right for nature and volume of noise. That should tell you easily if is related to bearings or not. If not, it is likely to be for reasons outlined above.

As you know there is no alignment adjustment at the rear. So, if it was good in the past, and you didn't hit a curb or similar very hard, then it is probably still good. If you have bad wear pattern at rear I would suspect wheel bearing. Did you try jack up suspect corner and wiggle for play?

I had inner 1.5" of left rear cord on race car. Guess what? By jacking up corner I could clearly feel the play in the wheel bearing.

Jes

Jes,
I am suggesting an alignment check because the RHS could have been impacted at some stage and in the unlikely event, the bearing housing is bent and causing an alignment issue. Never hurts to start with the basics.

Agree with Jes, jack up and check play.

Maybe check the tire pressure first.

Many thanks, guys.

I've been driving for almost 50 years, and haven't known of an out-of-alignment rear end (although the only Watt link cars I've had are these GTV6s, and when I lost the center bolt out of the Watt link one night I found just exactly what that thing does).

So, it seems the consensus here is that my first fear--wheel bearing--is probably the culprit.

By the way, Mats, I appreciate that you understand that some of us are prone to completely overlook the obvious and most basic. I'm too often guilty of that. So thanks for the tip on tire pressure. I check them almost every weekend, and they do lose a little, but stay pretty consistent.

I'll do those wheel bearing checks and see if that's the culprit.

Thanks again for all the help.

No problems, I know the frustration of rushing past the obvious...