Help diagnosing left front wheel noise 2001 T&C
 

Hi, I noticed a noise yesterday from what appears to be coming from my front left wheel. It has sort of a rotational rasping sound. At first I thought that something was on the tire as the sound follow the tire's rotation. Here's are some sysptoms:

-rotational rasping sound, loud at low speeds
-goes away with increasing speed
-same sound at slow turns
-sound goes away with acceleration from slow speed
-braking to a stop also reduces the noise
-nothing noticed from visual inspection
-half shaft boots still look intact with no grease on outside
-almost sounds like the break is catching in one spot in the rotation
-not clicking sound like a CV joint

My best guess is the half shaft. Any thoughts?

Half shaft meaning a CV joint. Inboards will clunk on acceleration or braking and outboards click in turns. How about a cupped tire? Rotate them and see what happens.

Thanks for the education Rapor07! The noise doesn't really fall into either VC category. Don't think that its a cupped tire. The noise came on pretty sudden and is much louded then tire noise. What do you think about the changes in noise during acceleration or braking?

Got any ABS warning lights or issues ? - one single bit of stubborn sand / grit embedded in the ABS Wheel Speed Sensor can give that rotational sound. Bloody Norah, $ 25.55 in America £90 from a UK main stealer.

During accel and braking your shifting weight loads on all the front end components. Cyclic noise limits possibilities to something rotating. That tells me brakes, wheels or bearings. Jack it up, put it in neutral and spin the wheel. Wheel bearings? Put hands at 12 and 6 oclock and push pull to check for bearing slop. Can be tough to duplicate when standing still and unloaded. Pull the wheel and inspect the brake pads and rotors for uneven wear. If all else looks good consider changing the hub (bearings).

Any difference in sound between left turns or right turns?

That CV joint 101 wasn't all inclusive. Those were just the usual symptoms. Not likely bad but don't totally count them out.

- a left hand reverse hard over 'bad noise' indicates LHS CV
- that would be the norm [kerbing wear on RHD vehicles] in the UK
- unusual in LHD countries

Myster solved
 

I could not believe what I found. I positioned the jack, chucked the tires, and got out the tire iron. What I found was FIVE LOOSE LUG NUTS on the front tire! I had the tires rotated a week before and didn't think twice about it. Friggen Firestone Automotive on Chain Bridge rd in McLean VA...

Uh boy. You must be livid. One of those little things we all take for granted. Sure a good thing you took the time to look. Might consider posting a complaint at the BBB.

Embarrased to say that I had the same symptoms recently after switching to my snow tires and turns out I had 3 loose lug nuts on left front. After working on my cars for 35 years I made the most rookie blunder imaginable! Thankfully caught it before it became a safety issue.