Stratus humming in front end

I have a 97 Stratus and a few months ago the car started a humming
noise in the front end while driving, which gets louder the faster you
are moving. The humming quiets down and/or stops when you turn to the
right and gets louder when turning left.

I know it's not the power steering pump. I've checked the front wheels
and there's no play or abnormal movement. There's no play in the
steering.

Any ideas? I think I've narrowed it down to a rack and pinion and/or
bearings.... am I off base here?

By the way, can anyone tell me how to tell if a rack and pinion is bad?

Don

> wrote in message
oups.com...
> I have a 97 Stratus and a few months ago the car started a humming
> noise in the front end while driving, which gets louder the faster you
> are moving. The humming quiets down and/or stops when you turn to the
> right and gets louder when turning left.
>
> I know it's not the power steering pump. I've checked the front wheels
> and there's no play or abnormal movement. There's no play in the
> steering.
>
> Any ideas? I think I've narrowed it down to a rack and pinion and/or
> bearings.... am I off base here?
>
> By the way, can anyone tell me how to tell if a rack and pinion is bad?
>
> Don
>
Your left front wheel bearing is bad, when you turn to the left you are
putting vehicle weight on the left side, loading the bearing and unloading
the right side, thats why you hear it then. when you turn to the right you
hear no noise because the weight is on the right side and unloading the left
side (bad side).

How can you even think its the rack??? Im sure it only does it when the
wheels are turning, if it were the rack it would do it sitting still..dont
worry about the rack, thats not your problem

Glenn Beasley
Chrysler Tech

maxpower wrote:
> > wrote in message
> oups.com...
> > I have a 97 Stratus and a few months ago the car started a humming
> > noise in the front end while driving, which gets louder the faster
you
> > are moving. The humming quiets down and/or stops when you turn to
the
> > right and gets louder when turning left.
> >
> > I know it's not the power steering pump. I've checked the front
wheels
> > and there's no play or abnormal movement. There's no play in the
> > steering.
> >
> > Any ideas? I think I've narrowed it down to a rack and pinion
and/or
> > bearings.... am I off base here?
> >
> > By the way, can anyone tell me how to tell if a rack and pinion is
bad?
> >
> > Don
> >
> Your left front wheel bearing is bad, when you turn to the left you
are
> putting vehicle weight on the left side, loading the bearing and
unloading
> the right side, thats why you hear it then. when you turn to the
right you
> hear no noise because the weight is on the right side and unloading
the left
> side (bad side).
>
> How can you even think its the rack??? Im sure it only does it when
the
> wheels are turning, if it were the rack it would do it sitting
still..dont
> worry about the rack, thats not your problem
>
> Glenn Beasley
> Chrysler Tech


Thank you very much for the input. The reason I even brought up the
rach was because our local Dodge dealer looked at it and said it was
the rack. No offense to the mechanics who work for the dealers out
there, but I didn't trust his/her opinion so that's why I asked here.
I trust a lot of the dealer mechanics but this particular dealership
has a "reputation."

Thank you so much for the input!! I really appreciate it, you saved me
$1,200 (price quote from dealership) for a new rack that I didn't need.

Don

Don

On Thu, 24 Feb 2005 19:07:01 -0800, wiletoo wrote:

> Thank you very much for the input. The reason I even brought up the
> rach was because our local Dodge dealer looked at it and said it was
> the rack. No offense to the mechanics who work for the dealers out
> there, but I didn't trust his/her opinion so that's why I asked here.
> I trust a lot of the dealer mechanics but this particular dealership
> has a "reputation."
>
> Thank you so much for the input!! I really appreciate it, you saved me
> $1,200 (price quote from dealership) for a new rack that I didn't need.

LOL! Hey Beasley, remember the recent thread about dealer service
shops...? Oh yeah, you will still defend them, as your "company man"
status requires it...

This is quite typical for consumers living in the Real World. Wake up
Beasley, or at least admit the truth. The ****ing dealer service
departments will steal you blind, if you let them.

--
If you're not on the edge, you're taking up too much space.
Linux Registered User #327951

"maxpower" > wrote in message
...

> Your left front wheel bearing is bad, when you turn to the left you are
> putting vehicle weight on the left side, loading the bearing and unloading
> the right side, thats why you hear it then. when you turn to the right
you
> hear no noise because the weight is on the right side and unloading the
left
> side (bad side).

> <clipped>
> Glenn Beasley
> Chrysler Tech
>
>
Perhaps it's on the left side, perhaps it isn't....Putney, where are you?

Jack Idler wrote:
> "maxpower" > wrote in message
> ...
>
> > Your left front wheel bearing is bad, when you turn to the left you
are
> > putting vehicle weight on the left side, loading the bearing and
unloading
> > the right side, thats why you hear it then. when you turn to the
right
> you
> > hear no noise because the weight is on the right side and unloading
the
> left
> > side (bad side).
>
> > <clipped>
> > Glenn Beasley
> > Chrysler Tech
> >
> >
> Perhaps it's on the left side, perhaps it isn't....Putney, where are
you?

uh oh.... sounds like I brought up a sore subject. I didn't mean to do
that. I do have one last question though, if the bearings are shot,
wouldn't there be some play in the wheel?

Don

On Fri, 25 Feb 2005 07:34:22 -0800, wiletoo wrote:

>> Perhaps it's on the left side, perhaps it isn't....Putney, where are
>> you?

> uh oh.... sounds like I brought up a sore subject. I didn't mean to do
> that. I do have one last question though, if the bearings are shot,
> wouldn't there be some play in the wheel?

Probably... I'd also be looking at the CV joints/axle. Is there any
"thumping" sound when turning, especially when applying power at the same
time? Check the rubber boots around the CV joints (the short axles
between the transmission and the wheels).

--
If you're not on the edge, you're taking up too much space.
Linux Registered User #327951

> wrote in message
ups.com...
>
> Jack Idler wrote:
> > "maxpower" > wrote in message
> > ...
> >
> > > Your left front wheel bearing is bad, when you turn to the left you
> are
> > > putting vehicle weight on the left side, loading the bearing and
> unloading
> > > the right side, thats why you hear it then. when you turn to the
> right
> > you
> > > hear no noise because the weight is on the right side and unloading
> the
> > left
> > > side (bad side).
> >
> > > <clipped>
> > > Glenn Beasley
> > > Chrysler Tech
> > >
> > >
> > Perhaps it's on the left side, perhaps it isn't....Putney, where are
> you?
>
> uh oh.... sounds like I brought up a sore subject. I didn't mean to do
> that. I do have one last question though, if the bearings are shot,
> wouldn't there be some play in the wheel?
>
> Don
>
Not a sore subject at all...it's just that there has been quite a bit of
discussion already on another group.
Beasley is quite right with respect to wheels with inner and outer single
bearings. It's not quite so straightforward with the larger unit bearings
found in fwd vehicles because of the moment loadings they see. The only way
to diagnose the "bad" bearing is to get the car up, drive the wheels, and
listen to the "growly" with a stethoscope probe on the knuckle.
Play in the wheel would indicate a bearing that was already pretty far
gone..perhaps far beyond the "hum" stage

"Jack Idler" > wrote in message
...
>
> > wrote in message
> ups.com...
> >
> > Jack Idler wrote:
> > > "maxpower" > wrote in message
> > > ...
> > >
> > > > Your left front wheel bearing is bad, when you turn to the left you
> > are
> > > > putting vehicle weight on the left side, loading the bearing and
> > unloading
> > > > the right side, thats why you hear it then. when you turn to the
> > right
> > > you
> > > > hear no noise because the weight is on the right side and unloading
> > the
> > > left
> > > > side (bad side).
> > >
> > > > <clipped>
> > > > Glenn Beasley
> > > > Chrysler Tech
> > > >
> > > >
> > > Perhaps it's on the left side, perhaps it isn't....Putney, where are
> > you?
> >
> > uh oh.... sounds like I brought up a sore subject. I didn't mean to do
> > that. I do have one last question though, if the bearings are shot,
> > wouldn't there be some play in the wheel?
> >
> > Don
> >
> Not a sore subject at all...it's just that there has been quite a bit of
> discussion already on another group.
> Beasley is quite right with respect to wheels with inner and outer single
> bearings. It's not quite so straightforward with the larger unit bearings
> found in fwd vehicles because of the moment loadings they see. The only
way
> to diagnose the "bad" bearing is to get the car up, drive the wheels, and
> listen to the "growly" with a stethoscope probe on the knuckle.
> Play in the wheel would indicate a bearing that was already pretty far
> gone..perhaps far beyond the "hum" stage
>
Right now its probably just a chip in the race or a ball. it will
progressively get worse as the chip wears more from driving it. A
stethoscope would pin point it, But just by changing the load from side to
side will confirm the bad bearing. Depending how bad it is you may see some
play at the wheel if you were to check it

Glenn Beasley
Chrysler Tech

Still haven't seeked help for that problem of yours?
"Dan C" > wrote in message
news
> On Thu, 24 Feb 2005 19:07:01 -0800, wiletoo wrote:
>
> > Thank you very much for the input. The reason I even brought up the
> > rach was because our local Dodge dealer looked at it and said it was
> > the rack. No offense to the mechanics who work for the dealers out
> > there, but I didn't trust his/her opinion so that's why I asked here.
> > I trust a lot of the dealer mechanics but this particular dealership
> > has a "reputation."
> >
> > Thank you so much for the input!! I really appreciate it, you saved me
> > $1,200 (price quote from dealership) for a new rack that I didn't need.
>
> LOL! Hey Beasley, remember the recent thread about dealer service
> shops...? Oh yeah, you will still defend them, as your "company man"
> status requires it...
>
> This is quite typical for consumers living in the Real World. Wake up
> Beasley, or at least admit the truth. The ****ing dealer service
> departments will steal you blind, if you let them.
>
> --
> If you're not on the edge, you're taking up too much space.
> Linux Registered User #327951
>