really easy to replace i just did all 4 on my car. if you are doing one do them both! at 100 bucks a side why not. jack the car up take off the uprights and either buy a press or take it to someone with one. A basic 10 ton press costs what 100 bucks if you are a tool collector so you mind aswell buy one because if your bearings are shot you are going to want to start replacing bushings soon imo.

i have 2 words of advice if you are going to do this yourself

1) use a clamp to lock the lower control arm ball joints by compressing the ball joint...
2) unplug the abs sensor from the car rather than pulling it out of the upright you are just going to break an expensive part if you take it out.

i can guarantee what you are describing is a wheel bearing problem. if you are ever on the island and need a hand i can do it in about 20 minutes a side now

 

Thanx scotta4. You know where I can get good deal on a press?

 

i bought mine at house of tools in victoria before they went out of business...

In van im sure princess auto has stuff like that. If you are there buy one of those three finger ball joint removal tools too for like 25 bucks. I swear on my life the best tool I have ever bought.. it works like a charm and doesnt destroy the ball joint boots like a tuning fork style. If you cant get the control arm off with that alone just crank it on a few spins and tap the casting then watch your hands.

and buds likely it is probably because both wheel bearings are a write off so turning one way just makes the other one louder.

 

That's what I'm thinking as well, just ordered 2 for $65 each.

 

any update on this?

 

...Not yet. The noise is still there. It has been over two months now. It hasn't increased or decreased. I don't want to spend outrageous amount on diagnostic and repair. It could only be something in the rear of the car: wheel bearing, or carrier bearing, or CV axel, or diff. I'm Just waiting for something to break. Then fix it.

 

That is a really bad way to diagnose and repair things. Just make sure you are no where near my car when your bearing explodes and sheers the bolt in half causing the hub to separate and your wheel to fly off. by the way by time it destroys your tires you will have spent what you would just fixing it. jack the car up and pull the wheel in and out of the the wheel well from the top if its a wheel bearing you will have a lot of play.

 

.....and the winner is wheel bearing. So the theory how wheel bearings go quiet by steering to the opposite side is not always true. My bearing would go quiet when steered to the same side as opposed to the opposite side.