Driver Wheel Noise

[855monkeywagon]

Searching for a fix for my 855 m56 200k+ miles 2.4NA car. 

within the last few weeks the car developed an odd front driver wheel noise and vibration.  I recently replaced the front lower passenger side engine mount that was definitely shot, and that got rid of a lot, if not all of the vibration.  I also thought the noise was rotor warp, since it makes that off rotation kind of sound and changes intensity with speed.  I also changed the rotors and pads, this also got rid of some noise and pedal pulsating.  Yesterday replaced the lower torque transmission mount and it also had no affect on the noise/feel.

I thought, or was hoping, it was the wheel bearing but my father who also drove the car doesn't think that is the problem. The noise isn't really that horrible bad bearing sound or feel in the steering wheel.

When making hard left turns there is no sound or feeling.  Hard right turns the feeling and sound gets worse.  Straight driving produces a sound and feel in the gas pedal floor boards.  The sound is almost like when you drive over the sound strips at the edge of road but if those bumps were only half there.

No uneven wear in any of the tires in any way.  Also Rotated the tires yesterday to check for difference or balancing problems, didn't fix the problem.  Struts were replaced a year ago and again no uneven tire wear, and car drives straight.

Was wondering if anyone has any thoughts.

Driver bearing hub was replaced  6 years ago, cv shaft 3 years. 

[Fudge_Brownie]

Does it change if you accelerate or brake? If so, I'd suspect CV joint. Otherwise, I think the wheel bearing can sometimes fail in an uncharacteristic way.

[855monkeywagon]

no applying brake or riding the brake doesn't make the noise worse or better.  Increased rpms make the noise more frequent, but hard or normal accelerating don't make the noise different.

[855monkeywagon]

was the wheel bearing but the CV joints were looser than new, and I swear the main drive shaft was bowed, so I changed that as well. 

I was only adding to this post  to list what may be a new 'trick' or way to pop the ball joint out in the post 94 LCA's.

after a lot of monkeying around and bumps and bruises from using all sorts of prybars and techniques, at the very end I finally used smarts instead of muscle.  I wish I had thought of this in the beginning it would have saved a lot of time. 

After changing the cv I was frustrated and watched the FCP front bearing change video.  He used a simple handled mechanics pry bar.  I bought a nice set of them from sears (still usa made surprisingly).  The two shorter bars were more useful I think a 12" and 17". 

After removing the nut and bolt from the ball joint clamp, use a pry bar to leverage push the shaft down through the clamp.  I used a stanley wonder bar to make a flat surface that also protected the outer cv drive where the wheel sensor grooves are.  The bar and lever action do all the work and the joint will move more than an inch down with very little force.  I tried using larger angled pry bars and a pickle fork, but the best solution was the simplest.

Find a metal spacer that will fit where you just pushed down on the top of the ball joint.  I used a 1/2" x 1/2" thick nut.  It fit on top of the ball joint but in the recess of the clamp.  Drop that in and just pry again the joint will pop out with very little force. 

I hope that helps some one not waste hours with ball joint removal tools or huge pry bars.  If I had know this trick to begin I would have finished hours earlier with less aches.