[DMcCollum]

My '05 Envoy with 4WD has a bearing noise up front. This happens in 2WD, as I have not driven anywhere recently where I needed 4WD. The noise will diminish when going around right hand bends, but no change when going left or straight. I was thinking it might be a front differential bearing, but might it instead be a wheel bearing? Starts at about 35 mph, continues up through 55, then quiets down above 60 mph. That fact alone tells me it's a differential bearing, but I have forgotten what bad wheel bearings sound like. Are they noisy at all speeds?

 

[20silverado02]

If it was a wheel bearing the sound would get louder as speed increases. And it would sound like a rotational roaring sound.

Easy way to check bearings is to jack up the front end. Grab the front wheel at 12 and 6 and try to rock the wheel. If its solid, the hub bearing is ok, if there is play.....the hub bearing is bad. This isn't a definitive test tho, because I have had bad hub bearings that were solid, but they roared. But its easy to do, so why not give that a try first.