Okay, I know my left rear bearing is on its way out. For the last few thousand kilometers is has been making a slight whirring noise. Not very loud, but enough to annouce that it's tired. (And no it's not worn tyres or brakes making this noise.)

 

Two days ago, it suddenly started making a loud rumbling noise, and I thought: Damn, the rollers have all cracked at once!

 

And then the noise disappeared.....and came back a little later. Since then, nothing.

 

My question is: Has anyone ever heard a bearing do this before? I am used the noise just increasing steadily, and once the stereo can't block it out, I replace the bearing

 

Never intermittent...did a roller freeze temporarily?

It sounds like it could be the race.

 

I had a piece of my race surface (the inner part of the bearing assembly) chip off. Needed a new bearing and race.

Now get it off there before it welds. It is trying to tell you something.

I have heard all kinds of noise from wheel bearings. From a hollow scrape to a low pitched grind to a squeak to a hiss. The bearing noise on my old toyota would come and go. No pattern emerged as to why it was intermittent. I replaced the bad bearing and of course the other side went 10k miles later. From now on I will do both sides.

 

I am getting ready to do both rear bearings on the outback. I need to find out the seal part numbers. I almost have the tools I need amassed.