Front left of car, rotational squeak noise

[DeTh]

Happy Friday!

Posting this to try to get ideas. I've just started to recently hear a rotational squeaking noise coming from the front left wheel area on my car.
The noise is intermittent, happens both when going in a straight line and turning. Under load and without.
If it starts squeaking and I accelerate a little bit, the squeaking gets noticeably louder. It happens at all speeds ranging from pulling away from a stop to up to around 70mph (where I assume above that I just cant hear it due to wind noise).
I jacked up the front of the car and removed the wheel, and did not see anything of concern. Sway bar end links are tight, 0 wear on any of the bushings (sway bar end links, thrust arm, LCA, etc). I dont have uneven pad wear from driver to passenger side, nor were any new mods installed in the last 5000 miles that would affect this.

I am leaning towards wheel bearing, but I would think I would hear the noise all the time. There is not excessive lateral play in the hub when the wheel is mounted and shifted. It does move slightly, but I was chalking that up to the steering rack. It feels similar on the passenger side.

Relative mods:
KW DDC coilovers
Wheel stud conversion
12mm spacers

The car sits at 32k miles. Any input appreciated!

[M3SQRD]

I agree. Sounds like a wheel bearing going bad. I’ve had bad wheel bearings that made intermittent noise. Try making a highly loaded right hand turn and listen for noise(s) coming from the left wheel. Another possibility could be the front left upper strut mount bearing going bad, assuming you’re running stock upper strut mounts, not camber plates, with the KW DDC, although camber plates can go bad, too. It’ll make similar noises under the same driving conditions. However, if I had to pick one, I’d go with a wheel bearing failing over a bad strut mount.

[DeTh]

Originally Posted by M3SQRD

I agree. Sounds like a wheel bearing going bad. I’ve had bad wheel bearings that made intermittent noise. Try making a highly loaded right hand turn and listen for noise(s) coming from the left wheel. Another possibility could be the front left upper strut mount bearing going bad, assuming you’re running stock upper strut mounts, not camber plates, with the KW DDC, although camber plates can go bad, too. It’ll make similar noises under the same driving conditions. However, if I had to pick one, I’d go with a wheel bearing failing over a bad strut mount.

Thanks for input, glad we are thinking same things. I wouldn't think it would be the upper strut mount due to the rotational noise Im hearing. Wheel bearing and hub is like $350, so Im thinking Ill go ahead and order.

Is it possible to run camber plates with the KW DDCs? I didnt think it was but I could be wrong.

[M3SQRD]

Originally Posted by DeTh

Thanks for input, glad we are thinking same things. I wouldn't think it would be the upper strut mount due to the rotational noise Im hearing. Wheel bearing and hub is like $350, so Im thinking Ill go ahead and order.

Is it possible to run camber plates with the KW DDCs? I didnt think it was but I could be wrong.

Good point but a badly failed upper strut mount can make wired noises under all driving conditions, including rotational excitation.

The DDC uses the stock top mount so any camber plate designed to work with a stock spring will work on the DDC. Only thing you’d want to verify is the diameter of the very end of the piston rod (threaded and unthreaded last 1.5-2” section) because camber plates are offered with different sized bushing (monoball or urethane bushing). Below is a screen cap of the GC camber plate with stock spring and KW shaft diameter. Millway and Vorshlag camper plates have the same options. I have a spare lightly used set of GC camber/caster plates setup for MCS dampers and 60 mm spring ID that I’d let go for a great price ($714 is the new price for stock spring configuration; PM if interested). If interested, you’d just need to purchase from GC the stock spring diameter axial bearing and the KW piston shaft bushing, both items aren’t expensive. It’s easy to swap the parts.

[theweebabySeamus]

Does it get better or worse turning one direction at speed?

[DeTh]

Originally Posted by M3SQRD

Good point but a badly failed upper strut mount can make wired noises under all driving conditions, including rotational excitation.

The DDC uses the stock top mount so any camber plate designed to work with a stock spring will work on the DDC. Only thing you’d want to verify is the diameter of the very end of the piston rod (threaded and unthreaded last 1.5-2” section) because camber plates are offered with different sized bushing (monoball or urethane bushing). Below is a screen cap of the GC camber plate with stock spring and KW shaft diameter. Millway and Vorshlag camper plates have the same options. I have a spare lightly used set of GC camber/caster plates setup for MCS dampers and 60 mm spring ID that I’d let go for a great price ($714 is the new price for stock spring configuration; PM if interested). If interested, you’d just need to purchase from GC the stock spring diameter axial bearing and the KW piston shaft bushing, both items aren’t expensive. It’s easy to swap the parts.

PM incoming!

Originally Posted by theweebabySeamus

Does it get better or worse turning one direction at speed?

It seems that loading the front driver side does increase the noise, but not always. I took the car up to about 175 yesterday night and it is noticeably angrier after driving it around today. Here is a link to the sound:
https://youtube.com/shorts/RLfqPsTFE...TTLebPAJaN8QeI

[theweebabySeamus]

Originally Posted by DeTh

PM incoming!


It seems that loading the front driver side does increase the noise, but not always. I took the car up to about 175 yesterday night and it is noticeably angrier after driving it around today. Here is a link to the sound:
https://youtube.com/shorts/RLfqPsTFE...TTLebPAJaN8QeI

I'd suspect wheel bearings in that case. They're not that expesnive and an easy install. There's a great DIY floating around by (I think) GuyLeDouche.