Need some help narrowing this down. Here's the symptoms...

Starting around 30mph, I start hearing a droning noise. It's about medium pitched (not a high squeal, but not a low blurb either)

At around 45mph, it resonates to the point where it damn near hurts your ears. It tends to get a bit higher pitched as the speed increases, but around 70 or so it tends to fade out (drown out by engine?)

Keying in on the 45-65 mph speed (that's when it sounds the loudest):
It happens in any gear, rpms do not matter
It happens whether accelerating or decelerating (I then hear the normal decel sounds from the drivetrain).
It's there even if coasting with the clutch in, or the clutch out in neutral.

The sound varies depending on the speed of the car, nothing else.
As the car 'bounces' over small dips, rises, the sound will change briefly. If the car gets lighter (going over a rise) the sound lessens, when it hits a dip, the sound increases

I had a set of Hotchkis springs put on about 6-7k ago. I can't say I noticed it before then. The car was professionally aligned at that time. I don't have the settings, but could get them. It is set a tad more aggressive than stock.
I changed the drivetrain fluids last night, none of the plugs had any shavings on them and the gear oils had no signs of trouble.

I'm leaning toward it being a wheel hub. I think it has to be something that move proportionate to the speed of the vehicle (wheel, tire, etc)

Any advice? Any way to verify what this may be?
I do have access to a lift and a full service shop if needed.

The sound must be horrible for my son in the back seat, so I want to get this fixed ASAP.

Thanks for the help!

 

tire drone is my guess

 

are the back windows open

 

sounds like wheel bearings to me!

 

If the windows are open, the sound is masked by the wind noise, so it's not too bad. With the windows shut or cracked a bit, the sound is the loudest.

I've also noticed a buzzing feel in the brake pedal the last day or so...not pulsing or a shimmy, but a tingle like buzz...

 

bump for help -- i'd like to know too

 

Its either a bearing somewhere or your Transfer Case is kaput

 

My guess is tire noise. I have it to, it's a constant hum up until higher speeds when it's drowned out. I cant say it's disturbing to the point of hurting my ears though, just a constant noticable hum.

 

It sounds A LOT like your brake shims have become unseated. I put on some Hawk brake pads on my mother's Honda Accord and for some reason the shims would keep coming off the pad. I would start to hear loud squealing at times....the shim was grinding into the brake disc.

If I drove at night with the windows down at slow speeds, I could hear the shim rubbing agaisnt the rotors. Definitely check it out man, it's a very easy fix.

 

I wouldn't call this noise a squeal at all. I'm planning on having it up the shop next week, going to check anything and everything related to the wheels/tires/rotors etc.
I could swap out the wheels/tires for a day and see if it's still around (Kronik, I need yer extra set!!!)

It would suck if it really was the xfer case. I'd have to throw my stock springs back on before having the Mitsu*****es take a look @ it for warranty work.

hmm, any more ideas?

 

Another vote for wheel bearings....

 

hard to say. it could be wheel bearings. the easiest way to tell is jack up the wheel until it is off the ground and grab the left and right sides respectively and with equal pressure on both sides try to shake or pull and push on the wheel. do this on top and bottom too. if it moves side to side a lot or a noticeable amount its the bearings. they shouldnt have done an align with faulty parts. most guys check this. thats my expert (i think i am) opinion.

 

I'm leaning towards bearings myself. I'll be painting my wheels next week, so I'll know for sure then