Topic says most of the story. It's been doing this since I got it, and I know LRs aren't known for their silent drivelines but I know something's not "as-new" here.

Basically above 35mph, when I take the slack out of the driveline and maintain a constant speed, there's a decent amount of NVH coming through the footwell/console floorboard area. It's actually really annoying.

There's also a whirring/humming HIGH FREQ (ie not tires) vibration through steering wheel under similar conditions but that is almost certainly unrelated since my RRS (same year) did this almost the entire time. It's a different "type" of noise also, transferred more through steering components into cabin.. but I figured perhaps someone went through that as well. I tend to think front left wheel bearing or CV would cause those.


Perhaps front driveshaft would cause the first problem? Has anyone gone through a front driveshaft? 2006 w/ 92k.

 

I can't say that I've experienced a humming of that nature; on that you can feel. I think you're poking at the right areas, especially bearings. The front propshaft, I believe, is a solid piece so there isn't much to fail there. I would look at bearings, drive shafts and differentials. The issues with both f/r differentials is well documented here.

 

I have a front diff that is in the process of going bad and it definitely makes a noticeable humm when driving, especially when coming off acceleration in the lower gear ranges. If you can jack up the front you might also check the wheel bearings by just seeing if the front wheels have any play to them. Side to side or up-down.

 

Anything you can do to extend the lift or anything that made it better? I think sometimes a hum I get off the throttle is the same here.

 

When my RRS diffs failed I feel like they just made noise all the time - especially the rear which you could hear outside.

The noise I'm trying to target on the LR3 is a little different and FWIW my RRS was still making the noise after BOTH diffs were replaced, so I'm really hoping my LR3 diffs are okay.

I somehow managed to get the entire 17 page service history for my LR3 the other day, and the rear diff has already been replaced (I think in '09).

This noise transfers rather sharply through the steering column however. Like I've said in the past, it's as if someone took an electric razor and held it against the steering wheel - very specific high frequency "humming" type vibration, not a big rumbling kind like is typical of wheels, or even u joints on a driveshaft.

UPDATE from earlier this week though - while coasting in traffic, I heard a faint grind noise from the front driver side wheel area. I'm really starting to narrow down onto a front wheel bearing, since that bearing type may cause the HF vibration I notice, and since the tie rods attach very close to the bearing, it may be what's going through to the steering column. Since my RRS was a similar mileage (~90k) it would also explain why it was doing it (both 2006s) - from what I understand, 85-95k mi is typical for front wheel bearing failures, my LR3 just turned 93k.

I will let you all know what happens, I found one for $63 new Amazon Prime 2 day shipping. Even my cost on a NAPA unit (from the shop I work at) was $240 ish which seems unusual, you can get a Timken for like $180.

I'm going to do all the fluids also (long trips coming up this summer) so I'll let you know how the front diff fluid looks, but I'm almost afraid to look.

 

I'd be suspicious of that price. Be sure to check the front diff breather, if it has not been updated, do so before changing the diff fluids. A pressure buildup is not uncommon if the original breather is plugged, which can also lead to seals blowing out.

 

Installed updated breather and changed fluids last night - front diff looks to be totally shot, so I'll be working on fixing that soon. I mean it drives fine, the slight noises I mentioned - but the fluid was dark brown with lots of metal shavings on the magnetic drain plug.

"Funny" thing is that the driver wheel has semi-severe cupping on outside edge so whatever noise I detected recently definitely implies something changed, just odd that the steering wheel is steady/solid, very rare for a tire cupping issue like that. Either way, I think it points to play and failing wheel bearing.

So it looks like it's probably BOTH.

 

This is EXACTLY what happened to me, didn't check for the new breather cap, blew the breather apart but not the seals (thank god). If you absolutely need to change the fluids and don't yet have the updated cap just snip the top inch or so from the tube and get the part mailed to you.