"Ron M." <nobody@nowhere.net> wrote in message
news:xIv2g.171$P65.163@southeast.rr.com...
> Whenever I get up to a speed of 35 m.p.h. or more with my 98' Accord, a
> vibration and corresponding bumping noise begins. This noise is very rapid
> sounding even at slower speeds. I can get on up to roughly 65 m.p.h. and
> the noise continues. If I slightly turn the wheel to the left at pretty
> much any speed over 35 m.p.h. the noise completely stops temporarily until
> I straighten the wheel back out or turn to the right; which makes it even
> worse. At least it seems that way.
>
> The tires are almost new Bridgestone Turanza LS-Hs. They only have about
> 600 miles on them now. If it were a bad tire that is causing the problem,
> I don't understand why the noise will completely stop when I slightly turn
> the vehicle at cruising speed. This is why I would lean towards a
> diagnosis of a bad wheel bearing. It appears to be coming from the left
> front wheel area of the car.
>
> Lastly, can a bad CV joint produce this same type of noise with these
> particular types of Honda cars?
>
> Ron M.

As it turns out, the guy at the tire shop where I purchased the tires a few
weeks ago obviously didn't get the lug nuts tight enough on the left front
wheel and they had all four worked themselves extremely loose. You couldn't
tell it by just looking at it. But when you jacked the car up and grabbed
the top and bottom of the tire it was immediately obvious what was causing
the previously described problem. I would have never dreamed that this
particular tire shop would have done this to my wheel. :-(

Needless to say that this particular mistake of theirs could have ended up
costing me my life. Or at least screwed up my car in a major kind of way.
The lesson learned here is that I am now going to invest in my own torque
wrench and go behind these people whenever I have a new set of tires put on,
or have them rotated, etc. This is pretty sad to me...

Ron M.