Questions on howling tires

[howardc64]

- 116k miles, 01 V70XC
- Michelin X tires (15k miles)
- Driver side drive shaft had some inner CV joint grease leak past the clamp. Not too bad and tightened now to stop the leak.
- Camber setting has top of both tires leaning towards the driver side to correct for a tendency to pull right

Tires howl fairly loud between ~40-50mph. Steer to leaning the car left and right doesn't change anything. Driving on smoother pavement near the shoulder quiets it down.

Would this likely be wheel bearings? Or does the sound changes on smoother pavement rule that out?

[Astro14]

If it changes with pavement changes, then it's likely in the tread of the tires as you suggest...wheel bearings/hubs would be a consistent noise depending on speed/load, not pavement.

short of rotating them, or replacing them, I doubt there's much to be done...how much tread depth do they have left?

[howardc64]

Haven't measured it precisely but tread depths looks pretty much as new tires would. Have plenty of treads left.

I'll try a few things next

- returning the passenger side camber to having the top of the tire leaning away from the car since the car no longer pulls right.

- rotate back to front

[vova]

Usually howling of the tires are from the bad tire itself.
Just try to feel around the tire tread fro any "leader" or up and downs.
My friend with Outback had a similar issue on almost new Michelin tires purchased from the dealer.when the noise started i pinpoint his attention to the "leader" on one of his wheels..I checked his bearings and they were good..
But he went to the dealer replaced all 4 bearings(dealer told him it is a problem)went back to the road-same story "howling" Only after I finally came with him to the dealer and requested a new tires because the one that they sold were defective(yes it happens to a new tires too)...20min asking..and 5min of yelling in front of the other customers and we were out with a new 4 tires and the problem was solved.
maybe it could help you..
good luck