how to tell if wheel bearings are bad?

[007Camry]

My 95 dx corolla makes a very bad drumming noise from either the transmission or wheel bearing hub assembly. I just had the front wheel bearings done last year and I am not sure how to test to find out if the new wheel bearings are bad or not. There is no play in them if I try to shake the car while it is on the ground.

Any users here have a similar problem or have any suggestions? I tried searching but I couldn't find anything other than checking for play by shaking the wheel(s).

[toyomoho]

Is the drumming in cadence with the cars speed? Might be a tire. Tread separation, rock or screw in tread. Inspect tires; swap them out one at a time. With the tire off, inspect the suspension and CV joints.

Is the noise the same when throttle is applied, coasting, steady speed? Trans in neutral and coasting? Does it get louder when sharply turning the steering wheel left or right? Sometime you can hear the bearing grind when you rotate the tire.

Don’t rule out the rear tires or bearings. Sometimes the noise location can be deceptive. The Camry forum had a few post on wheel bearing and front end noise.

[freakinbox]

an easy way to check the wheel bearing is jack the car up and try to wiggle the wheel. If it moves left to right and up and down and the rotor moves with the rim and tire but the caliper stays stationary then it's your wheel bearing

[007Camry]

the noise is completely dependant on vehicle speed. Reving the engine, while coasting in neutral has no effect. Clutch in or out, the noise is always there as long as the car is moving forward. It gets louder if you turn a corner.

Edit: Is there any sort of transmission bearing that may always be spinning the same speed as the wheels that could be causing it?

[XxaltezzaxX]

I had a problem with my wheel bearing a few months ago. Jacked up the car and moved the wheel from top to bottom and left to right and had a lot of play. Removed the hub and the bearings came tumbling out. I had a loud rubbing noise and knocking at high way speeds, and I had a metal to metal skraping nosie slowing down(the caliper and the rotor were rubbing). Had the bearing replaced and have no trouble so far.

[freakinbox]

yea my front left wheel bearing was bad. Car would get loose, then tight, and so on. Would fish tail in the front... wierdiest thing to have happen