never had to replace wheel bearings. I have on some cars just because it was apart for other work. Every 100K miles or so, repack them.

If you haven't repacked them then, yeah check for movement in the tire and looseness in the castle nut
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I've had a lot of these 240's for a lot of miles and have only replaced one wheel bearing. It sung to my daughter on the cloverleaf on-ramps.

It was years later I learned it may have been caused by the snowy slide into a curb that resulted in the more obvious damage presented by a bent-up control arm. Anyway, if it isn't the center bearing support whistling at you, try adjusting the bearings before tossing them.


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Art Benstein near Baltimore

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The sound should be pronounced on prolonged turns in one direction or another, if it's wheel bearings.

It's not that hard to remove and inspect the bearings. I have photos I never posted that I'd like to put up somewhere into a walkthrough, but I'm missing a few steps that I didn't bother to photograph. I'd be happy to share them all the same.

If the castle nut is a bit loose, repacking and tightening it to spec (a little more than finger tight?) might fix it. At any rate, you should inspect them, but they'll get a lot worse (noisier at least) before they fail. That said, should you ignore them for 10,000 miles or so, they could seize up and lock one of your tires. That would be no fun. No rush, but don't ignore them.

Good luck!

Jack the car up one side at a time until the tire is free of the ground. Spin the wheel by hand and listen for any noises.

To check for looseness grab the tire at the 11 and 5 positions and then the 9 and 3 and rock the wheel in and out.

If you are uncertain take it to a good wheel alignment shop. They normally do a complete front end inspection before alignments. Ask them to do just the front end inspection and especially the wheel bearings for noise or looseness.

I have replaced a few but not often. Take the wheel off and remove the caliper and then remove the rotor, take the center cap off and remove cotter pin, unscrew the nut and take off rotor hub, pull out the outer bearing and look for shiny particles, remove the rear bearing and inspect. If both are nice and shiny and the races are smooth with no pits repack and re install and check the other side.

"When front tyres were replaced recently the tech remarked he felt the bearings were 'a bit loose'."

Others may disagree but I have never had to replace them. Repacked them whenever I had time or I had the front brake discs off. These are serviceable bearings that anyone old enough to remember parachute pants (and works on cars) should know how to service.

Your noise is more likely to be the driveshaft center support bearing, tranny tailshaft bushing (if automatic), slowly failing M47 transmission (if a TRUE 5-speed manual).