Why does my protege make this weird noise/vibration?

Ok, my 2001 mazda protege lx 2.0 has been making a weird noise and vibration lately. It is sort of like a loud hum, and can be deafening over 100 km/h. I thought perhaps it was just a wheel out of balance, so I switched the front passenger side wheel with the rear passenger side wheel, and same on the drivers side, and it helped the noise a bit. Before changing the tires around, I also had this crazy vibration that I could feel through the steering wheel. It seems to have lessened now that I rotated the tires.



A couple mechanics think it is the wheel bearing, but I don't see how it could be that, consider the car only has like 100,000 kms on it. Plus, switching the wheels around wouldn't have improved it then would it?



Other tire people think I just need to get my wheels balanced. Not sure on that yet, but plan to try it anyway perhaps.



The car still has its stock tires, which still have some usable tread on them, but need replacing soon anyway.Why does my protege make this weird noise/vibration?
Wow stock tires on a 7 year old car with 100km. Sounds to me like you have two problems, since it did improve but not go totally away after the rotation. Sounds like you have a tire issue and a wheel bearing issue. I would get it into a reputable repair facility and have a professional check it out.Why does my protege make this weird noise/vibration?
well heres a great test i learn many years ago working at goodyear... tire test one put car in drive but dont gaive gas juts let it roll feel anything.. bad wheel or tire..... now if you drive above 45 and you feel something either its a tire balance problem or a drive train problem.. id bet you have a bad tire or its out of balance which if you have not had done a few times with your tire is a real good chance shoul dbe rebalance every other time you rotate them.. tire wear down so the balance changes.. if your tires are wore the ride will change.. but for the noice could be a bearing going bad have you have the front end greased any or had the wheel bearing out to be grease... yo ucan check that by shaking the tire side to side with it on a jack if you feel much slack then its a good bet they about gone... and dont think about the miles so much its where it was drove and how it was drove and the right side of all cars is the first to so signs roads are built with a lean for water run off so the car leans to the right so waering out the right side of parts on everything.. having two peole tell you it might be the bearing now you have another it might be the bearing... been a tire guy 30 yrs your tires are almost 8 year old they bad and im thinking the front end has never been greased so the bearings are bad to sorry

big hair

how old do i look