2008 Prius Hums at all speeds (VIDEO ATTACHED /// Wheel Bearings?)

****Video on post 3****

Just got it...really like it...came with shot tires and the next day put new tires (Ecopia 422 Plus).

I do not remember if it had humming noise before but probably did.

Doesn't change pitch/tone when you turn sharply or around bends. It is eerily similar to this thread (which turned out to be wheel bearings): Humming noise while driving | PriusChat

At 20mph you can hear it.....At 70mph you can hear the front tires singing the same tune!

Kinda sounds like you are hearing the gas motor running a little louder than usual. It is less noticeable with radio on.

At first I just assumed they are all like that....and then after reading the similar thread posted above I am nearly certain it is wheel bearings. Probably both original on a 2008 145K miles prius.

I can either spend:

1) $203 for the pair at Auto Zone

2) $58 free shipping from am-autoparts and they'd probably arrive Thursday (I've been saving tons of money using them lately). I don't care if they hum again in 10 months and I am sure they'll work fine.

3) Not sure at dealership because they are closed today but probably outrageous

My mechanic installs the set for $100 so if I go with option 2....total cost is $160.

Might not be a bad idea to get professional diagnosis but the hum is loud and steady...so pretty obvious what it is (if it is not a normal prius noise).

I am going to go with option 2 because $200 vs. $58 is just unacceptable!!!!! What a scam.

 

May upload a YouTube video to see if sound comes through on my cell phone

 

Embarrassingly loud:

Also get some wobbliness/unsafeness on freeway...hard to explain...Feels like it's gliding or dancing around or the tires are fighting each other maybe wobbliness is the word to describe what occasionally happens in freeway. Like you have to try really hard and firmly grip wheel to go straight or the tires in front dance

EDIT: Could also be why tires were worn down to 2/32 on Belle Tire inspection. And I drove my wife's 2006 which has normal tire noise of tire spinning on pavement...but not nearly as loud and no constant humming. Must be bearings.

 

Wheel bearings fixed loud hum. Regarding the job, it definitely wasn't easy. He started at 4:45pm and was on the road test-driving at 8pm. That included new pads/rotors.

So about 3 and a half hours, but he had air tools and a torch. The front right took him about an hour, possibly even longer, not for entire job, but 1 hour just trying to remove the wheel bearing once all the bolts (except the final one holding it to steering knuckle) were already gone. It is rusted/glued completely shut. Hammering does nothing. He mostly tried hammering, heating it up, hammering more, using an air tool with some type of screw driver on it to pry it off...Just those 3 things over and over for a long time. I guess the trick he finally used was to heat up the entire area focusing on that last bolt that detaches the steering knuckle. It appeared too rusty to remove but he got it within 5-10 minutes once he focused in on that bolt.

Then to the press machine to press out the bearing as it was totally glued in to the steering knuckle.

I swear when it came to the 2nd go-around on the front left he had everything disassembled in 15 minutes.

I watched and if you are a DIYer you are going to have a hell of a time, especially with hand tools. My guess 8 or 9 hours, most of the time swearing, scratching your head and wondering how to get the bearing to come out, and just staring at it in anger. Actually, now that I think of it, even if you detach bearing from the vehicle like he did, I'm not sure how you will get it out without a press machine.

He really struggled on front right....I mean not that bad, but definitely wasn't a breeze, and then the front left (2nd bearing) was a joke to remove once he knew what to look for.