After my recent accident which impacted my left front bumper area, I had a vibration and slight 'pull to the left' presumably coming from the left front tire.

I just got the car back today after re-balancing and re-alignment, and it neither vibrates nor 'pulls', but there is a tell-tale 'roooom roooom' noise coming from the left front.

Any guesses? Could it be the wheel bearings? It seems to me unlikely the 'frame' or uni-body structure of the car was bent, as it was only a motorbike which hit me, and the car does track 'true' down the road now.

Do you have a small child in the back with a toy steering wheel ?

Sorry. I take it the noise was there before the balancing ? Did they hit the wheel as well and how hard ? Is the bumper lose, maybe flapping or forced onto the tyre under air pressure ? What speed does the noise start at ? VIsible damage on the tyre ? Did they change the tyre ? Is there a plastic wheel arch liner lose ?

Sorry. I take it the noise was there before the balancing ? Did they hit the wheel as well and how hard ? Is the bumper lose, maybe flapping or forced onto the tyre under air pressure ? What speed does the noise start at ? VIsible damage on the tyre ? Did they change the tyre ? Is there a plastic wheel arch liner lose ?

The tire is fine - I just got the car back from the repair shop where they balanced and aligned the wheel, checked the tire, and made sure nothing was touching the tire.

However it is true some parts of the bumper are now just plastic sticking out with a rough edge - not 'mobile' though, quite solid, so I'm sure they aren't touching anything. Could be vibrating slightly in the wind at speed (which for me is like 30-40 kph.)

Sorry. I take it the noise was there before the balancing ? Did they hit the wheel as well and how hard ? Is the bumper lose, maybe flapping or forced onto the tyre under air pressure ? What speed does the noise start at ? VIsible damage on the tyre ? Did they change the tyre ? Is there a plastic wheel arch liner lose ?

The tire is fine - I just got the car back from the repair shop where they balanced and aligned the wheel, checked the tire, and made sure nothing was touching the tire.

However it is true some parts of the bumper are now just plastic sticking out with a rough edge - not 'mobile' though, quite solid, so I'm sure they aren't touching anything. Could be vibrating slightly in the wind at speed (which for me is like 30-40 kph.)

could be a any number of things...take it back to the shop, get them to put it on the hoist and run it in gear. If no noise then hopefully they have a rolling road ...try again....if still no noise then is probably as you guess..?

The tyre could be damaged but not visible. Usually if a bearing is naff it is a constant noise.

If front wheel drive the drive shaft might now be out of true.

The tyre could be damaged but not visible. Usually if a bearing is naff it is a constant noise.

If front wheel drive the drive shaft might now be out of true.

what about the cv joint?

The tyre could be damaged but not visible. Usually if a bearing is naff it is a constant noise.

If front wheel drive the drive shaft might now be out of true.

what about the cv joint?

Absolutely, something in the drive shaft has took a whack and is out of true, even the gear box end..

RWD

Check the tire pressure they probably over inflated the one(s) they balanced.

Unless the motorcycle hit the front wheel it is unlikely anything to do with the accident.

BTW Did you get the smoking Yamaha looked at yet?

RWD

Yes, quite! As old and incredibly decrepit as it is, this is a real car.

Anyway, thanks all, I got it back today, fixed. No sound, everything good.

He used a machine that spins the wheels to determine it was the bearings in the rear wheel on the accident side, how that happened I don't know. I'm having a terrible time trying to figure out the bill which is in front of me - it is in Thai - but looks like:

Oil filter - 250

Oil - 600

Gear oil? - 150

labor - 250

And the final item is 500 baht with loads of Thai writing, so I'm guessing that's the new bearing... sounds cheap, but then most things are on this car. Total bill with engine and gear old change, and as he put it 'tightening up the driveshaft' was 1,750 baht.