Growl/howl type sound

[Draekon]

For awhile now my eagle has had a growling or howling type sound coming from the front.  It is only noticeable if I am going 35+mph, and if the steering wheel is turned left at all.  From what I've read, it is probably a wheel bearing.  The thing that seems inconsistent from what I've read is that I can be going straight, and have no sound, turn the steering wheel ever so slightly to the left, and the sound starts up.  The car doesn't have to be noticeably turning for the sound to start, the steering wheel just needs to be slightly turned left.

Is my right front wheel bearing going bad?
If it is, are hubs interchangeable through all the years?  I think I have the older ball bearings (I have an '81) and would like to get some hubs rebuilt and just swap them out instead of having my eagle sit waiting for its current hubs to be rebuilt.

[IowaEagle]

Is the power steering full?  What about the ball joints.  My Concord groaned when the ball joints became worn.

[Draekon]

Power steering is full.  I don't know about the ball joints.  I think I remember seeing the that the lowers were bolted in, so they were probably replaced at some point.

[JayRamb]

My howl above 35+ wound up to be my wheel bearings. Can of course be a number of things.

[TLC87Eagle]

Definitely sounds like a wheel bearing to me. A lot of the time they will only howl when they have a load on them, such as in a turn.

If you do have the ball bearing hubs, I don't believe they are rebuild-able or even available still.
But I do believe the hubs are interchangeable between years. Someone correct me if I'm not, I'd like to be sure myself on that subject.

[maddog]

from what I've heard they are all interchangeable but as for the early ones not being able to be rebuilt i'm not entirely sure seeing as I was able to rebuild the ones on my 1980 wagon.

[IowaEagle]

The ball bearing type can be rebuilt.

[TLC87Eagle]

The ball bearing type can be rebuilt.

Yeah, I did a little research last night and even though the factory parts manual says they're not serviceable, people have found a bearing(s) that works in them. Not sure of the part numbers and such.

[maddog]

I just used the roller type that the later ones use.

[carnuck]

Note the caliper design changed @ '82 and they aren't interchangeable.