Last year I replaced the Right Wheel Bearing Assy. Last month I hear that familiar humming sound coming the front end. Although this time it was different in that the noise was constant and not any louder or softer when I went to the left or to the right. Figuring it CAN'T be the the Right Wheel Bearing, it'* only a year old, I replaced the Left Wheel Bearing Assy. Wrong Guess! (@#$%!!!) The noise continues and it'* getting louder. But, before I go out and buy and install another Right Wheel Bearing Assy, I just wanted your feedback on IF it might not be the Right Wheel Bearing and it might be one of the CV Joints??? Have you ever heard a CV joint start to fail without any damage to the boot(*)? I'd much rather replace the Wheel Bearing again than one of those half shafts.

CV joint failure over time without damage to the boots is normal. All things wear with age. With a torn boot, CV damage is INEVITABLE in a very short period of time.

Like I said in the past " I resemble that remark".

You still haven't sold me on the CV Joint YET. I don't have the classic symptoms such as a "Clunk" when accelerating from Coast or Drive. Clicking noise when making a turn. Shudder or vibration during acceleration. Be;ieve me Will, I'm sort of leaning towards the half shaft, I just wish I could prove it better.

Well, there'* other options. Even your trans can do it.

The big test for a CV joint is to see if it does it more while turning in one direction or the other. Get 'em spinning at different speeds and see if it'* related to both or just one or the other.

If a cv joint goes bad, you will hear a clacking sound out the front end when you are turning, with the car in motion, it is an unmistakable sound.
It sound like castinets. Yes weird comparison.
(castinets is a music instrument, it is the same clacking you hear at the beginning of the song "Magic Bus" by The Who)

this is a very common characteristic of a wheel hub failure aswell... the angle put on the bearing changes, and puts pressure on a different location on the bearing, changing the sound

Thanks, ladies, for your help in trying to resolve my current issue. I'm getting ready to travel to Florida next week for the Xmas vacation so I don't have the time to resolve the issue myself. I have left this in my local mechanic'* hands for now and I will let you know his diagnosis. Hopefully this latest chapter in my car'* life will be resolved once and (I hope) forever!!!. I don't think my family will feel too comfortable taveliing in my New Beetle so I need this fixed by the end of this week.

Impatient, I know what you're talking about This does not apply to me although it might be because I keep the radio volume up real high , at this time, to drown out the droning noise the car makes.

It was the right front wheel bearing again!!! End of story!

Next stop Florida!

Is alighment and all other parts of the RF up to par? I'd start to think something is causing you to burn them up.

My mechanic checked the front end and everything is "up to par". Alignment, CV Boots/Bearings, Ball Joints, Tie Rod Ends, the angles of the dangels, Struts, all check out good. The bearing that I installed a year ago was installed correctly as well. Something somehow got into that bearing and caused it to fail. I just hope I get more than 25,000 miles out of this one.