Droning noise from front of car

[almoststew1990]

My car has started droning from 35mph up. It gets louder the faster I go. It's not loud loud but noticable.
It sounds very "fine" abrasive sound, the pitch is consistant if you travel at a consistant speed. Gets louder and higher pitched the faster you go (i'm talking 60mph).
I don't think it is a vibration.
If I engage the clutch the noise keeps happening
It sounds like it is coming from the front (equal left and right), in a rear wheel drive car.
It is not a pulsing wubwubwub sound of an Elite of a wheelbearing. No wheel centrecap is hot after a drive.
Braking and handbrake doesn't change the sound.
I don't have much chance to roll to the left and right at speeds where the noise is most noticable but from my attempts the noise doesn't disappear when I do swerve about.
It isn't differential/gearbox noise
Any ideas?

I am thinking front tyres. The tyres are 225/40/18 Pilot Sport 4 date code 2216 so not very old. 4 to 5k miles done since the August 2022 MOT. Plenty of tread which looks pretty even. However they are cracked:

I assume it is the cracking but the cracking has been there a while (not looking as bad though..)

2003 BMW 330ci

 

[deviation]

Jack the car up with the steering lock on, and give both wheels a good yank about, you will have a tiny bit of play from the rack and ball joint movement, but not a lot, so you'll be able to tell easily if it's a wheel bearing, as it won't make the same noise or sensation as a knackered ball joint or droplink.
With a wheel bearing you can often tilt it up and down from the top or bottom.
Ideally you just want to take the brake disc off and look, but if this isn't something that you're comfortable with, try the above first.

 

[Funky-Melon]

Swap the front and back wheels over and see if the noise goes/changes.

 

[MissChief]

Swap the front and back wheels over and see if the noise goes/changes.

Not sure if this is the case here but many RWD BMW’s have staggered wheel sizes so you can’t swap the wheels on different axles.

 

[jpaul]

doughnut / associated bearing/support for prop-shaft ? - had 3er one replaced and although it wasn't making noise if their were further irregular wear could hum.

 

[ci_newman]

Could be a distorted tyre too. Only way to diagnose that is the swap the wheels around though (or swap to a spare?)

 

[Nasher]

Bad wheel bearings don't always pulsate.

You need to jack the car up and spin the wheels. It will be obvious if one is bad.

 

[darkblade]

Have you checked to see if there's a stone or pebble lodged somewhere (between the disc and dust shield on some cars for example)?

 

[Hagar]

Could be the missus in the passenger seat.