How to check hubs

How can you tell if you have a bad hub/bearing if you can't tell by sound? My tires are kind of noisy so I can't tell if I hear a bad bearing/hub assembly. It seems like it's gotten louder. I can't tell what side it's on if it is a bad hub assembly.

One way is to jack the wheel off the ground and check for play (movement, not rotational). Grab tire at 3 and 9 o'clock and see if there's movement, then at 12 and 6. I usually check at 10-11 and 4-5 also.

When checking for movement, you're trying to "rock" at wheel back and forth, not spin it. In with right hand, out with left at same time. Then out with right, in with left at same time, and so on.

If any movement in just 3-9, possibly tie bad rod. Just at 12-6, possibly ball joint. Just at 3-9 and 12-6 possibly ball joint and tie rod. At all 3, possibly bearing.

Like kejobe said lift one wheel off the ground and check for movement. Mine were destroyed and I had a 1/4" play in and out at the top and bottom of the tire.

I was told you can also spin the wheel and hold the spring feeling for vibration.

Move the front tires to the back and bring the backs up front. Take the brake pads off and spin the wheel and listen for anything grindy sounding.

Might not be a bad idea to try and run across someone with a dial indicator either. Last time my front bearings went bad there was no free play to be found with good old rocking check. But when I checked the runout it was waaayy out