for the past couple months there has been a metallic grinding sound coming from the front left wheel area. it's really loud when i'm making a right turn. any ideas what it can be?

 

also, sometimes when i'm just driving straight it also makes a sound in that area as well.

 

Could be the bearing. Take the wheel off and spin the hub with your hand,if its spinning evenly then its not the bearing.Jack up your front wheel and check for play by moving the wheel up and down and sideways.

 

could also be brakes... please have it checked out before it does more damage or, worse, causes an accident...

 

When I changed my shocks I managed to inadvertantly bend the brake shield just enough to get a metallic scraping sound due to rotor contact. If you've done any work in the area that is something to check.

If you haven't touched anything and this sound came on its own for the past two months, I'm with the guys above that you may have a saftey issue, something that demands immediate attention. The brakes are the primary starting point. I sure wouldn't go another couple of months either.