[Joseph Rice]

I had a LR wheel bearing replaced 11/16/06 and the car began to shake just before/after new years. Thinking it was the other side going bad I didn't think anything else.

Apparently now it is the same side(LR) has gone bad not the other side (RR) as I had thought. The shop where it was fixed has a 90-day warranty.

However, before I return to them to get it fixed again, I was wanting to know what the life span is to be expected from a new bearing. (The part the shop put on my precious car was from NAPA)

What is the life span for a left rear bearing?

 

[Chris_Murder]

substantially more than the RR seeing as its an open diff v8, have them replace it since its under warrenty

 

[Rolling-Thunder]

I don't know if there is an answer to that question.

I had all four original bearings on my T-Bird when I traded it in.



.

 

[Southpaw]

It depends on who manufactured the wheel bearing I guess? I don't think NAPA manufactures anything. They're a retailer. I would think that chain parts stores change suppliers all the time...

Is it a Motorcraft wheel bearing? one that's Made in the US, Canada, or Mexico, or is it some off-name-brand POS made in China. etc.

If it's still under warranty just have them swap it out. What does it matter "how long?" obviously even a no-name POS China wheel bearing should last a little longer then 2~3 months.

 

[The Great Obucina]

if its not a Timken bearing, its a peice of ****. Did you have the hub inspected for any hairline fractures?

 

[Southpaw]

I've never heard anything bad about Timken, good stuff...

 

[Beast of Bird'n]

I guess it all depends... Napa's premium line is Chicago Rawhide. If for some strange reason the axle nut was not tight on the L/R when they put the bearing in then that could cause it to go bad. ( or at least sound that way). I would take it back and have them change/inspect it.

 

[Grog6]

The one I replaced after an accident is still good...

The hub and bearing took a direct hit from a chevy doing '70 in a 25...

The bearing is fine, even tho the hub is twisted...to beat it all, the 21 spoke wheel is still good; it has some chew marks from the bumper, but it is still true to .001" . It works great as a spare.

I use the bearing/hub assembly with a dial indicator as a fixture to test wheels for true, now...unbelivable...

There is no excuse for one to fail in a few months, unless it is a chineese pos. What they consider good steel I consider potmetal.

 

[Joseph Rice]

Yes I had everything inspected, and everything turned out okay, when they did the change the first time. Since I didn't have the tools to do it myself I went to a body shop and I watched them do it. so they couldn't make excuses or tear anything up.

 

[Dusty]

Your LR bearing will probably go again. Since you are getting it replaced under warranty go ahead and try it. My left rear went along with the right. Ford replaced the bearings and hubs for $700. The left rear went again in less than a year so they replaced the bearing and hub under warranty. Less than a year later the left rear was gone again. I think if the knuckle gets bad enough you can throw all the bearings and hubs you want at it. If it goes again get the whole hub assembly. I did the rear disc conversion with new bearings so we will see how that goes.

 

[SVT2888]

Uh...How can you tell when bearings are going bad?

 

[IcemanV8]

It will make a 'roaring' like sound... 'wah wah wah wah'... lol, hard to make e-sounds

 

[Dusty]

Uh...How can you tell when bearings are going bad?

You can tell before the noise by jacking up the rear and grabbing the tire at 12 and 6 and see if there is any movement.

 

[Joseph Rice]

Thanks everyone!

Thanks everyone for your help, As it turns out the entire replacement Bearing was Shattered into pieces, therefore it was grinding and wobbling worse than ever.

Thanks again,

Joseph

 

[SVT2888]

You can tell before the noise by jacking up the rear and grabbing the tire at 12 and 6 and see if there is any movement.

Is there supposed to be no play at all? or just alittle?

 

[Joseph Rice]

From what I have learned from the shop is that there is supposed to have no play at all.

 

[sleeper bird]

wonder if that is why my car makes a roaring sound when i go 85 mph or over, i have just been turning the jam up and pretending its not happening.

 

[General Zod]

when my bearing went out a second time after dealer-replacement (i suspect they didnt torque the axle nut enough), i went with a Federal-Mogul from O'Reilly's....i know Timken makes good stuff, since some parts inside my spare pumpkin were stamped "Timken", but the Federal-Mogul from O'Reilly's has a lifetime warranty, where as the Timken has zero warranty from AutoZone

 

[The Great Obucina]

when my bearing went out a second time after dealer-replacement (i suspect they didnt torque the axle nut enough), i went with a Federal-Mogul from O'Reilly's....i know Timken makes good stuff, since some parts inside my spare pumpkin were stamped "Timken", but the Federal-Mogul from O'Reilly's has a lifetime warranty, where as the Timken has zero warranty from AutoZone

selling a part with a lifetime warranty to me is a blessing and a curse....

 

[Dusty]

Is there supposed to be no play at all? or just alittle?

No play at all.
What I found with my new bearings and so have others is that the inital torque to 250 doesn't stay even with new axle nuts. Not sure if it is because of drag on the spines or maybe the bearing seats a little more. With new Timken bearings on my rear disc swap I checked the torque each time I drove the car. It seemed to stay at 250 on the 3rd time I drove the car. The first time maybe an 1/8 of a turn till it clicked at 250, the second time less and the 3rd none. I then put on the original nut torqued to 250 as a double nut.
Anybody else want to chime in on this?