360 killing a wheelbearing, no way! (Sarcasm)

[Gutless]

So I was driving 700 miles to my internship (away from most of my tools, bah!) and my front passenger wheelbearing went out on the way, probably.

Background, 04 V8 AWD rainier, 185,000 miles. Has maybe 750 miles tops since it started making noise. It started out of nowhere decently loud at first but intermittent and it has gotten worse to almost constant noise.

It starts pulsing at about 10mph and gets growly at 20 and gets pretty loud at 55-65. Little quieter at 75 but maybe its just the same and the wind noise takes over. Noise is average going straight, quieter turning right (unloading the passenger wheel) and louder turning left (loading the passenger tire)

For as loud as it is, it doesn't pull either direction. I also lifted the tire off the ground and there is no noise or resistance when I spin the wheel. Last time Ive had a car kill a wheel bearing it pulled pretty hard to the direction that the bearing was out on. Other times the wheel has been obviously loose.

I bought a timken after work today. Is it fair enough to say its bad and replace it anyways? I would just do it if I was at home but not having a garage and limited tools and no second mode of transport makes it kinda a tough decision if it isnt the bearing. The only symptom is the noise. With the reputation 360's have at eating wheel bearings is it just best to replace it? Anybody have a bearing fail on one of these and have no noise or play in the bearing when you lift the tire up and spin it?

 

[kickass audio]

I had both bearings fail on my front of the envoe and neither had any play, just growled in turns and a little when going straight. You may want to check which one feels rough when you turn the wheel with it off the ground to determine which has failed. The bearing is a super easy task. My first time doing a bearing on my truck was the first ever for any vehicle and it had taken me an hour to do and that includes getting the tools out and a piece of fence pipe to use as a cheater bar over my ratchet. Piece of cake to do.

 

[northcreek]

No doubt it's the second set of bearings for the Rainier @ 185K. I just replaced mine at 88K, from what I've read here 90K is about the fail point. The symptoms seem to vary,although a droning noise seems common.
I would do both since they usually fail reasonably close together and once you're set up to do one side you might as well do both...Mike.

 

[HARDTRAILZ]

I use cheap ones and replace every couple years. Can for 3 pair swaps for price of one timken.

 

[Mooseman]

Two schools of thought here. Sure, buy the cheap ones and change them every X months, which is fine for those that abuse their trucks, off-road, etc. But, not everybody has the luxury of a place to do the work out of the elements, ready access to tools or the time. Timken is the gold standard for longevity so go that route if you don't want to do it for a while. Go with a cheap brand if you don't mind doing it as often as you change your oil.

If it makes noise, especially if it's been doing it for a while, change it. When it makes noise, that's your reserve time. If there is play, do not drive it. It's done and will it will kill you. That reserve time is variable. Some may last weeks or months. I had one last me only a couple of days; a new Raybestos hub.

 

[HARDTRAILZ]

On the lifted ones it seems the Timkens dont last much longer, but that is the nature of the beast.

Time and tools are basics. Still dreaming of a garage to work in. Hopefully by end of summer.

 

[Ziggy]

Do yourself a favor and check both front wheels for noise. When I did mine, I initially only bought one wheel bearing because I was POSITIVE it was the right front wheel bearing that was making all the noise. I did the same thing, loading and unloading the suspension and listening to the variations in the noise. I found on the ride home from the shop, that the noise was actually the left front wheel bearing that had failed. If you have time/money/space, go ahead and do both, if any of these is lacking, check really closely to be sure the one you're replacing is the one that needs it.

 

[Gutless]

I will check the drivers for noise, thats a really good point. Good to hear it happened before. I am so sure that its the passenger since it sounds like it but it just doesn't sound like anything is wrong when I spin the tire.

I soaked the axle nut with some oil and loosened it up today, thats what I was worried about most. I was thinking id need a torch or something. I had a 18" craftsman breaker bar I was standing on and wasnt cutting it. Grabbed my roomates 24" harbor freight and it started to turn. Awesome! Then the wrench fell off and the socket was still on. Spun the lug right off the bar, haha! Went back to the craftsman and jumped on it hard and it came loose. That was a relief!

I think im going to jack the drivers side up and if its not obviously bad ill change the passengers out.

 

[HARDTRAILZ]

Both is kinda the way to go. If one is done, the other prolly wont be far after unless you see some damage or something.

Surprised on the HF tool. I have retired my craftsman crap and use HF almost all the time for most truck wrenching. My craftsman ratchets fail religiously and Sears is too far way.

 

[Gutless]

Changed the passenger one out today. Took like half an hour. Got lucky and that was the bad one. Was no play but it was rough to turn. It honestly looks like it had never been changed. The bolts still had the blue thread lock on them and it was fresh looking. None of the bolts had evidence of being turned. Still hard to believe it went 185K on stockers though.

Success! Nice and quiet. 800 miles of shot wheel bearing really wears on you. Ill have to change the drivers side this fall when I get back home.

Ive found craftsman to be the cheapest new stuff Ill buy honestly. Some of the best stuff is buying 60's-70's stuff off ebay. Old Thorsen, Williams, ect.

 

[DocBrown]

Be glad it didn't disintgrate on your trip. I had that happen on my Sierra this past March. Started grinding on the way to, then blew up on the way home, only about 200 miles in total. Very fast. Had to be towed 170 miles home.

180k on the original hubs is amazing. Every GM I've owned in the past 10 years has had to have the hubs changed by 100k.

 

[thor124]

My passenger bearing started making noise last fall, and I changed out both one weekend(bought some cheap no-names from Ebay, $90 for a pair with a lifetime warranty) . The passenger was still original @ 265km / 165k miles.

 

[littleblazer]

The escalade made it 140k on the factory hubs. But the one that failed you could move the tire about an inch in every direction. It was totally garbage. On the envoy it growled, 75k dealer replacement according to the car fax. My drivers side was filled with water.... so I replaced it. The sierra made it 95k.

 

[Gutless]

Only explanation I have is that the car put on real high miles in the first few years of its life and got changed early on. For as much rust as there was on the bearing compared to everything else and how clean the bolts are it had to have been dealer done or under warranty. Back in 05 maybe I changed a wheel bearing out on mom's 01 alero, I think it had 40K on it at the time. Only other wheel bearing Ive changed. Both my firebird and cutlass have never had problems. Seems like RWD stuff lasts longer.