Wheel Bearings - How often do these fail?

[LunchboxCritter]

I have some noises coming from the front end. I have ordered poly bushings and dtss eliminators. I was wondering if I should go ahead and replace the wheel bearings (at least the front) while I have it all apart?

I guess what I'm asking is: Has anyone had to replace the one's on their car, and if so what were the symptoms (sounds, pulling, etc.)? Also are these a common part to fail on these 20+ yr old cars?

[Silver86]

i would replace them... 20+ years is long enough...

while you have them out... inspect the races too... (hope you wont have to replace those!)

[djmtsu]

I had ONE go out on my original FC. The right front to be exact. It destroyed the hub as well. Hooray for warranties.

[LunchboxCritter]

What were the symptoms?

(Clicking, screeching, grinding, wheel fall off, etc.?)

I had ONE go out on my original FC. The right front to be exact. It destroyed the hub as well. Hooray for warranties.

[jerd_hambone]

Usually excessive vibrations are a good sign.

Wheel fall off hahaha that had me laughing pretty good.

[djmtsu]

It was a roaring sound that would change pitch dependent on lateral force.

[josh18_2k]

first sign of wear (in my case) was after hard driving, you'll hear a rhythmic swishing type sound coming from the outside wheel in a turn. bearings can last 20 days or 20 years.. just gotta grease them well and keep the fronts torqued to spec (22 ft.lb). they'll need to be retorqued a few times in the first couple hundred miles as they settle in.

[Pete_89T2]

To answer the OP's question, if properly maintained & lubricated, wheel bearings should still be going strong long after the rest of the car is a rusted rotting hulk. In my 35+ years of driving, I only had a wheel bearing fail once - it was in a '73 Camaro, and it was due to my own incompetance as a teenage DIY mechanic.:banghead:

[LunchboxCritter]

Cool, thanks for all of the information. I doubt mine are failing. After changing all of the bushings if I still have any noises then I might go back and do the wheel bearings.

[WE3RX7]

first sign of wear (in my case) was after hard driving, you'll hear a rhythmic swishing type sound coming from the outside wheel in a turn. bearings can last 20 days or 20 years.. just gotta grease them well and keep the fronts torqued to spec (22 ft.lb). they'll need to be retorqued a few times in the first couple hundred miles as they settle in.


Just curious, where did you see 22ftlbs? The FSM uses a pull type scale to measure resistance when tightening them.. I'll have to pull up the exact numbers again, but I was just curious where you learned the 22ftlbs?

[Mobius]

Since this thread is already going in my direction: While rolling I can hear a 'cricket' sound with the windows down. (As if I were constantly driving beside a pond/slew full of croaking frogs or crickets). The sound is still present under light or hard breaking, and the noise doesn't change while turning. It does change with speed, but not with RPM. I can't hear it when I spin the wheels by hand, and the wheel bearings don't seem to have any play in them. Should I replace them and see if that helps, or is there something I'm missing?

[josh18_2k]

just ahd to dig in the FSM... ok so i got the 22ft.lbs from about halfway through the front bearing procedue lol.

it says torque to 14-22, then back it off and finish with a pull gauge. i dont have a pull gauge, and im lazy, so i just left it at 22. seems to be fine.
the only issue i had was after a couple hundred miles the bearing gets loose (breaking in/seating), so i had to retorque.

[Pete_89T2]

it says torque to 14-22, then back it off and finish with a pull gauge. i dont have a pull gauge, and im lazy, so i just left it at 22. seems to be fine. the only issue i had was after a couple hundred miles the bearing gets loose (breaking in/seating), so i had to retorque.

A fishing scale = pull gauge. Has a hook at one end, handle on the other and measures tension in Lbs when you put the hook on the wheel stud & pull per the FSM procedure. You can get one at Walmart or anywhere else that sells sporting goods, about $5. If you follow the FSM procedure to the letter, including the pull scale part, you won't have the problem you're seeing of the bearing getting loose in a few hunderd miles.

[TitaniumTT]

If you maintain the bearings, they'll never fail. Regrease them every few years and do it properly and they will last forever.

Rear wheel bearings on the otherhand seem to be a bit more fragile as they are non-serviceable. You're pretty much at thier mercy.

If you jack the car and there is any play in the wheel, fix it. Once the bearings start to move places they shouldn't, they will fail quickly, chew up everthing that they touch, and in the worst case, they will completely fail, fall apart, and your wheel could fall off. It ALMOST happened to my trailer when I loaned it to a friend and he overloaded it and continued to drive down the highway. He got LUCKY.

[LunchboxCritter]

Since this thread is already going in my direction: While rolling I can hear a 'cricket' sound with the windows down. (As if I were constantly driving beside a pond/slew full of croaking frogs or crickets). The sound is still present under light or hard breaking, and the noise doesn't change while turning. It does change with speed, but not with RPM. I can't hear it when I spin the wheels by hand, and the wheel bearings don't seem to have any play in them. Should I replace them and see if that helps, or is there something I'm missing?

That is the same noise I'm getting. It's most noticable when applying brakes when something is beside me to bounce the sound back (other cars, bridges, walls, etc.).

I have new springs (Eibach), shocks (Tokico), new calipers (all around), drilled rotors, ceramic pads, steel braided lines, alignment.

I have ordered poly bushings, rb sway bar end links, and dtss eliminator bushings.
I'll let you know if they stop the clicking sounds. I read in another forum that it is most likely the sway bar end links.

[Mobius]

Same noise, but I think different issue. Mine isn't affected by braking.

Update on my noise: by chance I disengaged the clutch while rolling (usually I leave the clutch engaged until right before I come to a stop etc....) and the noise quit. Throw out bearing perhaps?

[Nismo]

Exedy twin plates are known to make noise, read this on the other forum Banzai Racing commented on this maybe search there?

[Mobius]

Exedy twin plates are known to make noise, read this on the other forum Banzai Racing commented on this maybe search there?

I never considered that, although it would make sense to me that it might make noise when it's disengaged, not the other way around. But I'll follow that lead, thanks.

[TitaniumTT]

My exedy twin disc mackes noise when completely disengaged. If you've ever seen one you'll understand why. There won't be any noise coming from a properly installed and torque down twin disc when it's engaged though

[Mobius]

Does your Twin disk rattle, or make a different noise TTT? Mine makes a whirrring noise when the clutch is disengaged, but not a rattle like I've heard on videos that I've been able to find on the subject. I'm half convinced I need to drop the tranny again and change my throw out bearing, which is only 5000km old.

[TitaniumTT]

The whirring is most likely the T/O bearing. They do rattle a bit though. I've gone through one T/O bearing too and now the second is making a little noise as well......... I'm going to check out the fork next time the tranny is down/engine is out as I think that may have something to do with it. Never heard of these twin disc's chewing threw T/O bearings any more quickly than another clutch. The pedal is lighter than some of the aggressive ACT PP's

[Mobius]

Yah, that is pretty much what I thought. I did put a brand new fork on when I put the Exedy in, as mine was bent, but I thought the T/O bearing was new enough that it would be fine. I didn't want to wait for one to come in. I guess I'll just pull the tranny on the next rainy weekend and replace both the pilot and T/O bearing, and see if the noises quit.

[classicauto]

Just to add a thought for the wheel bearing topic:

Sitting kills bearings. Most of these cars (up in the winter blessed climates) don't move for half the year. Do that for two decades and chances are they will be crapzord.

Starting with fresh bearings, yes, proper maintenance and they should last a LONG time (like maybe.....20 years?? :) )

I've seen alot of FC's up here with shot to shit wheel bearings, front and rear. Most people can never tell because their exhaust drowns out the droning noise the cooked bearing will make.

No need to replace until you have play though. Even slight play. Jack up the wheel, grab at 12 and 6 oclock and pull in and out. Play? Shot bearing.

[TitaniumTT]

or loose bearing, thin grease, not properly torqued etc etc. Movement doesn't necissarily mean shot bearings, it means something it loose and needs addressing

[classicauto]

Yeah I guess I'm lumping in sealed bearings with our serviceable type. You're right.