How hard is it to change a wheel bearing?

"Rainbow" (rainbeaux)
03/02/2019 at 10:37 • Filed to: None

My car started making a scraping noise when I turn left, and research tells me the most likely culprit is my right wheel bearing. I’m assuming that replacing it is just going a few steps beyond changing brakes, but exactly how many steps? And how much harder are they? If I can do this myself, I’d much prefer that over paying like $500 in labor or whatever they’d charge me.

DISCUSSION (12)

ItalianJobR53 - now with added 'MERICA and unreliability > Rainbow
03/02/2019 at 10:44

How old/rusty is your car. If it is then it can be a pain to remove them. Have you confirmed that its your bearing? Lift up the car and see if there is play in the wheel?

Nick- Professional Car Destroyer > Rainbow
03/02/2019 at 10:51

Depends on what kind of car, which bearing, and where you live.

So let’s say my Saab 9-3 front wheel bearing, best option is the whole hub, removed 3 or 4 bolts on the backside of the hub after removing all the brakes, and removing the axle nut, hammer it out and reverse order for install, could take maybe an hour at most if I broke something.

Some cars you need to press them out which is a pain in the ass unless you have a full shop at your disposal, but most cars do use a hub setup and make it so much easier with less equipment needed at the cost of the price being a little more.

atfsgeoff > Rainbow
03/02/2019 at 10:58

Highly car dependent. Some can be swapped out in a half hour, others take a couple hours and some special tools.

Fuckkinja > Rainbow
03/02/2019 at 11:55

If it’s a front hub you can wedge a block of wood against something solid. Have somebody turn the steering wheel. Use a big hammer and start beating. Just did this last week on a Silverado. It was rusted on.

Nothing > Rainbow
03/02/2019 at 11:59

We just had wheel bearings replaced on the Jeep. Had we not had the warranty, the cost would’ve been $280 to have them replaced. YMMV.

I did the Cougar, but mainly because new bearings were included in the new disc conversion hubs. That care was cake. Maybe 45 minutes, max.

Duck Duck Grey Duck FTMFW! > Rainbow
03/02/2019 at 12:00

Like turn left at speed or turning like in a parking lot. Could possibly be a bad CV joint if it does it at low speeds. Also if it is a wheel bearing, you may need a hydraulic press depending on the car.

Rainbow > Duck Duck Grey Duck FTMFW!
03/02/2019 at 12:51

I only notice it at slow speeds, but it’s fairly quiet, so it could just be muffled out by wind noise at higher speeds.

Urambo Tauro > Rainbow
03/02/2019 at 21:10

I’m hesitant to guess, because like Nick said, it depends very much on the vehicle and if it’s front or rear. Could be a 20-minute job, or you might have to fight snap rings, grease seals, ball-joints, parking brake components, and need access to a press on top of all that.

Duck Duck Grey Duck FTMFW! > Rainbow
03/02/2019 at 22:39

Oh, if it was a CV it would be fairly loud when you make a turn. It’s a loud clicking/binding sound for a CV shaft. A wheel bearing will hum/howl when you load/unload the bearing going around a curve.

Rainbow > Duck Duck Grey Duck FTMFW!
03/03/2019 at 09:55

Huh, it’s not really either of those. I’ve also noticed it happening in a straight line lately, too. The best way I can think of to describe it is, imagine putting a rock over the needle on a record player and then spinning it on a dinner plate. It’s just a low, constant scraping noise. The weird thing is there’s no distinct line on the brake disc or anything like you might expect from a rock being jammed in there. I’m going to take a closer look at the car today, though, now that I don’t work.

Rainbow > Urambo Tauro
03/03/2019 at 09:56

Yeah, I’m probably going to bite the bullet and take it in if it doesn't turn out to be something else.

Duck Duck Grey Duck FTMFW! > Rainbow
03/03/2019 at 11:38

I have definitely had a tiny rock behind the brake disc shield be a noisy SOB. I couldn't find a groove but I did get it out finally