So this is the second time the wheel bearings in my car went out. They seem to last 100k miles, so I can't complain too much. It seems to me these cars are under braked and the heat builds up warping the rotors and cooking the bearings. It could be that I am just unlucky and mine has some sort of manufacturing defect. Modifying the dust shields behind the rotors to allow more air flow will likely solve the issue, but that is another discussion all together.

First – how do you know your wheel bearings are bad? For me, in both instances you could hear it. Basically it sounds like road noise coming from the front of the car, and it usually gets louder with speed. It can get so bad it’s hard to have conversations in the car. By the way, it’s a good idea to change wheel bearings ASAP once they start going bad.

Bearing Options:
If you go to Rockauto you will get a few options. The ones listed under “Standard Replacement” are all good. A side note – some people poo-poo Timkin for bearings made in china, but probably all of them are made there except the SKF – and even those might be too. The Centrics are for sure made in China. However, Timkin bearing are used in military vehicles, including the M1 Abrams. SKF is also used in military vehicles like the Abrams and Bradley, and are also used in aircraft. I have a lot of respect for both those companies, I don’t think you can go wrong with either regardless of what country they are made in.

If you have to change the wheel bearings you have a few options as to method – depending on budget, time, experience.

1. Remove the hub, find a shop/parts store that will press the old bearings out and the new ones in. This is probably 1hr time to remove the hub. The shop will probably charge $40-80/hub to press the bearings in and out.
2. Press the bearings out and in yourself but you will need some special tools: slide hammer (rent from autoparts store), a front bearing press kit (maybe rent, but you can buy from eBay for about $100), dremmel with cutting wheel (may be able to use a angle grinder with cutting wheel if you are clever), snap ring plyers, cold chisel, pry bar, 17mm wrench, ˝” impact gun (optional, but super helpful). ****Note, unless you modify the bearing press kit, you may need to remove the wheel speed sensor – which seems impossible without destroying it because it gets seized into the knuckle

I made a video of how I did it following option #2 from above. I do briefly discuss how to remove the whole knuckle assembly (I call it a hub, I guess I am a little loosey goosey with the terminology).



I hope this helps!

 

excellent walk through, thank you!