? for those who have replaced their own bearings, worth it?

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MaddShadez

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I'm pretty sure I've got a bad rear bearing. I was hearing a clunking noise and a little floating sensation on the highway, and since I've replaced the lower control arm, sway bar links, lateral arm, and shocks in the last 6 months, i figured something new was up, and sure enough the wheel has some wiggle to it.

I'm debating if i want to do this myself (with a shop doing the actual pressing for me if i can find one, does NAPA still do it?) or pay someone. I was quoted $300, which isn't bad i guess, but I hate paying that much for a $30 part. I do nearly all my own car work, but I also live by myself and if something goes wrong I'm stranded. This job looks like it's full of stuck/rusted bolts. If you had to do it again, would you pay the $300 to get it fixed?
 
I did this job a few times on my first gen because of the rims. The bearings on the LS or pressed in with some tool they have in the shop. The best way to do it yourself I found, would be to replace the hub. It should come with bearings in it
 
what it looks like

I had a friend to beat one in. It worked but I wouldn't recommended th8RCMNIGF.jpgth3UWXKQ1V.jpg

th8RCMNIGF.jpg


th3UWXKQ1V.jpg
 
MaddShadez said:
I'm pretty sure I've got a bad rear bearing. I was hearing a clunking noise and a little floating sensation on the highway, and since I've replaced the lower control arm, sway bar links, lateral arm, and shocks in the last 6 months, i figured something new was up, and sure enough the wheel has some wiggle to it.

I'm debating if i want to do this myself (with a shop doing the actual pressing for me if i can find one, does NAPA still do it?) or pay someone. I was quoted $300, which isn't bad i guess, but I hate paying that much for a $30 part. I do nearly all my own car work, but I also live by myself and if something goes wrong I'm stranded. This job looks like it's full of stuck/rusted bolts. If you had to do it again, would you pay the $300 to get it fixed?
Click to expand...

Pressing into aluminum parts can be tricky. I paid just under $500 to have both rear bearings replaced a couple of years ago.

Are you positive it's a bearing? They make a howling, tire type of noise when they fail.
 
LS4me said:
Pressing into aluminum parts can be tricky. I paid just under $500 to have both rear bearings replaced a couple of years ago.

Are you positive it's a bearing? They make a howling, tire type of noise when they fail.
Click to expand...


I'm pretty sure it's the bearing, seems like the wiggly wheel is the tell-tale sign. I can't say i hear a howling, but the exhaust is loud enough I don't hear much at all lol. There's not much left to replace on that side anyways except the upper control arm, however if you know of other parts that fail I'd gladly take a look!

Replacing the whole hub isn't a bad idea. I wonder if i can trust the used ones on ebay to have healthy bearings? For $80 shipped, that would be quite the cost and time savings!
 
LS4me said:
Pressing into aluminum parts can be tricky. I paid just under $500 to have both rear bearings replaced a couple of years ago.

Are you positive it's a bearing? They make a howling, tire type of noise when they fail.
Click to expand...

That's what mine sounded like (a low tire or something).
 
By "lateral arm" do you mean the toe-link? If so, is it factory or the solid non-OEM unit?

To check for a bad bearing raise the wheel and see if it moves horizontally or vertically. Grab the wheel at 1200 & 1800 and at 0900 & 1500 and see if there's any wobble. You still should be able to hear the howl over the exhaust. It usually starts around 30mph.
 
LS4me said:
By "lateral arm" do you mean the toe-link? If so, is it factory or the solid non-OEM unit?

To check for a bad bearing raise the wheel and see if it moves horizontally or vertically. Grab the wheel at 1200 & 1800 and at 0900 & 1500 and see if there's any wobble. You still should be able to hear the howl over the exhaust. It usually starts around 30mph.
Click to expand...

Lateral arm, toe link, Lateral Link, so many names for one part lol. Its the motorcraft one, got it from tasca, and got an alignment after.

Jacking up and grabbing the wheel checking for wobble is what i meant by the wiggle. The other 3 wheels are solid but the right rear has some wiggle to it. A couple years ago i curbed that side hard enough to crack the rims, it doesn't surprise me that those parts are failing faster than the left.
 
MaddShadez said:
Lateral arm, toe link, Lateral Link, so many names for one part lol. Its the motorcraft one, got it from tasca, and got an alignment after.

Jacking up and grabbing the wheel checking for wobble is what i meant by the wiggle. The other 3 wheels are solid but the right rear has some wiggle to it. A couple years ago i curbed that side hard enough to crack the rims, it doesn't surprise me that those parts are failing faster than the left.
Click to expand...

Got it.. Replacing the entire arm will be rather expensive. I would also do both sides while you're at it. Like I said, I paid under $500 parts and labour for the replacement on my wife's '06.

FYI from the repair manual........

CAUTION: The wheel knuckle/wheel hub is serviced as an assembly. Do not attempt to separate the wheel hub from the wheel knuckle.
Click to expand...
 
After LOTS of research here and online I feel like this might be a job i can do after all. I was looking at those used spindles on ebay and just swapping the bearing on that one, but I was worried about what other damage could be there. Turns out Harbor Freight has a 12 ton press for $100 after coupon, so for $20 extra than the ebay ones I can press my own as many times as I want. Granted I haven't finalized this decision as I have no idea where to store that thing when not in use, but it does seem the most economical, especially if my other bearing goes out. Either way, its a helluva lot cheaper than the $300 all the local shops wanted!
 
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