Gold standard for checking front bearings

[gba88]

Hi Guys,
I've read all about play in the 6 and 12 o clock positions, but it seems bearings would need to be pretty shot to put slop in the wheel like that. I'm planning on replacing axle ujoints this weekend and if the bearings are on their way out, it would make sense to do those at the same time.

These bearings have about 108k on them as far as I know and it's tough to tell if I hear "howling" or if it's just the AT tires. I have no play in either wheel when jacked up and rocking top to bottom.

I'm also concerned about the passenger side since I drove about 15 miles with a caliper locked once! I was under it with a fire extinguisher just waiting for it to ignite...very thick smoke for about 5 minutes or so after finally getting it to my dad's place. My brother told me that grease in the bearings might have cooked out or something when that happened. I can't remember ever seeing any evidence of that though.

ANYWAY, is there another way to tell how/when the bearings are actually on their way out? I'd really like to know so that I can have them on hand before I pull it all apart and then can't find locally and too late to order online.

While I'm on the subject...seems like timken are the way to go but "aren't what they used to be". Any other recommendations?

 

[Ronbo]

If you're not sure of yours, swap them and keep them as spares. I put over 200k on my OEM hub assemblies.
Nothing wrong with Timken. Timken does make bearings overseas, but the set I just bought were USA made, from Amazon, and were cheaper than locally.
SKF also makes fine hub assemblies, in my experience.

 

[gba88]

If you're not sure of yours, swap them and keep them as spares. I put over 200k on my OEM hub assemblies.
Nothing wrong with Timken. Timken does make bearings overseas, but the set I just bought were USA made, from Amazon, and were cheaper than locally.
SKF also makes fine hub assemblies, in my experience.

Thanks! That sounds like a good plan. I'd just hate to get one side done and back together only to get to the other side and find the bearing was shot. Yeah, I know I could just replace one, but I'd like to keep everything the same age with parts like this.

 

[md21722]

I got about 300,000 on my unit bearings. I was getting a little wobbling, could rock the wheel in and out a hair, and couldn't find any play in the ball joint, so I got new hubs. Problem solved.

 

[gba88]

I got about 300,000 on my unit bearings. I was getting a little wobbling, could rock the wheel in and out a hair, and couldn't find any play in the ball joint, so I got new hubs. Problem solved.

wow, 300k? my 96 rotted out at around 180k or so IIRC... that's life in the rust belt

 

[joejeep92]

Play and noise are about the only indicators. Don't confuse brake drag noise with bearing noise though during an inspection.

 

[ehall]

Good test is get up some speed and then weave left right a few times. If you hear roaring in one direction, its the wheel bearing on that side. This video demonstrates pretty well, but he doesn't say it https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dAicnJd6zYE Another way is to pull them off and spin them by hand, if they fell/sound bad they are bad https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f_m_ie6NzwQ

 

[Tim_MN]

Test by spinning them by hand. Any grittiness, crunching you can feel, or other roughness means they are done. Roaring in turns while driving is another symptom.

 

[gba88]

Thanks for the posts! I went ahead and ordered a set, because I do believe I've heard roaring type noises now and then. Like I said though, it's tough to tell with the regular tire tread noise. I'll test by hand once they're off and go from there. If I need them, I'll just install, if not, I guess I could return. I may just end up putting them on though and keeping the others as spares as was suggested.

Not to change the subject, but I was checking out the ujoints (spicer 5-760x). These are un-greasable, and don't seem to really have much grease in them. The bag that the clips are in says NOT to put more grease in, or it could lead to premature failure. Doe everyone observe this or what? It looks like there is grease down in the holes on each end, but you can't put gun on it (no fitting) so I can't imagine what good the grease in there does. Unless once everything is spinning it migrates into the caps?

 

[md21722]

I changed the front drivers side axle joint around 290,000. That's the only u-joint I've changed in 334,000 miles. The life series last a long time in my experience. The grease flows through the joints as they spin and heat up. I would leave them alone until they seem to have play or you see rust at the joints. You can do them sooner but there's no telling how long they might last.

 

[ehall]

Another thing, if you have the stock style with the large orange seal on the back, its pretty simple to lift the seal out and expose the ball bearings. From there you can clean everything out really good with mineral spirits (petroleum product so it is safe to use), and then pack full of wheel grease again. I did that with some OEMs and put them on a spare set of shafts to make it easy to swap on the trail, they spin smooth and quiet, feel like my new SKFs