wheel bearings gone south

tortilla · 08-24-2008, 06:30 PM

well it happened again, front wheel bearins this time pasenger side gone south. this time i plan to do it myself. the question i have is that i know there are two, inside and outside. do i have to change both?, is there one that fails while the other is good in this particular model? and how will i know which is still good if one is?. my daily driver is a 2002 sportage ex. i have done a lot of work IN THE PAST on cars but i have never done bearings. is there anything special i need to know. any help will be greatly appreciated.

bubbashrimp · 08-24-2008, 07:38 PM

I think it would be a good idea to change both bearings while the car is torn down. If you are doing the job yourself I wouldn't think that it would cost that much more in time and money. Let's see what the others say.

gomer · 08-25-2008, 10:01 PM

YES change both bearings. When you buy them, sometimes they come in pairs, inner and outer, ect. Check your hubs while you have them out.

You can get a bearing puller/installer cheap enough from Auto Zone. I think I spent $30 on my puller and I use a socket or a piece of DOM and a hammer to install the races. Some people have them pressed into the hubs at a shop but I'm broke and know how to use my tools.

Make sure you pack them with grease but good before you install them or you'll be doing this again in a week. You can get a bearing packer and grease gun if you like. I usually just scoop some up and put it in the palm of one hand and just sort of scoop it into the bearing.

tortilla · 08-27-2008, 11:27 PM

well did the bearings today, went well, but i still feel vibration while driving, i pached them well with grease and all. it has me stumped!, unless is something else.
could it be that they are too tight, has this ever happened to anybody?.
also i want to know if anybody has an idea how long the original bearings usuaally last. anyway i migth have to get back in there.

bubbashrimp · 08-28-2008, 12:06 AM

How tight did you tighten them? They can be overtightend.

gomer · 08-28-2008, 08:56 AM

I still have the original bearings in my Sportage. No kidding. While not likely, it's possible. Did you torque the spindle nut properly? If so, you didn't over tighten.

Check your rims for spots where a wheel weight may have fallen off. BTW, is your ride 2wd or 4wd? A front shaft may have a bad u-joint.