2001 GLE with 153K on it. Thinking about repacking the wheel bearings...If not replacing them.. Good idea or not? Tips?
Tools are not a problem.

Thanks.

 

yeah i thought the same im at 133K... are you lowered???

 

Repacking them huh???????? Are you referring to the front axle bearings or rear? You musta read the FSM???

 

Repacking?.......No can do. If you access/disassemble the hub/bearing, the bearing is toast. If you have no issues like noise/looseness.......leave them alone. And......if the bearing replacement is not done correctly, using the proper tools/equipment, you can toast the new bearing. This issue comes up all the time.

 

That why I gave them this....! I THOUGHT WE ALL KNEW THE BEARINGS WERE SEALED AND UNPACKABLE.....

 

Apparently not. The days of repacking the old tapered roller bearings are pretty much gone. Now it's just replace the hub "assembly", or, like the Maxi fronts, one must have access to an appropriate press and various adaptors/pushers etc, AND know what you're doing, or you'll just screw things up. There ain't no shortcut.

 

Their being screwed up left and right at your local stealerships! Cause they have no clue, regarding proper bearing installation!

 

Yeah - leave well-enough alone.
Just be vigilant about listening for the dreaded "thrum / drone" at speed, and check the wheels for freeplay @ 12 & 6 o'clock when jacked up.

Better to get ONLY the bearings replaced then ignore the symptoms of a bad bearing, and have to replace both the bearing AND the hub assembly!
...ask me how I know....

VERy common failure on our cars, especially if you are lowered.

gr

 

I happend to check the bearings for play last night and everything seems alright!


Thanks guys.

 

Wheel bearings cannot be salvaged, if they are worn out then they need to be tossed and get new ones. You will need a press and some experience to pull the old ones out and push new ones in. Take the knuckle off the vehicle and go to a reputable machine shop.

As far as I know there is no PM for bearings, when they are shot new ones need to go into the hub.

 

What are the signs they are shot? I have a whirling type sound coming from the rear wheels taht I have not tried to figure out what its is. Seems to increase with speed. Is there a safe bet it is the hub bearings?

 

yup - safe bet...but do a search to find-out more symptoms.

Not sure other ways to test the rears - mine only went out in front.

gr

 

Pull the emergengy brakes only and listen if the groan/moaning becames more intense, in the rear! Turning will also load up one side and you should be able to hear something during the action!

 

I don't know if my front is getting this noise, maybe my problem too.

I hear a grindy noise that seems to go with the speed, but it happens only at slow speeds, like at a 90 degree turn. I can hear as something is grinding with the wheel as they spin. Could this be why? I am not lowered, only 18s

But only on the front passenger, my lefts makes no noise.

 

I heard noise from my passenger front during left turn, and during fwy drives. I thought my tire balance was bad so I took the car in to Big O tires for balancing and alignment. They showed me that my passenger side tire wiggle quite a bit. Cost me total of $419 with new bearing and hub, I think I paid too much.

So jack up your car and see if your wheel wiggle, or just go to tire shop for free tires inpection.

 

You definitely did do that...That exact same bearing can be bought from NAPA for about $50/ea...Most machine shops charge about $40 to press in a pair of bearings...so I guess the rest is labor!!!! That's the stealership!!!!