Constantly going through wheel bearings.

Connie

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My original wheel bearings were in the car when I bought it 4 years ago with 141000km. They lasted until almost 200000km before the fronts started rumbling and the abs light came on, pretty reasonable mileage for this in my opinion. I removed the hubs, and had new bearings pressed in. 50000km later the left front was making noise again, so I replaced it again. Shortly after the right front did the same thing. Replaced again. About 60000km later, same thing, both front wheel bearings with play and noisy. Replaced AGAIN. This time, only 35000km and the left front is making noise again....grrr!!!! Again I replaced the bad bearing, but I feel like it should have lasted longer. 20000km later and the other front bearing again. Then, last year, at around 390000km, The rears both went within a week of one another. They lasted pretty long, but the fronts started going FRIGGIN AGAIN maybe a month later. Again, replaced. Now the right rear (the rears originally lasted almost 400000km) is making noise again.

What the hell? Its like every 3 or 4 oil changes I'm doing a goddamn wheel bearing too. Why do the replacements last no time at all? I've tried different hubs from my parts cars but the same thing always happens.

I do drive a lot of miles on the highway, but that hasn't changed since I bought the car, and the factory bearings were WAAAAAY more longer-lasting than the replacements.

Wouldn't be so annoying if I had a press; every time I need to bring one of my spare hubs into town and get a bearing pressed in, and I gotta give the dude 30 bucks to do it each time.
 

Sketch o5

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that's weird. maybe they're installing them the wrong way. i'd go oem bearings over aftermarket replacements any day of the week. my previous accord had 172k miles on it when i sold it, and it had all of the original wheel bearings.
 

Accordx

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Is it possible that your alignment is off or something? Could cause some wear on the bearings.
 

Connie

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Is it possible that your alignment is off or something? Could cause some wear on the bearings.

I haven't had an alignment in awhile, but I have had several alignments over the past few years, and it is never far off when I get it done. I have had this consistent bearing issue for 3 years now, been aligned 3 or 4 times during that period. The tires always wear evenly, and the car goes straight down the road. Whenever I do a bearing (have the suspension apart), I usually get an alignment soon after. Even then, none of my wheels are ever out far.

How can I tell if they are installed the wrong way? Is backwards possible? Since I usually just drop off one of my spare hubs (having 4 spares is convenient because it doesn't leave me without a car) and pick it up later ready to bolt on, I don't see the pressing process.... Maybe I will ask to watch. Or just get a press and do it myself. But I cant see the shop doing it wrong this many times, I mean they do this stuff for a living.

I am wondering if anyone knows of a supplier who warranties their wheel bearings for a year or two??? At least that way I won't have to pay for the bearing every time too. These things aren't exactly cheap.
 

Connie

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that's weird. maybe they're installing them the wrong way. i'd go oem bearings over aftermarket replacements any day of the week. my previous accord had 172k miles on it when i sold it, and it had all of the original wheel bearings.


OEMs didn't make any difference for me. Got between 50 and 60k km on them before either the ABS light came on or they got noisy or both. The same amount of time I got from the aftermarket ones I ordered the first few times. But almost twice the price.
 

BlkCurrantKord

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By factory I mean the ones in there when they made the car.

I have tried buying the OEM Honda bearings directly from Honda and it's the same failure time for twice the price.


Then I'd start looking at install error, bent hubs or knuckles. That's an absurd amount of bearings to go through in such a short period.
 

Connie

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Then I'd start looking at install error, bent hubs or knuckles. That's an absurd amount of bearings to go through in such a short period.

I agree.

But like I mentioned in my previous posts, I have been using different knuckles (I've had a few parts cars over the years) when I swap the bearings every time to reduce my downtime, as this is my daily. So I think the chances of bent knuckles causing this are pretty low.

I've decided to just get a press and do it myself this time, with the amount of times I've had to pay someone to press in a bearing, I could have picked up a nice press by now. At least that way I can make sure it's getting done right.

I am starting to feel like this is an installation error on behalf of the shop, as this is getting ridiculous. I should be getting at least 100k out of a bearing I would think.
 

Rusty Accord

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I agree.

But like I mentioned in my previous posts, I have been using different knuckles (I've had a few parts cars over the years) when I swap the bearings every time to reduce my downtime, as this is my daily. So I think the chances of bent knuckles causing this are pretty low.

I've decided to just get a press and do it myself this time, with the amount of times I've had to pay someone to press in a bearing, I could have picked up a nice press by now. At least that way I can make sure it's getting done right.

I am starting to feel like this is an installation error on behalf of the shop, as this is getting ridiculous. I should be getting at least 100k out of a bearing I would think.

That's what it sounds like to me too (install error). I realise that cheaper chinese parts are moving in, and can cause there own problems, but bearings are another story as they're manufacturered to the bearing companies specs. A more likely cause of early bearing failure would be a lack of grease. I've seen that happen over recently with aftermarket GM bolt on hubs (30-40K failure rates), as they're made in china. You might see if you can figure out a way to add some quality grease into the hub bearing before you press them in. It might be more work, but if it lasts longer then you know what the real problem is. Just a thought.
 
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