Wheel bearings

[3.0L V6]

I seem to have bad luck with wheel bearings on my 2001 Saturn. They don't seem to last very long. Could anyone offer advice to how to minimize wear on them.

The only thing I can think of that might be causing them to wear out is that the alignment on the car is out of whack, which results in a front end shimmy when I get past 65mph. The shimmy seems worse when it's windy and I don't think it's the tires being out of balance because it happens at all speeds above 65, not just at one specific speed.

The only other thing I know is that when it snows, the wheels pack with snow, causing a vibration too. I try and keep them as clear and free of snow as possible.

So, any ideas?

[The Pirate]

Might be worth getting the balance of your wheels checked.  They were pretty far gone on my car, and you couldn't really feel anything below 60mph.  And out-of-balance wheels would definitely accelerate wheel bearing wear.

And definitely get that alignment done soon, as getting it done when the wheel bearings are already worn is going to make it worse.  Moving things back to proper alignment at that point will shift the worn parts of the bearing out of contact position, and make the whole thing trashed.

How worn out are your struts?  When those things go, it seems they speed up wear on every part of the suspension.  That could be a culprit too.  I'd start with wheel balancing (cheapest) and go from there.

[S204STi]

How many miles are you going between wheel bearings?

[L. ed foote]

How well do you pack the bearings if you do them yourself?

[r0tor]

^ most new bearings are actually sealed nowadays


fix the problem with is your vibration as it sounds like worn wheel bearings is just a symptom

[AutobahnSHO]

I'd start w/ balance and alignment. (AFTER they bearings are repaired, or if they're good for now.)

I've read over and over that if you just replace one side on an axle the other side will fail shortly. Dunno why, but the SHO guys recommend you replace both sides at once. (even on the rear.)  --Have you just been doing one side at a time??

[3.0L V6]

How many miles are you going between wheel bearings?

Maybe 45,000 - 60,000 mi. That's a high estimate.

How well do you pack the bearings if you do them yourself?

^ most new bearings are actually sealed nowadays


fix the problem with is your vibration as it sounds like worn wheel bearings is just a symptom

Yeah, they're sealed. I don't do them myself, since I don't have a hydraulic press to remove them.

I'm currrently about ~300mi out of my hometown right now, so I just had the driver's side bearing replaced. It just needs to get me home and then I'll do some more troubleshooting. The passenger side bearing is rough, but it'll make it back. The VISA's had enough of a workout for now.

I'll check the tire balance too.

[S204STi]

It could be that your car eats wheel bearings.  I know Subarus do.

Try a different aftermarket supplier and see if that helps.  60,000mi on a wheel bearing isn't great, but it's not far from normal really.

[3.0L V6]

I'd start w/ balance and alignment. (AFTER they bearings are repaired, or if they're good for now.)

I've read over and over that if you just replace one side on an axle the other side will fail shortly. Dunno why, but the SHO guys recommend you replace both sides at once. (even on the rear.)  --Have you just been doing one side at a time??

Money situation usually results in only one side being replaced at a time.

I think they just wear at the same rate, so when you do one side, the other one's not far behind.