Rear Wheel Bearings
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 3,798
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From: Hattiesburg MS
Rear Wheel Bearings
What causes them to go out? I replaced the passenger side less than a year ago and it is shot. The driver side is gone too. I am getting fed up with $160 bearings with a 90 day warranty. Who sells lifetime warranty and how much? Any suggestions on breaking loose the torx bolts on the driver's side? The passenger side was not to bad a year ago but the driver's side is a pain. :mad
Racer
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 321
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From: Birmingham AL
Re: Rear Wheel Bearings (mayberry)
Do a search here on bearings. What I remember reading are several posts dealing with removing the torx bolts and also sources for lifetime warranty on bearings.
I also recall reading that the torque value on the nut changes dramatically for manual transmissions.
I also recall reading that the torque value on the nut changes dramatically for manual transmissions.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 983
Likes: 1
From: Bergen County NJ
Re: Rear Wheel Bearings (jimswhite92)
There was a couple of long discussions running a few months ago on this topic. Someone referenced a magazine article that advocated torquing the spindle nut (especially for manual transmission cars) to 200 ft-lbs instead of the factory specified 164 ft-lbs. I contacted SKF (the company that makes the Chigago-Rawhide line of bearings) and they stated that GM had not notified them of a change in the torque spec, and it should still be 164 ft-lbs.
IMHO, too little torque is worse than too much, so I compromised and torqued my new rear bearing/hub to 180 ft-lbf. Bottom line is that a torque wrench is a must - you just can't get it close enough by feel (unless you get real lucky).
PepBoys sells the rear bearings for $149. The box it came in stated it was warrantied for life.
IMHO, too little torque is worse than too much, so I compromised and torqued my new rear bearing/hub to 180 ft-lbf. Bottom line is that a torque wrench is a must - you just can't get it close enough by feel (unless you get real lucky).
PepBoys sells the rear bearings for $149. The box it came in stated it was warrantied for life.
Race Director
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 17,367
Likes: 1
From: Kentucky
Re: Rear Wheel Bearings (jimswhite92)
I just replaced my left rear bearing for $120. Autozone's computer showed 2 prices depending on whether you looked it up by part# or description. They sold it to me for the lower price. The other price for the Timken part was $150.
Drifting
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 1,803
Likes: 1
From: PA
Re: Rear Wheel Bearings (hngacurv)
Torque will affect the longevity of the splines, it won't affect bearing play. I check my play at the side sidewall. If it shows more than 1/4" of lateral play with respect to the garage floor when jacked up about 1" off the ground, I will replace the bearing. I simply lay a ruler on the floor under the tire and yank on the tire at the 6 and 12 o'clock position. My right-rear has had about 3/16" of play for 3 years...no change. My new front bearings went from zero play to a little over 1/8" play several months after I installed them. They have not worsened in the past 2 years. It seems like the bearing races get some slop and stabilize.
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 3,798
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From: Hattiesburg MS
Re: Rear Wheel Bearings (sraft)
No Pep Boy's here in Hburg, just Autozone, Advance Auto, Napa, Carquest, and O'Reily. Autozone wanted $170 for bearings with 90 day warranty. I did buy one so far from Advance for $145 but I will still need to buy another one. I'll make sure I torque them down to at least 164, but first I have to get those darn torx bolts out.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 983
Likes: 1
From: Bergen County NJ
Re: Rear Wheel Bearings (mayberry)
The hardest part of the job was breaking loose the torx bolts. With the rear on jackstands, there's not enough room to swing the wrench(es) into a good place for leverage. A high quality Torx socket was helpful (minimizes slop and the potential to strip the heads), as well as hosing down the bolts with a good rust penetrant (I used PB Blaster). Keep at it, I'm sure you'll get it out eventually.
