My stepdaughter drives a 2001 Toyota Corolla with 130,000 miles on it. A couple years ago the right front wheel bearing failed. The loud music she plays in the car covered up the noise, so she drove on the bad bearing for a while and it got chewed up pretty badly. A local shop replaced it, then she moved to another state and the bearing failed again and she took it to an auto repair chain. They replaced the bearing/hub assembly, but since then it has failed seven more times, with failure intervals of a few hundred to a few thousand miles. The shop has replaced the bearing under warranty, and they've also replaced the half shaft, CV, steering knuckle, and spindle, all at no cost due to the warranty on the bearing replacement. They have also aligned the front end. The last bearing replacement was a thousand miles ago, and it sounds like it needs another one. What else could be causing the repeated failures?
How are the bearings failing? Have you seen the damaged bearings/ parts every time that were replaced? There is something fishy going on . Not that I dont believe you, but it hard to believe.
As I understand it, the bearings and hub for this car are sold and installed as a unit.
I haven't seen the damaged bearings; this is my stepdaughter's car, and she's been getting it fixed in another state. She has the car at our house for a few days, and I'd like to get it fixed once and for all.
The chain auto repair shops have been replacing the bearings/hub and other parts for free under the warranty on their first bearing replacement, so it's not like they're trying something fishy to cheat her. And each time they replace the bearings, the bad-bearing sound goes away for hundreds to thousands of miles, so the bearings definitely are going bad; I just don't know why. It may be incompetence on their part, or it may be some other part that's defective in a way that makes the bearings wear out.
I think the front bearings are still a press-in style bearing. My guess is they're just running the axle nut in with the impact gun until whoever is working on it thinks 'its torqued'. Over torquing is a common cause of failure. ask them to hand torque the axle nut to factory specs. all 4 bearings on my old Geo were from a 'chain' auto store that also does repair, but I installed them myself correctly. over 40K miles on them and no issues.
Fronts are pressed style, rear are hub bearing units.
An update: the shop said that the transmission mount and engine mount are shot and they think that's what's been causing the problem. Apparently when the engine and transmission can move around too much, they can put stress on the bearings. We'll know in a few months whether this has fixed the problem for good.
An update: the shop said that the transmission mount and engine mount are shot and they think that's what's been causing the problem. Apparently when the engine and transmission can move around too much, they can put stress on the bearings. We'll know in a few months whether this has fixed the problem for good.
Hi all,
Long time lurker, first time poster. This is an amazing forum, with lots of useful information!
I have the EXACT same problem. I have a '99 CE with 435K miles on the car , and it runs smooth as silk. But this is the only major problem I have with the car! The first time it happened, was 2.5 years ago. I replaced the driver front wheel bearing with a timken branded one, and had my mechanic replace it. It was good for 2 years, then the same signs/symptoms occurred again, and replaced it with another timken wheel bearing. That 2nd time replacement with timken had to be replaced 2-3 months later!! Again, it was good for a time being, then the signs/symptoms occured again.
So, I figured it must be the "aftermarket" brand (easy to put the blame on, right?), and went out and bought an OEM toyota one. Now, 2 months later AGAIN, I'm having weird humming sounds at speeds above like 35mph. I'm praying that it's the other side wheel bearing. When I replaced it the 3rd time with the OEM part, my mechanic said if it breaks again, it could be the hub. But, the OP said that he replaced the hub as well, and it messed up many times thereafter.
Tires are new Michelin tires. I do need front new brakes/rotors though.
I'll take it in sometime this week, but does the OP, or any TN member know?? Any thoughts? The car runs so good I really do hope it's a simple solution.
Seven months after having all the engine and transmission mounts replaced, and there have been no more wheel bearing problems. At first the shop just replaced the mounts that looked bad, and the wheel bearings went bad again; but replacing all the remaining mounts fixed it.
The Following User Says Thank You to BaltimoreJohn For This Useful Post:
Well, I had a few people look at the car, and my mounts are still good, so that isn't causing a problem. I need to change out the struts, brakes, and rotors, so I'll take a look closely at the hub, and try to pin point an issue.
I have never heard of bad engine mounts making wheel bearings go bad( could happen, just never seen it).
Thats why I asked if you have seen what kind of damage that was done to the bearing( how they failed). If there is rust/ pitting/ stains ,you know that water was probably the cause, if the bearing grease smells burnt and there is spalling and or discoloration from heat the bearings were probably adjusted to tight, flat spots on the balls , uneven wear /scratched balls and race ,lack of proper or dirty grease.
Are you sure that it was not mounts causing the noise /vibration in the first place.
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, and it runs smooth as silk. But this is the only major problem I have with the car! The first time it happened, was 2.5 years ago. I replaced the driver front wheel bearing with a timken branded one, and had my mechanic replace it. It was good for 2 years, then the same signs/symptoms occurred again, and replaced it with another timken wheel bearing. That 2nd time replacement with timken had to be replaced 2-3 months later!! Again, it was good for a time being, then the signs/symptoms occured again.
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