Re: Front Wheel Bearings

It's hard to say how long you can wait, probably somewhere between a day and a month....lol. It can fail anytime.
I believe the last time I checked, it was about $50.00 for two, but prices may vary greatly depending on locality.
I like to replace in pairs, if one goes, the other is probably not far behind.
The job is fairly simple if you have a press or a front wheel bearing kit. Otherwise, it's tough with the usual suspects of hand tools.
I found a place to get take-off parts nearby, so I buy the entire upright with bearings and wheel studs for about $100.00 for both. It also gives me great, easy to change, track spares.

 

Re: Front Wheel Bearings

Wasn't Ford going to be releasing a new, updated bearing soon?

 

Re: Front Wheel Bearings

I believe the updated bearing was due around the April timeframe.....

.

 

Re: Front Wheel Bearings

What's different?

 

Re: Front Wheel Bearings

$$$ about $100

Labor about 4 hours (you have to separate the bearing from the knukkle, and hub sleeve, be sure to have a cut off wheel (90 degree) and a big press.

Bearings can be purchased separately..don't have the part # handy.

I wouldn't compete if you can hear it...I have replaced mine twice already!

Difficulty rating: 7-8 out of 10 due to tools required and physical labor.

 

Re: Front Wheel Bearings

...be sure to have a cut off wheel (90 degree) and a big press.

Alternately, a bearing splitter works well and removes the danger of marring the spindle.

 

Re: Front Wheel Bearings

michael, you may remember my post in feb about this. for me it's going to be part of my annual maintenence to replace the bearings AND hubs. when the drivers side broke, we also replaced the passenger side.

 

Re: Front Wheel Bearings

hmmmm i thought the rears were the only trouble makers, interestin

-Ult

 

Re: Front Wheel Bearings

when the drivers side broke, we also replaced the passenger side.

You did huh?

 

Re: Front Wheel Bearings

yes mutton head. not taking any chances. btw, murphy's (where we'll be for pocono) sounds very zen. as in plastic flowers in beer bottles for decor. sounds like our kind of dump.

 

Re: Front Wheel Bearings

Millie's Rocks....

So, given the fact that the labor is still a Seperate Project for each side, you'd still recommend both at once regardless??

 

Re: Front Wheel Bearings

ah yes michael. we were there 2 weekends ago. thought of you and the rest of the track whores. btw, came up with a cheap place to stay for g and w. 40 bucks a night with a lake front view. sleeps 3 or 4. 10 minutes from track.

 

Re: Front Wheel Bearings

Just make sure you dont have any protruding bolts on your exhause system... I knocked mine of twice going in there.

 

Re: Front Wheel Bearings

Ok, here are my findings on this end.

I pulled some of the hubs and bearings from the trash can taken in on cores. Of the ones I looked at (three hubs and three bearings) the hubs are marginal where they were pressed out of the bearing.

However, two of the bearing I looked at have copper colored balls. Only a step below blue balls. (!) and that's HEAT my friend. Lots of it.

I'd really suggest that you attempt to pull the bearing apart and do some high temp grease in there. Mobil 1, Royal Purple, Redline, your choice. I'm betting your problems go away.

 

Re: Front Wheel Bearings

I'd really suggest that you attempt to pull the bearing apart and do some high temp grease in there. Mobil 1, Royal Purple, Redline, your choice. I'm betting your problems go away.

I have used the Mobil 1 grease in other applications and have had horrible problems with it seperating. IMHO I would go with one of the other brands.

 

Re: Front Wheel Bearings

The high temp grease will help. A lot of the heat that is helping to fail the bearing if you are runing production calipers with high temp pads is coming from the brake rotors if you can cool them it will help .

 

Re: Front Wheel Bearings

How about some sort of thin insulating spacer between the rotor and hub?

 

Re: Front Wheel Bearings

Getting more cold air in and hot air out away from the hub and rotor is what you would like, you would be limited to the area of the insulater and how fast it would disipate the heat and where it would go.

 

Re: Front Wheel Bearings

Robs, seeing phenolic wheel spacers....

I'm seeing two piece hats and improved rotors... hmm.
Anyone up for something new?

 

Re: Front Wheel Bearings

Could you do it in a stock size? Oh, what the hell I don't even know why I'm asking, I should be in a CRX this time next week.

 

Re: Front Wheel Bearings

I have a slight "whirring", as Michael put it, coming from the front right wheel. It is so faint that I can only notice it with the windows down. The best place to detect it is on a quiet country road. It doesn't start until I'm up to speed somewhere around 40mph. And it seemes to be more prevalent when slightly turning in one direction. And it will sometimes go away when I'm turning in the opposite direction. It's only present when under steady state cruising conditions. Like when you're holding the car at say 45. With a light tap of the brakes or a punch of the throttle, it goes away but then comes right back once you return to zero acceleration (positive or negative).

I had the car in for state inspection yesterday at a place that I trust. I told them about the noise and asked them to see if they thought it was the wheel bearings. They said that they could not reproduce the noise and that the wheel bearings seemed OK. What do you guys think? Is it the wheel bearing(s) or just the brakes? The brakes are Mintex A/F on EBC rotors and are only about 1 year old. But I didn't use any of that "anti squeal" grease that came with them.

Just trying to distinguish between a bad wheel bearing and possible brake shoe noise. Michael, could you more clearly describe the "whirring" you heard? Also anyone, is there a way to check the wheel bearings withough taking things apart? I tried to rock the wheel when I had it up in the air to change wheels the other day and everything felt solid? Any other suggestions? Sorry if I sound like a noob. Just trying to learn. And I want to make sure that things are safe before my next track day.

 

Re: Front Wheel Bearings

If you can feel it by rocking the wheel, you need to park it.
Mine started out almost like tire noise over a coarse-grained pavement, but only in the right front, and it was obviously wheel-speed dependent. Yes, it's only heard when off the gas, (On our cars...

) but once you start hearing it, it will stick with you even with the radio on at medium volume, because for me anyway, I can FEEL it ever so slightly in addition to the noise.
To further describe it Eric, it sounds like, "WHHHHIRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR".

It's not Loud yet, but it's pretty obvious for me that mine's not related to the brakes at all, as braking has no effect in the sound, other than reducing the frequency of the Whirring.

 

Re: Front Wheel Bearings

If you can feel it by rocking the wheel, you need to park it.
Mine started out almost like tire noise over a coarse-grained pavement, but only in the right front, and it was obviously wheel-speed dependent. Yes, it's only heard when off the gas, (On our cars...

) but once you start hearing it, it will stick with you even with the radio on at medium volume, because for me anyway, I can FEEL it ever so slightly in addition to the noise.
To further describe it Eric, it sounds like, "WHHHHIRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR".

It's not Loud yet, but it's pretty obvious for me that mine's not related to the brakes at all, as braking has no effect in the sound, other than reducing the frequency of the Whirring.

Thanks for the extra info Xi! So, since the wheel bearing "feels" tight (by shaking the wheel/tire), and the whirring stopps when I ever so slightly rest my foot on the brakes, it appears that my "WHHHHIRRRRRRRRRRRRRR" is most likely brake shoe related and not bearing related.

 

Re: Front Wheel Bearings

Back to the heat issue. My ball bearings were an beautiful, iradescent purple. How does one flush the original grease out and put in new stuff? Sorry, I have only ever changed sealed bearings!

 

Re: Front Wheel Bearings

Back to the heat issue. My ball bearings were an beautiful, iradescent purple. How does one flush the original grease out and put in new stuff? Sorry, I have only ever changed sealed bearings!

I'd have to see what they look like first, but on any other car that I've had where I "re-packed" the bearings we just soaked them in parts cleaner(kerosene). Then blew them out with air. Then you put a glob of grease in your palm and hold the bearing in your other hand. You push the bearing into the grease countless times until the grease works itself all the way into the bearings. This sound farmiliar guys?

Or, will things just go all over the place when you take our Focus bearings apart to change the grease? Haven't seen what they look like yet. It would be cool if someone wanted to post a pic.

Edit: I can't believe I posted that 'cause I'm sure Rich knows about this. Just a little confused today I guess. I just can't imagine that Rich has never re-packed wheel bearings before???