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I've had a grinding sound coming from the front since an offroad trip 2 weekends ago. Its been getting worse & is most noticeable at ~50kmh with any sort of left steering. Today I jacked up the car & the front right wheel wobbles both up & down & side to side. So thats a wheel bearing?

My question is, I'm moving in a few weeks & dont really have the time to do it now. Can I leave it till after I've moved or do I risk damaging the hub & worse, a seized bearing. Or will it be some time before it goes totally?

If you can physically wobble your wheel around, don't leave it like that.
Yeah could be wheel bearing. Otherwise also check that the large nut in the middle is tight - the one that holds the CV joint into the hub. If you don't have much time available it's probably worth getting a garage to inspect and even do the job to rectify it for you. Paying a couple of hours labour may not be too much of a burden in the long run if it sorts the issue out quick/easy.

Yeah the axle nut is tight.

Unfortunately no money either! So I'll be doing it myself. How do I check the hub is ok when I put in the new bearing?

It might be worth your while to pick up a used hub assembly to get you through the move. Then swap in new bearings when you have the coin and the time.

The hub should be fine so long as there's no seizure of the bearing

Cheers

Bennie

I'm thinking I'll just remove both hubs & get them done now. Shouldnt be too hard. I'll try the mechanic across the road, see if he can press out the old bearings & press in the new ones for me

Press would make it easier but its not neccesary, can just tap them out / in easily.

AndrewT wrote:Press would make it easier but its not neccesary, can just tap them out / in easily.

Ok I'll try that. Did you use a socket to tap them out?

From another forum, this is bad!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oJNzIeMEqnk

Here's mine, sound a bit dry!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U2GSMWkUoU8

Wow they are well gone!
I used to use an old 1/2" extension bar from my ratty old set to tap them out.
To tap the new ones in, use the old bearing in between - strangly its the exact right size

Im assuming they are basically the same as L series ones btw, only ever done L series myself.

Wheel bearings are done. No damage to hub or spindle One side was stuck in good & proper, took the mechanic a while to get it out.

He charged me $80 (I removed the hubs & brought them in to him & supplied the bearing kits). $160 for the bearing kits brings the total to $240. I'd hate to think what a mechanic would have charged for the full job, let alone a stealership!

good outcome