Wheel Bearings I Know Wheel Bearings!!!!!!!!!

[bonez1203]

WHEEL BEARINGS I KNOW WHEEL BEARINGS!!!!!!!!!
i bought a 2001 alero 2.4 4dr gx from a dealer here in maine! The car was mint! it was great for about six months and one night driving to work (54mls)all the lights in the dash came on (trac off), (abs), (svs)! I baby this car!!
so i brought it back to the dealer, the dealer tells me that its the right front wheel bearing and it was replaced!! all should be good i thought... NOPE!!
the next month it happens again!! (lights on) so here we go again!! i bring it back for the dealer to tell me that its the left and the warrenty ran out so i would have to pay! about $350!
well i have fixed cars all my life so i go the the local parts store and spend the $100 for the wheel bearing and i installed it to the right specs, torc ect..
well one snowy morning i get the lights on again WTF!!!
well i buy another wheel bearing and so on!!!
well i have put three "sets" of bearings in this car
the last time was about a year ago and now the car lays broken in my garage!!
i just purchased a set from e-bay for $118 shipped so we will see
any :eek:

[cherrington17]

heard the ebay specials are horrible quality... :glare:

[meadus101]

I put a set of Champion hubs on mine. and they're tops thus far.


Make sure you replace both if you replace one. if not, they'll keep alternating like that forever.

[AGT]

The third one you bought? What side was it for? The front right? The one that the dealer replaced?

[bonez1203]

yup it was the front right

[bonez1203]

i just dont get it? is it the bearing or the spindles or something else?

[Midgear]

poor quality parts methinks..

[bonez1203]

i have only put timken bearings in it they are the only ones autozone sells up here!

[Midgear]

that's the only parts store you have access to? what kinda warranty do they offer?

[alerored04]

First of all it's not the bearing that fails, its the wheel speed sensor inside the bearing. Secondly, go to Napa, buy a part with a one year or lifetime warranty. I did that and the next time that part failed I brought in my receipt and the dealer scan showing that it had failed and they handed me a new part. It only cost 20-30 dollars more but it saved me a boatload in the long run. My only other advise is to put dilectric grease on the connections when you assemble it. That is most likely the part causing the problems due to corrosion.

[meadus101]

Or, get the R1 Concept rotors. it solves the wheel bearing problem.

[alerored04]

How does a brake rotor solve a failing wheel bearing sensor? That is completely false.

[meadus101]

Well, the sensor itself no. it doesn't solve that at all.

If you're spending all this money to get rid of some lights with no issue due to just a failed sensor? I say get some black tape and put over the lights.


As far as I know,

The Wheel bearing issue on the N body cars is related to the brakes. The Issue being that they get too hot, and cook the grease inside the Hubs. cause it to dry out and the hubs to go bad.

The R1 Concepts however, stay cooler than OEM's. and thus don't cook the grease. thus. solving the issue with the wheel bearings (within reason)


I could swear I read that somewhere on this site.


If it is indeed just the sensors, have the wires checked. there was an issue in which the wires would break and cause the computer to think there was an issue. Not sure what ever became of it. but there is a repair that's able to be done on the wiring itself.

[Ryan from Ohio]

Is the bearing(s) making any kind of growl noise? If not its sensor/electric related.

If they are growling its the bearing itself. That torque spec they list is simple to much IMHO. When you torque down to 150 Ft Lbs that outs a SHIT ton of pressure on those bearings.

I dont have an exact amount, but I just put mine snug and about 1/4 turn or so past. After a few months or so they started making noise. At which time my tires were very low on pressure and I tightened the bearings up a bit more.

Been months on end now NO ISSUES.

:yahoo:

[alerored04]

Meadus that seems very unbelievable. I have also ran drilled/slotted rotors on my car and I have gone through 5 wheel bearings. I finally got smart and bought warranted parts. It's not just the lights on the dash, the ABS and the trac control really do not work. The trac control isn't a big deal but no ABS in the winter gets to be a pain in the ass.

[cherrington17]

Meadus that seems very unbelievable. I have also ran drilled/slotted rotors on my car and I have gone through 5 wheel bearings. I finally got smart and bought warranted parts. It's not just the lights on the dash, the ABS and the trac control really do not work. The trac control isn't a big deal but no ABS in the winter gets to be a pain in the ass.

tell me about it... mine never had it from the get-go. :(

[zzyzzx]

heard the ebay specials are horrible quality... :glare:

So your Made in China bearings didn't last, and you are suprized?

:icon_rolleyes:

[AGT]

I never had to replace a wheel bearing oddly enough but I would be making the dealer pay for the 3rd wheel bearing that you had to purchase.

[Nate's Alero]

lulz, i love my wheel bearings, i have neve3r had a problem with them

[Ryan from Ohio]

So your Made in China bearings didn't last, and you are suprized?

:icon_rolleyes:

Seem to be holding up well now that Im not crushing them with an outrageous torque spec.

[bonez1203]

could anyone/someone give me a site or phone number for the bearings they use? is there a high performance bearing? the frist one was the only one that ever growled the other two were just the lights and no (abs), (trac off) and (svs) p.s. Meadus black tape doesn't help stop my car just ask the bus full of kids i almost crashed into last winter!!
i have put on drilled and slotted rotors and the last time i did the brakes i also replaced the front calipers! i love this car but its killing me money wise!
but thanks for all the input!!
Dave

[Gr1m]

is it just me or does noone else know what he typed in the first post?

[alerored04]

Do what I said, replace it with a warrateed item, that way next time it fails you get a free replacement. That is the only guarantee there is.

[bonez1203]

is there any company'(s) that make a high performance bearing?

[billytheman1188]

is it just me or does noone else know what he typed in the first post?

lol:lol: I kind of noticed that when people keep telling him to get another part..... i dont think thats the answer. There has to be another issue here, if you have replaced it a few times and a month later the lights come on again..... thats not normal. It should last longer, even if you did over torque them. Maybe there is a wiring problem?????? anyone have any other advice other than telling this guy to buy his 4th-5th bearing?

[alerored04]

Ooops! Sorry i fail at reading. A mechanic I spoke to about it said that sometimes the car end of the wiring is corroded causing this issue. If you have a dealer replace it again I would just ask them to double check the wiring that will stay with the vehicle. Otherwise I would take it apart and inspect that connection very well then go to the dealer and find the oldest most knowledgeable parts guy possible and explain to him that you need that part of the wiring. Then solder it together myself.

[meadus101]

could anyone/someone give me a site or phone number for the bearings they use? is there a high performance bearing? the frist one was the only one that ever growled the other two were just the lights and no (abs), (trac off) and (svs) p.s. Meadus black tape doesn't help stop my car just ask the bus full of kids i almost crashed into last winter!!
i have put on drilled and slotted rotors and the last time i did the brakes i also replaced the front calipers! i love this car but its killing me money wise!
but thanks for all the input!!
Dave



haha, Yea. The Covering the lights idea won't give you ABS or Trac Control..

I can drive without it, this is my first car that had it.


Like i posted up before, Look into the wiring issue. it's not unheard of either.

[Ryan from Ohio]

And wouldnt you F'ing know it. I make a comment that my bearings are doing good and BAM.

Lights came on the dash this morning while it was warming up. They come on after a bit every time I start the car now. its not instant but doesnt take to long...

Ive had enough of this bearing issue and this car in general. Come spring time the ALero is outta here and Im buying something else.

[bratch15]

bonez1203, you have replaced timken bearings already? I always spec out timken bearings here at work for our railgear. We use tapered roller bearings in our train wheels. We have never had any issues with timken. Timken has always stood behind their name, thats why they are one of the best bearing companies in the world. If you had to replace a hub with a timken bearing in it, I would get your ass on the phone and call timken up. They are always standing behind their name, in fact a timken rep is coming in on Monday to my work for a meeting so I might have a little talk with him. Theres also other key factors why the bearings are failing. Packing and greasing and torquing have to be almost precise or you are going to have problems. I have a bad wheel bearing and speed sensor as of yesterday and I am definitely going with timken. And to clear up China bearings, do not use them!!!! Our company switched to China bearings and Romanian bearings and we have had nothing but problems from our customers. We have tested China bearings numerous times and they do not hold up. And no, there is no such thing as a high performance bearing.

[bratch15]

Granted, I have only been an engineer for 2 years at this company, but I know a little about bearings. As far as the brakes being too hot and drying the grease, it would cause the bearing to seize. When the bearing seizes, the wheel would be hard to rotate when jacked up in the air. I don't think the brakes have anything to do with it, because I have had cross drilled and slotted rotors on my car for 2 years now and this is my 3rd wheel bearing that took a shit. I can guarantee that OEM bearings are made in China, just like 75% or more of the parts on our cars are made in China. It's sickening. I haven't ripped a hub off to see what kind of bearings Olds used. If theres no stamp on the bearings, you can almost bet they are made in China because all of our overseas bearings we got in had no stamping. And billy, the torque value is a MAJOR factor which can cause bearings to fail. I have seen it here at work when they are torqued too much. And when you have idiots that work in factories that don't give a shit about the product, you are bound to have problems.

[Ryan from Ohio]

The problem with Timken Bearings is this... If you need to have a specific and its not in stock when you go to order is about a year wait.

Keep this in mind.

We use Roller Bearings in all of our projects and lots of them... Weve had to redesign some of our items 2-3 times as the design was being worked out- timken sold what stock they had. Then we gotta redesign again!

[Gr1m]

Ooops! Sorry i fail at reading.

no this kid just epic fails at writing.

[draginwagin]

So - does Timken make a bearing for our cars and what is the part #?
Seems I may need one too.

[Gr1m]

just go to autozone and buy the timken from there i think it was around 130 for it

[SittinOnChrome]

I Use Swiss Bearings With Thunder Trucks

[Ryan from Ohio]

Skateboards?

[KenshinZero]

I Use Swiss Bearings With Thunder Trucks

Thunder Strike Trucks, Hi,Med,Lo? I have Tensor Mid, Magnesum, with Ninja Bearings, lol

[99alerogirl]

And wouldnt you F'ing know it. I make a comment that my bearings are doing good and BAM.

Lights came on the dash this morning while it was warming up. They come on after a bit every time I start the car now. its not instant but doesnt take to long...

Ive had enough of this bearing issue and this car in general. Come spring time the ALero is outta here and Im buying something else.

... and I was about to comment on never having to replace my bearings... on second thought, I'll just leave it at this!

[KenshinZero]

... and I was about to comment on never having to replace my bearings... on second thought, I'll just leave it at this!

Any time you brag about something, that something breaks or stops working, just to spite you, lol

[Mr_Reed]

I put Timken hub and bearing assembly's on mine.

[draginwagin]

So when the lights go on (SVS, SBS, trac off), how do you know which wheel is the cause? Money is kinda tight right now with the wife gettin' canned. (Economy, budget cuts yada yada.) If I get it scanned, will there be a code, and will the code be wheel specific?

The lights 1st came on in a car wash, so I was hoping it was just a wiring problem that got wet. I figured it would go away after it dried out but no. I already checked the wires/connectors at each wheel and they look fine. There are no bearing noises so I'm guessing a sensor went south.

[Ryan from Ohio]

Is it making any noise yet? Like a rumble or a grow that stops when you turn a certain way?

If not you still have some time?

If so, its usually the side that stops growling when you turn in its direction.

[meadus101]

Yea. It doesn't count as a wheel bearing problem until it growls.

[draginwagin]

Shortly after startup, within the 1st 5 minutes of a trip it will make a funny noise as if the traction control is activating, then the lights come on and the noise goes away.
I tried to get it scanned at Autozone but no codes showed up and the guy said his code reader could only check engine codes but no body/chassis codes.
So I still don't know which wheel hub sensor is bad.

[lonnie]

I found alittle info on trouble shooting too.

http://www.paulstravelpictures.com/GM-ABS-TCS-Off-Dash-Warning-Lights/index.html