Rear wheel bearings

[crawal]

Had a noise in the back of the car , checked the RH side big wobble , off to the indy to fix (nit the right tools to tackle this ) Then he rings me the LH side was worse ,at 170 k i thought they would go longer , already replaced a front LH EGRS few weeks ago What is next ?

[Ean Austral]

My RH rear failed at 160k , but 10 yr old car that spent most of its life in the tropics and big wet seasons. I ended up doing both just for piece of mind.

The joys of mechanical components

Cheers Ean

[Disco-tastic]

Mine went at 9yrs and about 170k km. My fronts were not long after. Cost me $1500 for all 4, and installed the fronts myself (the hub bolts on/off)

Since buying it in 2015 with 150k km i have taken it through a few muddy puddles. If they last another 150k km i will be happy.

My Hyundai i30 needed a front wheel bearing done before 90k km, if thats any comparison. It chewed through the hub too.

[101RRS]

Ok - so my RRS is 11 years old and now covered 175,000km - no noises or issues but I have had wheel bearings in the back of my mind for a while as I have had some nasty problems in the past when I had my Series 3 (wheel fell off) and Subaru.

Now I know that when you replace the bearings on the RRS/D3 you get the hub complete with the bearing and you cannot just do the bearings themselves, however can the bearings be repacked?

Based on the kms discussed in this thread can I expect some issues before too long?

Garry

[DiscoJeffster]

No the bearings cannot be repacked as they are a fully sealed unit.

[vbrab]

I managed to get nearly 300K out of my bearings (possibly through ignornance, as the workshop replaced them all on the same day).
I hadn't noticed anything wrong on my 2000k trips to the workshop, but evidently they reckoned all needed replacing on same day.
Since bearings are sealed, and you cannot spin the wheel to check for bearing rumble or such, it seems that the only way to check wheel bearings is to simply jack the wheel off ground, and grab top to bottom, or side to side and look for "wriggle".
ANY movement, then time to replace.
I have found a couple of Australian suppliers who will deliver pairs of front hubs for between $127-135 a pair, so they are not expensive.
There are other brands of hubs that specify Timken bearings within and they are only slightly dearer.
Just replace, not worth the worry.

[theelms66]

I managed to get nearly 300K out of my bearings (possibly through ignornance, as the workshop replaced them all on the same day).
I hadn't noticed anything wrong on my 2000k trips to the workshop, but evidently they reckoned all needed replacing on same day.
Since bearings are sealed, and you cannot spin the wheel to check for bearing rumble or such, it seems that the only way to check wheel bearings is to simply jack the wheel off ground, and grab top to bottom, or side to side and look for "wriggle".
ANY movement, then time to replace.
I have found a couple of Australian suppliers who will deliver pairs of front hubs for between $127-135 a pair, so they are not expensive.
There are other brands of hubs that specify Timken bearings within and they are only slightly dearer.
Just replace, not worth the worry.Care to share.

[DiscoClax]

$130 for a pair? Genuine ones cost about double that, each. So four times the price (or a lot more again if you get it in the green box). I just brought a pair of genuine OE Timkens in for a bit under $400 landed and that was pretty sharp pricing. I would be wary of cheaper bearings for something so critical myself.

[101RRS]

I have read on other forums to ensure whatever brand hubs you get, that they should have Timkin bearings - if not a changeover will be required before too long as no name bearings will not last long.

Garry

[Ean Austral]

I managed to get nearly 300K out of my bearings (possibly through ignornance, as the workshop replaced them all on the same day).
I hadn't noticed anything wrong on my 2000k trips to the workshop, but evidently they reckoned all needed replacing on same day.
Since bearings are sealed, and you cannot spin the wheel to check for bearing rumble or such, it seems that the only way to check wheel bearings is to simply jack the wheel off ground, and grab top to bottom, or side to side and look for "wriggle".
ANY movement, then time to replace.
I have found a couple of Australian suppliers who will deliver pairs of front hubs for between $127-135 a pair, so they are not expensive.
There are other brands of hubs that specify Timken bearings within and they are only slightly dearer.
Just replace, not worth the worry.

Just remember that you DONT engage the handbrake when checking the rear bearing in this manor.

Cheers Ean

[Disco-tastic]

Ok - so my RRS is 11 years old and now covered 175,000km - no noises or issues but I have had wheel bearings in the back of my mind for a while as I have had some nasty problems in the past when I had my Series 3 (wheel fell off) and Subaru.

Now I know that when you replace the bearings on the RRS/D3 you get the hub complete with the bearing and you cannot just do the bearings themselves, however can the bearings be repacked?

Based on the kms discussed in this thread can I expect some issues before too long?

GarryOnly the front come as hubs, which undo with 4 bolts. They are super easy and a side can be done in an hour. The rears (at least on the D3, and I dont think they changed for the D4) are press fit into the hubs and take 2-3 hrs each side (based on what i was charged by my Indy). Not sure if you can just buy a replacement rear hub with bearings fitted.

[101RRS]

Thanks for that - but I am now confused as people have indicated front and rears are a complete hub/bearing assembly but I may have misunderstood.

So with the rears you do just replace the bearings unlike the fronts where the hub is replaced?

Cheers

garry

[Ean Austral]

Thanks for that - but I am now confused as people have indicated front and rears are a complete hub/bearing assembly but I may have misunderstood.

So with the rears you do just replace the bearings unlike the fronts where the hub is replaced?

Cheers

garry

Yep, the front is a complete assembly so you unbolt it and bolt on a complete new unit. the rears you press out the old bearing and press in the new the refit to the car.

Cheers Ean

[Markus1]

Either the wobble test or better still mechanics ears (can make your own for cheap too) are the best way to test. The test of turn left and right and listening for noise often identifies the wrong side.

[vbrab]

You are all quite right to recommend Timken bearing in the hubs, nothing less, and they are usually much cheaper than genuine (which likely have Timken in them).
One cheapie seller on Ebay was offering a 3 year warranty on the bearings, but imagine the mucking about to claim on that lot.
When the service guys replaced all of mine (with non genuine but with Timken bearings in the hubs) they charged me "genuine" type price.
So I checked with state LR parts supplier, and Lo, they had genuine LR hubs on special at cheaper than "Timken" aftermarket brands.
(And I would have been about $400 cheaper on the full set if my service guy had checked with them first.........maybe he did and I was just charged anyway...who knows?)
So maybe check with your LR dealer first in case they have a "special" going.

[DiscoClax]

Timken are the original, genuine supplier AFAIK. Getting the hubs in a Timken box or green box is the only difference. My new Timken hubs have genuine LR part numbers on them.

[vbrab]

Cheapest I have found for Timken bearing front hubs (with nut) was $160 each (ex UK), but you still have freight on that.
So work that against whatever your best price will be from local supply for same.
I think when LR dealer had their special on front hubs, it was $245 each or thereabouts. (Pretty reasonable for Land Rover.)

[DiscoClax]

That's about what I paid (LRDirect). Hard to say what the freight was as I got a (heavy) front diff and a few other things at the same time so shipping + duty added up. But their freight & duty calculator in checkout is pretty good so you can rack it up before you pull the trigger. One week from order to boxes arriving in semi-rural Vic. And most of that time was at this end. Not bad...

[shanegtr]

I done my RH rear @ 200,000 and the LH rear at 240,000. My disco is heavy on the rear axle as well with the 100L long range tank and kaymar twin spare rear bar + the 3rd row seats are nearly always in use as well

Both front wheel bearings where replaced at 174,000 not long after I first brought my D3

[Grappler]

Need to replace front RH wheel bearing assembly on our 2006 RRS, as its collapsed (260K)

Ive been looking into the options for replacement. Im tempted to give the cheap kits available on ebay for about $100, a go. Has anyone had a bad experience with the cheapies.
As mentioned earlier in this thread sometimes the genuine is on special, so I will check with a dealer.
Are Timken for $360, the way to go? I see they are sold on Amazon and other forum discussions reckon they are made in China anyway?

[INter674]

I bought a Chinesium one for the D2a for a trip emergency but installed it later as i was seling the car. The seal failed within12 months. Gen lasted over 200 000ks. I avoid Chinese for any of our cars and other machinery critical parts.

[Pippin]

Need to replace front RH wheel bearing assembly on our 2006 RRS, as its collapsed (260K)

Ive been looking into the options for replacement. Im tempted to give the cheap kits available on ebay for about $100, a go. Has anyone had a bad experience with the cheapies.
As mentioned earlier in this thread sometimes the genuine is on special, so I will check with a dealer.
Are Timken for $360, the way to go? I see they are sold on Amazon and other forum discussions reckon they are made in China anyway? Don't do it! I brought a pair to replace LHF and have a spare and got 19,000 klm before having to replace with the spare. At 9,000 klm so far I expect to have to buy Timken soon. The first one is in the Tip near you. Nick

[Grappler]

Been do some googling on conterfeit Tinkin bearings. This link is a typical article on the problem. The fakes are hard to distinguish from the real thing, apart from failing prematurely
According to press releases by Timkin and SKF they say they only sell through distributors not on Amazon

Bogus Bearings Look More Real Than the Real Ones (https://www.electronicsweekly.com/made-by-monkeys/fakes-frauds/bogus-bearings-look-more-real-2007-04/)

[Disco-tastic]

Need to replace front RH wheel bearing assembly on our 2006 RRS, as its collapsed (260K)

Ive been looking into the options for replacement. Im tempted to give the cheap kits available on ebay for about $100, a go. Has anyone had a bad experience with the cheapies.
As mentioned earlier in this thread sometimes the genuine is on special, so I will check with a dealer.
Are Timken for $360, the way to go? I see they are sold on Amazon and other forum discussions reckon they are made in China anyway?I bought genuine through All 4x4 spares or lrdirect . I think they were about $450 delivered for both sides.

Its not a hard job so if you did want to try the chinese cheapies its not the end of the world

[PerthDisco]

Are the Meyle brand front wheel bearings regarded also as inferior to Timken as a good name otherwise.

[haydent]

Could you press out the rear drive flange and bearings and refit with a 6T or 12T press ??

[josh.huber]

Could you press out the rear drive flange and bearings and refit with a 6T or 12T press ??

Mmmm, I hit the flange out with a hammer with the hub on my lap.

The bearing from memory loaded up my press and it's 20t, it did them.. But I remember thinking I might need to help it.

I'm my opinion you wouldn't bash out the old bearing. You'd need to press it. And I think you'd get the new bearing in with 12t.

Oh the inner race stuck to the drive hub..I had to carefully grind it off.

[haydent]

I ended up going to a friends instead of buying my own. he has a 20T, though im pretty sure a 12T would have been fine.

The trickiest thing is having the right size bits to press in with and support it, we blew one new bearing by not supporting the rear of it while pressing in the flange.

We used this type of tool to pull the inner race off the drive flange

182427

Also doing up the rear half (drive) shaft nut was 350nm!

[Eric SDV6SE]

Could you press out the rear drive flange and bearings and refit with a 6T or 12T press ??

Yes, did mine in a 10t press at a mates place, we just had to machine up an adapter to seat into the bearing rather than on the hub, this was a piece of round bar stock. You could also use a standard socket and turn it down to fit.

[Tombie]

I bought genuine through All 4x4 spares or lrdirect . I think they were about $450 delivered for both sides.

Its not a hard job so if you did want to try the chinese cheapies its not the end of the world

Except if they fail at an inopertune location or time... Then all savings are instantly negated...

[haydent]

Yes, did mine in a 10t press at a mates place, we just had to machine up an adapter to seat into the bearing rather than on the hub, this was a piece of round bar stock. You could also use a standard socket and turn it down to fit.

a standard socket ? the rear bearing is like 88mm diameter ... i just used the old bearing casings

[Eric SDV6SE]

a standard socket ? the rear bearing is like 88mm diameter ... i just used the old bearing casings

I pressed on the inner race, didn't want to risk damaging the bore.

[haydent]

I pressed on the inner race, didn't want to risk damaging the bore.

would have thought it better to press by outter edge than inner race, main thing i got caught out on as mentioned is supporting the lower inner race from below when pressing the flange in.