Thread: Is this how wheel bearings fail

The path just behind you looked like a better path to take, wouldn't have got bogged

Never experienced a sudden lockup or any squeaking for that matter. I've had bearings completely collapse with no signs except for grinding on the disk. I have seen wheels come off because of stuffed bearings. Anything is possible though my friend. I grease my bearings with marine grease after every single trip. As soon as your wheels go above the axles in water the grease is stuffed. By the looks of that hole you would have had a nice build up of silt in the bearings as well. Damn this school of hard knocks If I were you I'd be greasing the cv and uni joints before you go much further also if you havn't got long breathers on the diffs or if you havn't cleaned out the breather lines in awhile you may want to change the diff oil, water will suck in through the stub axle seals if these are blocked. It looks almst deep enough to get the gear box as well. Not trying to scare you but I've drained plenty of milky white oil from diffs and boxs after holes even as small as this.

Mudsloth - If the seals are working properly, the breathers are clear (and higher than the water), and the diffs werent burning hot when quenched...

Then there will be no water / dirt / contamination in the assembly...

Its not possible! Thats what the seals are attempting to prevent!

Lara did a lot of swimming and I only had the bearings done for the new owner by the dealership as a service item... (Turned out to be a bad idea - the Former LR dealer did a dodgy job)
On removal, they were good to reinstall...

I have had several bearings go all made a grinding noise prior to failure but they were front wheels so in a deefer if you are going fast enough you may not hear them

drowning the bearings in water does lead to bearing failure. Usually tho you do get some notice Typically the method of failure that youve experienced is the brake linings binding onto the drum because of excess play in the collapsed bearing, once you take the weight off of the wheel it should free up and be able to turn again.

It can happen on discs but usually they make a horrid grinding noise as the rotor takes up the duty of aligning the axle and begins to munch on the caliper.

Regular rim rock checks and bearing inspection will stave off this kind of failure but it can still happen due to poor maintenenace technique(pick a reason brain farts, dodgy mechanicing, wrong instructions) or bearing failure.

Originally Posted by Tombie

Mudsloth - If the seals are working properly, the breathers are clear (and higher than the water), and the diffs werent burning hot when quenched...

Then there will be no water / dirt / contamination in the assembly...

Its not possible! Thats what the seals are attempting to prevent!

Lara did a lot of swimming and I only had the bearings done for the new owner by the dealership as a service item... (Turned out to be a bad idea - the Former LR dealer did a dodgy job)
On removal, they were good to reinstall...

More than possible mate, it happens, when you dunk a diff that's full of hot air in cold water and the hot air can't escape through the breather it will take the route of least resistance which will always be you're bearing/diff seals. Once the hot air escapes water WILL suck in past the seals without any problems. Can't argue with physics or experience mate. Well, of course you can argue but in this case you'd be wrong.....

Originally Posted by Mudsloth

More than possible mate, it happens, when you dunk a diff that's full of hot air in cold water and the hot air can't escape through the breather it will take the route of least resistance which will always be you're bearing/diff seals. Once the hot air escapes water WILL suck in past the seals without any problems. Can't argue with physics or experience mate. Well, of course you can argue but in this case you'd be wrong.....

Not arguing... And I have lots of mud and water experience...

Hot air expands, dropping in density as it does so and increasing pressure inside the axle (hows that for physics) this pressure attempts to equalise with the surrounding air via the diff breather (when functioning correctly) or when blocked via Hub seals (thats the bad part). Upon contact with a cooling material (dunked in cold water) the air cools, gains density, creating a lower pressure inside the hub/diff assembly - drawing the outside air in... (Or water as is being discussed). It is the cooling that causes the problem, not the heating...

This, as you said is via the path of least resistance... So we agree there...

However... IF your diff breather is of sufficient capacity, as to allow the assembly to "breathe in" and equalise the pressure then no water will be drawn past a functioning seal assembly as this is now not the point of easiest entry.

Also, if one slows down / stops and cools the diff / bearing / hub assembly prior to 'taking the plunge' then there is a reduced difference in pressures between the atmosphere and aforementioned assembly, which when combined with adequate breathers and good seals will prevent the ingress of water.



I dont need to argue, you aren't the only one who plays in mud and water.

But out of the 2 of us, sounds like you are the one who got water in your bearings...


In all the Landies I've had, not one has ever has water in the diffs, gearbox, TC or hubs...

This is because they were ALL prepared and/or modified before this sort of driving was carried out...

For the mud pluggers out there:
- Enlarged or multiple breathers on diffs
- extended breather lines
- dont pressure clean your hubs after a run, low pressure only.
- keep your seals in good order, If oil is getting out water can get in.
- let it cool before taking the plunge (if possible)

"In all the Landies I've had, not one has ever has water in the diffs, gearbox, TC or hubs..."

Im standing with Mike on this one
There is this thing called the wet season and we kinda like fishing - fish like the wet season so we go chase em!
I have spent a full day in mud that deep pretty well winching from tree to tree when we got our timing wrong and got caught out at the coast
On inspection of the fender afterwards, no water in either axle (I run oil through entire axle as one compartment) or either gear bag

Mates hilux and troopy though had milky diffs? and needed an oil change?

To get to the point of the post - the mud hole would perhaps have had an effect on the failure but only if as Mike said your seals or breathers were not doing their job.
Ill take a stab and say that you bearings run in grease too
S