Thread: How long do wheel bearings last?

Originally Posted by Bearman

I know it's a problem with Chinese copies of everything these day including counterfeit aircraft part with attached counterfeit certification of authentication, but in all honesty how do you know if the hologram is genuine - they have probably worked out how to replicate that. Nothing is sacred anymore!

There's a lot of good Chinese and Indian components. Unfortunately it's real easy to import the cheapest in commercial quantities and wack it on eBay.

Have to agree Pete, in quality I understand that you get what you pay for with the asian imports and apparently they CAN manufacture parts to proper standard if they want to. But it is a bit worrying especially with things like counterfeit aircraft parts that have failed and the consequences have been tracked down to the inferior quality part (often with dire consequence). Sorry for the thread hijack fellas. Wheel bearings should last almost a lifetime if not abused (by water, misadjustment etc)

Not a Discovery1, but similar - my 110 has done 590,000km with the original bearings on three wheels still going strong. Also original front brake rotors, although the rear drums were replaced at about 500,000km

John

Originally Posted by rar110

There's a lot of good Chinese and Indian components. Unfortunately it's real easy to import the cheapest in commercial quantities and wack it on eBay.

Very true, my dad just had some wheel bearings for 1920's Dodges made in china as they arent even available in the US , quality is excellent and is even selling them to US owners.

Sent from my GT-I9300 using AULRO mobile app

Originally Posted by Tombie

A bearing's service life is easily predicted as it is based on statistical data. In fact, it is mainly based on the probability of encountering conditions that will lead to cracking: high stress loading combined with material heterogeneity.

Car wheel bearings are designed such that 90 % of them will easily achieve 500,000 kilometres. Thus, it may be predicted that 999 out of 1,000 will achieve 100,000 kilometres.

Premature bearing damage
Other causes, usually abnormal, may cause premature damage of a bearing and impact bearing service life, notably:

In 70 % of cases, incorrect lubrication: too much or too little; wrong lubricant, etc... In 18 % of cases, pollution: penetration of liquid or solid particles, hence the importance of seals as seal defects can give rise to leakage of lubricant and penetration of pollution. In 10 % of cases, incorrect assembly; careless assembly, excessive heating, incorrect adjustment of gap clearance, excessive tightening of the taper sleeve, geometric defects, etc... And in 2 % of cases, diverse reasons: use under unsuitable loads, incorrect adjustment, contact corrosion, passage of an electrical current, etc?
Bearings are designed and selected to have a specific service life under application operation conditions.

Your spot on regarding the majority of bearings failing due to lubrication issues - too little, too much, contamination etc... When you look up the theoretical service life of bearings they can actually last a very long time, but unfortunately (or fortunately if your a bearing manufacturer )most never make anywhere near their potential service life.

Originally Posted by simmo

where i worked, we use vibration monitoring to pick them on the way out.

That's what I do for a living - its amazing how long before changeout we can pickup a bearing fault

Unfortunately d2 RR style CV's dont last anywhere near what the Deefer/D1 wheel bearing and swivel joint does. The CV wheel bearing is a complete part including half shaft axle too.

Cheers