Front wheel bearings

bluesheepbrian · Post by **bluesheepbrian** » Sun Dec 25, 2005 10:08 pm

How long does the front wheel bearings last in the Lanos? Is it expensive to replace? Can I do it myself?

Audacity Racing · Post by **Audacity Racing** » Sun Dec 25, 2005 11:32 pm

if you have an arbor or hydraulic press you can swap them yourself. they are pressed together with the hub.

gm-car-parts lists it at 51 dollars. that's not too bad. my cerobears were 165 each :twisted:

MMamdouh · Post by **MMamdouh** » Mon Dec 26, 2005 12:33 am

can't tell how long should they last as it depends on how you use your car.

MMamdouh

BosnianLanos · Post by **BosnianLanos** » Mon Dec 26, 2005 4:13 am

You should be alright to about 100,000 miles, without even worrying about it, and you maybe able to go even more without any problems.

It pretty much boils down to what conditions and how much you drive. I drove an absolute buttload in sandy and moist Florida so mine started grinding horribly ~110,000 miles and I just changed the whole strut assembly because I got it for $30 w/30,000 miles and it went in without a problem and I didn't have to use any kind of press whatsover.

bluesheepbrian · Post by **bluesheepbrian** » Tue Dec 27, 2005 1:38 am

would a huge pothole, (which dented my rim) cause the problem. well I called the dealership and my warranty is void also. I dont get it also the Lanos has only 32,500 miles on it.

My car is making a soft grinding(not metal on metal) while I am driving I turn off the car and coast, and I still can hear the noise. so its not the engine.

Audacity Racing · Post by **Audacity Racing** » Tue Dec 27, 2005 1:47 am

it could be a bearing or hub... that's the only thing that continues to move (the cv's/axles move... but don't make soft noises.. they clunk)

BosnianLanos · Post by **BosnianLanos** » Tue Dec 27, 2005 3:20 am

Constant grinding noise would be a wheel bearing. A large bump could dislodge the "spring" that keeps the ball bearings in place.

It would be a good idea to get it checked out.

MMamdouh · Post by **MMamdouh** » Tue Dec 27, 2005 1:54 pm

lift and jack the car
spin the front tire as fas as you can byu hand
put your ear to the fender and listen carefully

if you hear grinding then the bearings are gone... no grinding then bearings are OK.

MMamdouh

bluesheepbrian · Post by **bluesheepbrian** » Wed Dec 28, 2005 1:16 am

BosnianLanos wrote:Constant grinding noise would be a wheel bearing. A large bump could dislodge the "spring" that keeps the ball bearings in place.

It would be a good idea to get it checked out.

Do I need to check it out right away, dont have a garage and theres lots of snow.

BosnianLanos · Post by **BosnianLanos** » Wed Dec 28, 2005 3:19 am

bluesheepbrian wrote:
BosnianLanos wrote:Constant grinding noise would be a wheel bearing. A large bump could dislodge the "spring" that keeps the ball bearings in place.

It would be a good idea to get it checked out.
Do I need to check it out right away, dont have a garage and theres lots of snow.

Thats the thing with wheel bearings, they could go in 5 minutes or 5 months, but you can be sure when you hear the grinding, they will fall apart and shoot ball bearings everywhere.

However, the wheel bearing design in the Lanos is sealed, so you should be safe waiting a bit, but again, don't wait too long.

bluesheepbrian · Post by **bluesheepbrian** » Fri Dec 30, 2005 2:16 am

Well looks like I was wrong, drove home last night and got home and smelld' burning, found the smell and my problem(since no hubcap) I could see the rotor glowing almost red from heat.

So it looks like it is the calipers that lockd' up or somthing that was causing the problem.

Dillon · Post by **Dillon** » Fri Dec 30, 2005 3:52 pm

That would do it

bluesheepbrian · Post by **bluesheepbrian** » Sun Jan 15, 2006 5:46 pm

Well looks like the calipers did lock up, took a week to get the part in. Cost me $260. Took it home this week and well..
it is still doing it so it looks like it is the wheel bearing, so looks like a new project for me...
was wondering anybody has any pointers and if anybody wants a how-to when I do, and if I do, do it myself.

MMamdouh · Post by **MMamdouh** » Sun Jan 15, 2006 6:14 pm

it is hard... specially the part where you have to press the old bearings out and the new ones in.

MMamdouh

BosnianLanos · Post by **BosnianLanos** » Sun Jan 15, 2006 9:44 pm

Just go to a junkyard and pick up the entire front strut assembly for the Lanos that includes a new shock, spring, and wheel bearing already in it. You can get it for $50 and it is much easier than actually popping out the old bearing and pressing in a new one.