When wheel bearings go bad...

TheGreatAndPowerfulOz · Tue May 09, 2006 2:59 pm

This is no fun.

The driver side front wheel bearing has gone bad on my Lanos.
I first noticed something wrong on Friday when I heard a squeeking/scraping sound, but I could not locate it.
Saturday it got worse, and on Monday, I saw the rotor has been scraped into by the caliper where the car is leaning into it.
I grabbed the wheel and I can wobble it around, so I know it is the bearing.

So, I have stopped driving it until the ground dries up some after all the rain we have had.
My parts Lanos will be the doner car for all the parts I need, and I will put the bad parts back on the parts car so I will still be able to roll it around when I need to move it.

At least I did not find out the hard way by the wheel collapsing while I was driving!!

Also ... My Leganza is in the shop getting a new exhaust flex pipe installed. If I had a welder I would have done the work myself, but since I do not, the flex pipe and labour is going to cost me almost $100.

With both the Woos off the road, I have to ride my motorcycle, which I may be selling today (WOOHOO) and I will then have to drive my father's van until I get one or both the Woos back on the road.

MMamdouh · Post by **MMamdouh** » Tue May 09, 2006 3:54 pm

i recommend against the idea of using the bearings from the parts car... get new ones as bearings are considered a consumable part just like spark plugs, shocks and rotors and all not to mention it is a safty measure that shouldn't be taken easly.

also it is a PITA to do the job on one car let alone doing it on two... you are better off getting new bearings in all situations so reconsider your plans.

MMamdouh

daewoomofo · Post by **daewoomofo** » Tue May 09, 2006 9:41 pm

the wheel bearings are pressed in to the hub, and the strut mount (or what ever its called) it is almost impossable to get it off with out destroying it, you are better off buying a new bearing from a stealership they are only $50, you will need a hydrolic press to get them off an the new one back on. i have an aquantance that works at a local pontiac stealership that services daewoos also (2 miles from my apt), and he said you will almost definatly seperate the two parts of the bearing, my advise is to just get a new one, if you want ill buy it and shipp it and have you pay me for it, if you cant get one anywhere else (i have a spare one

)

TheGreatAndPowerfulOz · Wed May 10, 2006 2:28 am

Thanks for the information.

So I guess the bearings are nothing at all like in my old Volkswagons and Porsches!

In those, you can pull the bearings out easily and just replace them with no tools and no damage.

This sucks.

Brian5475E · Post by **Brian5475E** » Wed May 10, 2006 3:04 am

FWD bearing are pressed in. unlike RWD, where you just remove the cotter pin and removed the nut and bam out they come.

daewoomofo · Post by **daewoomofo** » Wed May 10, 2006 3:13 am

do you have a dealership near you? do you want my extra wheel bearing (its brand new)

daewooluvr · Post by **daewooluvr** » Wed May 10, 2006 3:23 am

Fronts are pressed in, rears are not.

Post by **Efratech** » Wed May 10, 2006 5:03 am

just change the front hub assembly from the parts car, put your shock and spring... and just put all back again...

MMamdouh · Post by **MMamdouh** » Wed May 10, 2006 7:33 am

Efrain A. wrote:just change the front hub assembly from the parts car, put your shock and spring... and just put all back again...

well... he can do that but still he will be running on used bearings and i don't like this idea.

my 2 cents

MMamdouh

TheGreatAndPowerfulOz · Wed May 10, 2006 12:23 pm

Well, since I am trying to put all my money toward getting the new motorcycle right now, I will just drive the Leganza until I have extra money to get the new bearing installed in the Lanos.

I hate to take the Lanos off the road for a while, but I have my financial priorities, and driving it right now it not one of them.

I'm very glad I did not decide to drive to PA this past weekend!

That would have sucked to be 5 hours from home with a bad wheel bearing.

No used bearing in my Lanos; I don't want it to end up failing.

Thanks again for the help.

TheGreatAndPowerfulOz · Mon Jul 24, 2006 11:29 pm

WOOHOO!!! The bearing was not bad all this time!

If I had actually gotten around to looking, I could have been driving my car the whole time.

I jacked the front end off the ground, took the wheel off and found the main nut that threads onto the drive shaft in the hub was loose.

DUH

I feel stupid for not looking for something so simple and leaving this long.

The nut was tightened and the edges of it were hammered back down into the grooves in the drive shaft so the nut can not come loose again.

When Shaun and I changed my springs and shocks, the nut was not crimped enough and it was able to come loose.

All is well with the car now, and all I have to do is ship the wheel bearing back and get charged 15% for re-stocking.

This was a stupid mistake that cost me unnecessary money that could have been used for gas!

daewoomofo · Post by **daewoomofo** » Tue Jul 25, 2006 2:09 am

keep the bearing for when you do actually need it

MMamdouh · Post by **MMamdouh** » Tue Jul 25, 2006 8:51 am

daewoomofo wrote:keep the bearing for when you do actually need it

+1

MMamdouh

daewooluvr · Post by **daewooluvr** » Tue Jul 25, 2006 3:57 pm

hmm that's weird... you seen me crimp that sucker down there. Wonder what caused it to come undone?

TheGreatAndPowerfulOz · Tue Jul 25, 2006 7:22 pm

Yeah, I saw it, but it looked like it wasn't crimped quite hard enough so it came loose.

Oh well, at least the wheel didnt fall off while I was driving!!

No worries.