Just had a wheel bearing replaced on a 2001 Grand Am that has had most every other part replaced as well. Should I break the remaining wheel bearing(s) before the warrenty expires (6000 miles or september 2008)? When would the remaining bearing(s) break naturally? Car has just over 93000 miles. Thanks.
Bearings SHOULD last the life of the vehicle. I haven’t replaced wheel bearings in years. I’ve repacked a few in the past 20 years or so…but replacing is rare. It’s tough to say when the other one will go. Do these bearings require repacking? If so how often have you been doing it.
funny you mention re-packing: the mechanic said these could NOT be re-packed, had to be replaced. Cost $400 but the warranty covered the repair. The noise has disappeared but it left me concerned about the other wheels. At the risk of asking a silly question - is a wheel bearing serious?
“is a wheel bearing serious?”
Only if you want the wheels to stay attached to the car.
Most automobiles today use a sealed hub-bearing assembly. The assembly plant just bolts it on, clean, dry and needing no adjustment. But these bearings are much weaker and much more expensive to replace when they fail.
Does it seem inevitable that if one failed (front driver side) the other side will fail soon?
I wouldn’t replace it on your dime, but if you can convince them to change the other one under the warranty, I’d do it. Most likely, the one that was replaced was just defective, but you never know.
If I’m thinking this through correctly, the driver side front wheel bearing will usually wear out before the passenger side will. (Weight is transferred to the outer wheel in a turn, and right turns are more often than not tighter than left turns.)
Deliberately “breaking” the other wheel bearings and trying to get them repaired under warranty is FRAUD, and the odds of being caught are extremely high: Just how do you propose to make the breakage look like natural wear or defective parts, especially on all 3 remaining wheel bearings at the same time???
it is not possible to “make” a wheel bearing go bad.
i don’t think any mechanic would repair it just because the other one went. BUT… if you want to have it replaced and PAY for it, then go ahead.
and NO dealership is going to give you warranty work for something that MAY go.
Thanks for the information. My real concern is that the others will be going in short order and it would be best to get them done before the warrenty was gone. Sounds like this is not a typical wear and tear item.
There is no predictable pattern of bearing failure on any one car. Statistically, you’ve had your one.