Sealed Wheel Bearings

[Dreman]

I know that this is a Sport Trac site, but I also have a GMC. The GMC has sealed front wheel bearings like the 4wd Tracs do, so I was wondering if anyone knows how to check to see if they are needing replacement. I'm just over 200k on the originals, and things are starting to get a little loose down there. I'll be looking at the front end, and want to check the wheel bearings while I'm at it. Any suggestions?

 

[EddieS'04]

I dont know how to check sealed bearings...but at 200k I would replace them...cheap insurance of a breakdown...

 

[Andy G]

Wheel bearings typically don't get too "loose", or contribute to a loose feel in the front end. That would be more bushings/balljoints/ shocks.



When a wheelbearing starts to fail, most commonly you can hear a whine thats frequency or pitch is proportional to the speed of the vehicle. Example, high speed, high pitch whine, low speed, low pitch or even rumbling noise.



I have heard of wheelbearings getting loose, but it isn't too common. They typically get noisey. And if they are loose, they would be exceptionally noisey.



I would leave them alone, check balljoints, bushings and shocks for the culprits of the vehicle feel. You can replace them if you would like, but if you can't hear them, chances are they are probably OK.



If you are going to have the discs off and the front end pulled apart anyways, sure, why not....but I doubt if there is anything worng with them if they are not screaming at you.

 

[Dreman]

With a 100 mile round trip commute, I would rather avoid having them start to "scream" at me, since they would probably fail before I made it home!

 

[Andy G]

meh...



I have seen wheelbearings (on a 76 Chev truck) go from making a light noise to red hot in just a few miles........



My VW Jetta on the other hand, whined at me for over 5K miles before I decided to rip the front end apart.



I hear ya on the long commute though.......I am about 160 round trip. But I only have to do it a few times per week



Those Chev bearings were not the sealed type, those have a habit of failing much faster than the sealed type.....but they were also much easier to replace.......and cheaper....

 

[Tom Williams]

jack up the wheel leave the tire on grab the tire op and bottom and check for movement. also do this side to side, there should be no movement,if there is your wheel bearing is bad. Tom