How long do wheel bearings normally last on this car? I have a 1990 gxl n/a/.
Seems like the back wheel bearings are going bad, again. I get a rubbing sound at over 35 mph and it is definitely coming from the rear. I have checked the tires, and there is only normal tread wear, so it is not actually rubbing. When I turn right, especially at highway speeds, the noise changes. sounds like wuhh wuhh wuhh wuhh wuhh.. not like dubstep, just like a rubbing wuhh... lol now I sound like an idiot. Before I go and get new bearings, how hard are the rears to do? Any reccommendation on brand?

Thanks guys!

 

You have to remove the hub and have them pressed out/in. It's really not hard, but make sure you call around to some shops to see if they'd be cool with you coming in to have the wheel bearings pressed out and in. Maybe slip the tech a $20 or two and call it even. If you've replaced them before, you probably didn't torque them to spec and tore them up again.

 

Yeah, I had a shop do it before. I didn't do it personally, I don't even know what bearings they used. Will having the car sit a long period of time cause the wheel bearings to go bad?

 

Shouldn't. Unless they damaged the seal and water got inside somehow.

 

Jack the car up and shake the wheel on the side where you hear the noise. Feel for play in the bearing, then spin it and see if you can replicate the noise. You could have a dragging brake, or a bent driveshaft/axle causing the brake to make noise(A bent axle could also cause the bearing to wear out quickly).

The fact that it make more noise during a turn does sound like a bad wheel bearing though, if it wore out quick like it did, you need to find out why.

 

Most retards at a shop (even dealerships... Mazda did it to me on my wife's CX-7) will hammer the axle nut down with an impact and throw torque specs to the wind. The issue with that is when you're impacting that nut down, it's literally driving the rollers into their races. Also, who knows what the torque on the bearing is now? If you torque it properly, this won't happen. I've seen hundreds of comebacks because of that exact same thing, but the idiot tech will just chalk it up to a bum bearing and have the company pay for it. I guess I should have done **** like that so I could have made more money back when I was a tech. I'm just too honest though...

And if it's a rear wheel bearing, you most likely won't get any wheel play when you wiggle the tire around. Unfortunately it's always going to end up requiring a teardown to find out what the issue is (i.e. the axle has to be separated from the bearing, then spin the bearing to listen/feel). I've rarely seen sealed bearings actually show enough freeplay in the wheel to be diagnosed. They always seem to make a lot of racket, but never show any actual movement.

 

Thanks, I think that is the issue. I jacked the car up, it does in fact have 0 play to it. I wish I had some auto mechanic friends that live nearby, so someone could take a listen, but alas, I guess I will take it somewhere. I hate giving my car to any shop... they always fine SOMETHING that needs taken care of immediately. Like the one guy that told me "Well, it sounds like it isn't firing on all cylinders." ..... Yes, he was serious.

 

rofl. classic.

my car makes noise exactly like urs, "woon woon woon woon woon" and disappears when turn. well, I think my car is still on original bearings (and odo saids 212K), gonna do it after I fix the Turbo housing freeze plug leak.

do u have a garage? u have to take the rear out to press in & out but a press cost like 150 bux at HF, I think it's a worth it investment.

 

I got mine for 109 with a coupon! Get the 12 ton... thats all you need!

 

crazy story.

About 2 years ago when I first got my 7. I drove it home about 3 hours from where I bought it.

by this time, I had owned the car for about a week. I went for a short drive down a 60km/h road near my house and within a span of 500ft I heard a grinding sound (never heard before) a pop and then my car suddenly jerked to the left. Luckily there was a parking lot right next to where this happenned and it was about 10'o clock pm I pulled in and got the car towed. when I got home the wheel literally fell off. It was not the nut it was the actual spindle that sheared off.

I dont know if anyone has ever seen this before. it was the weirdest **** I have ever had happen to me. especially because there was no sign of a bad bearing or any noise prior to this happening.

 

Had the same problem in 2006 with my 88 gxl. Replaced two rear wheel bearings. they were making a crazy sound like if i was driving over the Warning tabs on the freeway. To make sleepy people wake up. Then they failed agian a different way 7 months later or less. had to do them agian. Never figured out why. Been fine ever since