steering and suspension Opinions: How Long Do Front Wheel Bearings Last ??

[OriginalOwner]

Front Wheel Bearings ..... any particular maximum mileage before they should be replaced ??

 

I currently have 100,000 miles on the front wheel bearings (last replaced in AUG 1996).

 

My driving these days is very easy.  Lots of freeway cruising, the occasional run through San Gabriel and Carbon Canyons.  No racing or hard/fast driving or cornering.  Bearings are not noisy in any way.

 

As long as I keep the bearings properly greased, any reason to change 'em out as a regular maintenance item ??

 

Cheers,

 

Carl

[Mike Self]

My 69 has 224k miles; the '73, 244k.  Original front wheel bearings on both cars.

 

Keep the nuts tight, but not too tight and fresh grease in the grease cup and they'll last a long time!

 

I've replaced only one rear wheel bearing during the above miles...

 

mike

[OriginalOwner]

 224k miles on the originals ??  WOW !!  

 

By the time I get another 124k miles ..... I'll never get another 124k,  I'll be too old to drive !!

 

Cheers,

 

Carl

 

p.s.  I'm still on the original rear wheel bearings.

Edited January 12, 2014 by OriginalOwner

[TobyB]

Answer- depends!

 

If you keep them greased properly and replace the seals regularly (I say every 25k/ 3 years, but I'm making that up)

then Mike's not off by much.  They're not working that hard...

 

unless...

 

you track it, live at the top of a very steep long hill, have a caliper stick and DON'T repack 'em. blah blah blah.

Or a cap falls off.

 

Or you overtighten them.  Especially in conjunction with the above.

 

I regreased every 2 weekends, cleaned and repacked every season, and I could coax about 2 seasons per set out of

them once I figured out to leave them a bit looser for racing.  And that's an 8- 10 weekend season with 2 groups per weekend,

AND a goodly number of track days (I was young and enthusiastic)

 

After going to tii struts, I now regrease twice a season, and that's just habit.  Same set I put in when I converted is still shiny and new.

 

t

[DaHose]

I have read 25K between re-pack in multiple places.  Keep them healthy and they really do last a LOOOOOOONG time.

 

Jose

[OriginalOwner]

All good news, Thanks Much !!  Back in the old days I would change 'em out just to have a project, and I was driving a bit harder.  These days, easy driving.  And I have a tii, which I think has bigger bearings ?? 

 

Anyway, I'll quit worrying about front wheel bearings and channel the energy into a tune-up.

 

Cheers,

 

Carl

[73touring]

I think It depends on the part of the world you live in, my experience is about 70K. But that's over 40 odd years and driven on twisty roads most of its life. 

[thehackmechanic]

I have only once owned a car where a front wheel bearing disintegrated and destroyed a spindle -- a 2000CS, before I bought it. 

[Hans]

I just check for play once a year, and adjust fronts as necessary. Once play can't be removed by adjusting , time to replace. I found some play in one rear bearing last summer, so did both sides. Prob over 100k miles.