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Wheel Bearing Problems

34K views 23 replies 14 participants last post by  tlt 
#1 ·
I just had 4 new tires put on my LR3 and I find it strange that both the front right & left wheel bearings are broken and need to be replaced. Could the shop who put on the new tires have done something to break them? I just find that a major coincidence. WE had no noise going into getting the new tires. The first sounds we noticed were the night we drove home from getting the tires replaced. The 2nd when we got it home from fixing the first wheel bearing... the noise was still there so the mechanic found that the other side was broken too! Help.
 
#2 ·
I'd just say bad luck...or good luck - depending on how you look at it. The bearings are well protected in the hub. You REALLY have to go out of your way to damage them by a tire shop. It involves removal of the rotors and multiple high torque bolts. A casual smack of a tool will have no effect on the bearings or housing. The good luck side is your brand new tires will wear appropriately. With the bad bearings, tire cupping can happen fast! Junk a set in 3k or less.
 
#3 ·
Yes, probably just luck.

I have been reading on the various forums more and more about owners just out of the blue, (or more correctly, while on holiday), needing new front wheel bearings.

Fortunately, the setup is not too much different than what Ford uses so a Ford dealer can replace them without too much fuss.

There also does not seem to be any real warning either - all of a sudden you have a problem with a front wheel, noise and the like.
 
#4 ·
actually the tire dealer should have properly looked at the vehicle for any issues. Most commonly places like Sears and goodyear only put on tires and ignore everything else unless you ask for it.

Usually when the vehicle gets really rusted out and the rotors get rusted on after smacking them off a few months down the road the wheel bearings go. Really common on hub and bearing assembly vehicles. Both D2,RRS,LR3 all have the issue.
 
#5 ·
#6 ·
removing hubs are the same thing on any vehicle.

trust me.

the only problem is the rust and whether or not you have air hammer. if you don't do yourself and your family a favour and invest in one. You will find jobs go quicker and you can fill up the vehicles tires every morning. Plus you can use alot more tools for a quicker time then if you don't.
 
#7 ·
Sorry for resurrecting an old thread, but the guide mentioned in the thread is about to be a life saver. I am gathering parts and tools for the trip to fix our LR3 on the edge of civilization.

Last weekend, Mrs Noname was driving home at 10 p.m., when she stopped halfway for a burger, when she realized, after 200 miles on the 75 mph interstate, that the wheel bearing was gone. Couldn't even drive across the road to the hotel to wait. Geico roadside assistance arranged to tow the LR3 (and brought her) back to Dallas, arriving at 4 a.m. Dealer took a day and a half, and charged $850 for one bearing.

Today, a week later, the other bearing has failed, and she is in a small town 400 miles from an LR dealer (and me.) Thanks to all of you for the help. I'll make the membership upgrade when the parts are on and things slow down.

Thanks again.
 
#8 ·
One of the wheel bearings in my 07 (75K) failed without prior warning - gave me a heart attack almost as I thought from the clonking the driveshaft had imploded. When they got it on the ramp at my indie LR shop, the wobble on the wheel looked like the lug nuts had been loosened off (they hadn't).

Cost me about $350 to fix one side but decided as both wheels had the same age and given the "no-warning" rule, I had the other side done too. You can get the hubs themselves online for about $150 (Timken) and it's not a difficult job if you have big tools. When the first failed I was only a few hundred yards from home, I didn’t want to wait for the second to be a rainy Friday night in the middle of nowhere....
 
#11 ·
Odds are very high that the genuine unit bearing is the Timken HA500601.
At least Land Rover is getting closer to the $30 price of D1 hub bearings.
 
#13 ·
I saw it somewhere online for $154. Search for the PN with Google Shopping. Of course with shipping it might be close to $172.
 
#14 ·
I had my right front bearing fail without warning in ht e middle of nowwhere. No warning grinding, nothing. Just sudden failure and 1-2" of wheel play.

That was 1 1/2 years ago at 140k kms. Now at 168k kms and I am thinking I should do the other side. Perhaps in the spring when it warms up.

Thanks for the thread revival, now I am getting worried!
 
#15 ·
Guess you could order in the bearing.

I suppose you could order in the part so as to at least have it. Just having it with you in the truck should keep a failure at bay. I suppose I should be doing the same as I have yet to replace either side - lots of other front end bits, but not the wheel bearings - yet.

I note that your km and mine are near equal.
 
#16 ·
I was recently driving through the mountains in West Virginia and I started to hear a loud grinding noise in the front of the vehicle. I live in Michigan and fortunately I was able to get the vehicle home before the bearing failed. I have 70,000 mi on my 2008 LR3 which doesn't seem like a lot for a wheel bearing to need replacement. I changed both fronts because I had up and down play on the left wheel as well. I used the guide that BBYER linked above and it worked out great! I will say that if you live farther north where salt is used on the roads you will have to hit the heck out of the hub with a hammer to get it to budge or use a air hammer because the manufacturer doesn't use corrosion preventive on the face where the hub mounts. I would also recommend a hub removal kit to press the spline shaft out of the hub once you get movement in the hub. Mine was rusted so bad that I would not have been able to remove it without it. I bought the original manufacturer parts because I wasn't sure of the quality others listed online for a lot less money.
 
#17 ·
Hey guys,

I just joined the site and have a quick question. I recently had Firestone tell me my front bearings(both) were bad on my 08' LR3 HSE, which I had already started to detect because of the faint noise. I am looking to order the parts, and just need to know -

Is there a specific brand or type I should get? They all seem pretty similar, but I am looking at these: ValuePro, Beck/Arnley, Raybestos, Timkin, MOOG, SKF.

The ValuePro seemed similar to the others, but were drastically cheaper at 80 a piece. Beck/Arnley are around 120, Timken and Raybestos and MOOG around 160, SKF 200+

I just want to make sure I am getting a good part, that wont flake apart or make noise, vibrate etc., and mostly drive on the highway/downtown, maybe a beach or two, but no off roading. Thanks so much for all your help, I really appreciate it.

Cheers,
Matty
 
#18 ·
I haven't read the whole thread. I didn't think you can get the bearing by itself for the front, you need to buy the hub. I had one break once, because the dealer failed to properly tighten and stake the lug nuts. As a result I guess the vibration got them.

I vote for Timken, quality products, not junk made somewhere else. :mad:
 
#20 ·
more noise...

So my "new to me" 2007 LR3 with 91K miles is still making a VERY faint metal to metal noise that sounds like brakes as it goes with the rotaion of the systems:drivetrain, wheels, etc. I say "still" because I just had a bunch of work done to it- new control arms with ball joints, tie rods, new calipers, rotors and brakes up front. When it's on the rack they can't duplicate by spinning the tires, alhough the right front does not spin as freely as the left. It doesn't seem to affect anything except me when the radio is off and I can hear it.
I'm thinking maybe bearings? What else could it be? What say you guys?

Thanks,
Scott
 
#21 ·
Scraping-- could be some hangups with the emergency brakes in the rear, a stone in the guard, wheel bearing or possibly a CV joint. Getting it in the air, so you can try and figure out what's loose or noisy. The wheel bearing is actually replaced as a "hub" not just the bearing.
 
#23 ·
I recently replaced my left front hub assembly due to failure. Like most reporting it went fast with little warning. What I heard was the break shield vibrating. When I inspected, I could see two score marks on the inside of the rotor and metal shavings. Once apart I found that the failed bearing had allowed the hub assembly to kick in enough to let the rotor grind the heads down on the two lower bolts holding the break shield.

The repair took less than 2 hours. I had the local Advance Store price match Rockauto on the MOOG Part No. 515067. $435.99 vs. $164.79. Significant savings.
 
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