TTORA Forum banner

Wheel Bearing replacement

26K views 31 replies 19 participants last post by  Full_Tilt_Fud 
#1 ·
How often should the wheel bearings be replaced? I've got 177k miles on a 2000 Tacoma with no idea if they have ever been replaced before or not.

Thanks,
 
#2 ·
I couldn't say. But generally when they get sloppy it is time. I dont recall the wheel bearings are a common problem, luckily.

I will say on the front, I think they require a SST. At least the manual hub ones do. Some big-ass threaded 'insert' that I recall is torqued to over 100 ft•lb. May have been over 200ft•lb.
 
#3 ·
unless you think the wheels bearings are giving you problems, you don't have to worry about them. they will probably outlast the truck.
 
#4 ·
x2

The front wheel bearings only really go out on vehicles running wide ass rims and tires. The biggest cause for rear wheel bearing failure is a clogged diff breather.

I'm on my stock rear wheel bearings with 290k and replaced my fronts at 150k, but they didn't need it.
 
#6 ·
Ok, so I'm still worried about them. I have some noise and vibration that seems to be coming up the steering column into the steering wheel. It seems to change as road conditions change and with wheel movement. I'm thinking this might be a sign of either a band wheel bearing, or something within the steering rack. Any ideas?

Thanks,
 
#8 ·
Jack the truck up to where one front tire is off the ground completely. Wiggle the shit out of it and if its wobbles back and forth, your bearing is bad. Then check the other side just as well. Also something else you could be feeling would be a bad u-joint. Just had to replace my front driver's side wheel bearing a few months back....pain in the ass! Aaaaaaand my u-joint was wore out too so had to fix that as well. New u-joint = $16 and new bearing and seals were around $85 at the local parts store.
 
#11 ·
I bought my 98 tacoma with 183*** on it and I changed all my fluids and one day I was under it and noticed fresh gear lube running down my tire, So I pulled the tire and noticed it was coming from my drum, So I pulled the rotor off and axel out I thought it was just the seals, well once I looked at the wheel bearing it was all shattered and missinf a ball bearing,...So Yeah they deff. go bad after time,...
 
#13 ·
Well I put each front wheel up on the jack (on at a time) and tried to wiggle them as much as I could. The both wiggled a little when pushing side to side, but it look like it was due to the stearing rack bushings giving a little. Neither move or made noise when pushing top and bottom.

The driver's side did make a clunking noise and felt a bit looser when I pushed it side to side, but nothing when pushing top or bottom. I'm not convinced as to what it might be. could be the connecting rod, steering rack, ball joint, and possibly the wheel bearings. What ever it is, I wouldn't be surprised if it's what's causing the vibrations in the steering wheel.

When I spun the wheels freely, they did make a bit of a metallic rubbing noise, but I supposes that was just he break pads lightly rubbing against the rotors?

On a good note, this did give me an opportunity to test the gear ratios, which turned out to match the markings on the door that indicate a 4.10:1 ratio. The U-joints on the drive shafts also looked solid, and didn't appear to have any "play" in them.
 
#14 ·
Def not your wheel bearing then, tie rod maybe? It could be alot of different things. Sorry I'm no help lol
 
#19 ·
I have read some reference in this thread to the wheel bearings being a PITA.
This is my first Taco, what makes them so difficult, or was it the rear bearings that were being talked about?
My steering rack bushings are totally shot, and I cannot believe there is absolutely no vibration in my steering wheel.

Tye
 
#26 ·
It is 2 sealed ball bearings in one unit that is about 4-5 inches in diameter and about 4 inches in height. The outer race of the bearing is pressed into the spindle and held in with a big snap ring. The hub is pressed into the inner race of the bearing and held on with a specialty locking nut that that requires a Toyota specialty tool or you can make your own with a welder. I have done several with my 20 ton press and it definatly is at the limits of the 20 ton, but a little heat is your friend. Getting the hub out of the bearing and not damaging the brass bushing is a PITA. Getting the bearing out of the spindle is alson a PITA. I have exploded bearings trying to press the hub out and only had the race left on the hub, now that's a real PITA. What makes this job a pain is the pressing, which is a PITA because the bearing has such a large surface of contact on the spindle and the hub, and tight tollerances.
 
#27 ·
What ^^^ said Lol I was helping dad work on mine but when we got down to pressing the spindle off, it was time for me to go to work so I didn't exactly see how he finally got it off and got the bearings out.
 
#30 ·
My rear bearings went out at around 230k but the fronts are still in good shape with 254k on it now. The only thing my truck has going on in the steering department is the bushing that goes in the fire wall where the steering shaft comes through to the rack. Its shot and it lets the shaft clunk around.
 
#31 ·
Ok I have play in the front drivers side wheel when I grab at 12 & 6 o'clock and shake. I have Uniballs on the camburg uca's and they seem to move when I do this. Is this because I am grabing the wheel and shaking it or could it be the uniball that is wearing it out. I'd say they have about 65k miles on the UCA's and uniballs and the truck has 155k miles on it.
 
#32 ·
I changed my lf wheel bearing this weekend.......broke a high quality 40 ton press trying to get it out of the spindle........found parts to fix the press and ended up having to use a torch to get the bearing red hot while holding every bit of force the press had on it before it finally came out. what a bitch that was.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top