Pretty sure I'm down a front wheel bearing on the drivers side, again. I'm not sure on the mileage it lasted, but it hasn't been long, 5000 at most. I talked to the friend that installed it for me, and he said there is a possibility that the spindle is damaged from the car taking a hit. Some quick research on the subject of rapid bearing failure indicates that the most likely cause of a failed bearing is installation error. The passenger side bearing that he replaced a few thousand miles before the officers l drivers side is still going, and it was a much cheaper bearing in comparison, so idk what to think currently. He's generally an honest person, and has been a mechanic for about 15 years, so i have a tendency to believe him, but who knows.

Does a bad spindle seem like a likely cause? I don't the feeling the car has taken a hit as it tracks very straight, although anything is possible. Does anyone have a patty number for the spindle so I can see what I am getting myself into?

 

Could be installer error, poorly made bearing or a bad spindle. Tough to make a call but what is his thoughts? Haven't replaced a bearing on the X type but from having the hub apart I don't think it is anything tough comparably to other cars so I'd tend to trust that he didn't use a hammer to pound in one of those square bearings. What about a used hub?

 

No, I don't think he used a hammer. When I showed him the bearing the first time (passenger side) he said he couldn't do it right away because he didn't have a press and wOuld have to take it to his father's shop when he had more time. He now has his own full service repair shop instead of working at a dealership and in his driveway. He recommended sourcing parts from the junkyard, as you suggested, perhaps knowing that the hub will already have a bearing pressed into it. Does make me wonder if he ever did acquire a press...

 

liquid, I am tossing the spindle bit out as our cars don't have a spindle per se. You have the spindle assembly that the bearing sits in and then you have the half shaft that goes through the bearing to transfer power to the wheel. The spindle bit would be true if you have a 2wd version. But, as I recall, you are in the US and therefore you have an AWD version. I would say that most likely you are looking at either a badly manufactured bearing or at some point, some grime/dirt got into the bearing and that ate the bearing surface, leading to what you have right now.

I would say to put a new bearing into it and see what you have then.

 

Yah, to me, it doesn't seem like anything in the assembly would be causing the bearings to go bad. I'm not an engineer or mechanic, just a lowly machine operator, but it doesn't look like that complicated of a setup. Maybe he just didn't want to admit he may have messed it up.

 

liquid, so many things could be the culprit of the bearing going bad. Like I mentioned, replace the wheel bearing and see what you have. It could have been something as simple as you hitting a pothole 1,000 miles ago or so. Like you state, easy assembly, but there are so many possibilities that it is hard to say what caused the failure till you get the bearing out and can look at the surface where the bearings are. That can tell you a lot if you know what to look for.

 

I apologize for my negativity. I am just very discouraged as my repair list continues to grow faster than I am able to cross items off. I do frequent an area with terrible roads, more potholes than driveable pavement. No bueno for bearings and tires obviously