98 V70 MOOG front wheel bearings

[erikv11]

Replace 1 vs a pair. We have talked about this many times. ...

Yes, if you say it a bunch of times, then it's the only right answer.

[abscate]

I wouldn't replace a FWB until it's noisy. There is no labor savings, you get a good 10000 mile warning, and I think Erik has. > 200k on his without failures. My 1999s packed up,at 150k and 180k, though.

[cn90]

... Yes, if you say it a bunch of times, then it's the only right answer.

erik,

I never said it is the only right answer, I said that is the method I recommend.
You can hang on to your money, professor.

[98v70dad]

Hmmm,

Rockauto has a closeout sales of $55/each!!!
http://www.rockauto.com/en/parts/timken ... embly,1636

Get a pair, always replace in pair.

Can't beat this price. I immediately ordered two last night. Thank you, thank you, thank you for the heads up. I've been wanting to replace both sides but couldn't justify it because of the cost. Now with the 2 for 1 deal, I'll do it.

I think that replacing one or both could be argued either way, but the pair seems best to me if you can afford it, especially in my case. My daughter drove this car for 6 years and she's dyslexic. While she was learning to drive she was constantly running it up over curbs. I'm doing an axle replacement and I might as well the bearings at the same time since it will be easier. Whether I really need them or not is another question. I'm getting some unexplained droning noises from the front end and every other possible source has been replaced. I've got one of the smoothest 20 year old cars on the planet - but it drones! I spend 2 hours a day in it so the 100 bucks is well worth it for me.. Thanks again for the tip.

[cn90]

Don't forget to spray PB Blaster at exactly where bolt meets the hub, then heat to same area with Propane Torch for a good minute.
Even so, it took my quite a bit of force + breaker bar to undo the bolts.
Make sure you use good Torx socket, you don't want to round the bolt heads.

Axle Nut (36-mm or 32-mm type etc.), I found the trick if you don't have the air gun:
- Chock the wheels with rubber chocks on the fore and aft part of the tires.
- Set the car in NEUTRAL, so the trans parking pawl is not damaged.
- Breaker bar (I use 3/4-inch type, but 1/2-inch is fine too) + 4-foot iron pipe (Home Depot has it).

Anyway, all that info is in the DIY Axle threads.

[98v70dad]

Don't forget to spray PB Blaster at exactly where bolt meets the hub, then heat to same area with Propane Torch for a good minute.
Even so, it took my quite a bit of force + breaker bar to undo the bolts.
Make sure you use good Torx socket, you don't want to round the bolt heads.

Axle Nut (36-mm or 32-mm type etc.), I found the trick if you don't have the air gun:
- Chock the wheels with rubber chocks on the fore and aft part of the tires.
- Set the car in NEUTRAL, so the trans parking pawl is not damaged.
- Breaker bar (I use 3/4-inch type, but 1/2-inch is fine too) + 4-foot iron pipe (Home Depot has it).

Anyway, all that info is in the DIY Axle threads.

Thanks. Every fastener that I've been told would extremely difficult to loosen came off with no fight and I did them by hand with a cheater bar. No exposure to salt apparently makes a big difference. My 1974 subaru DL which lived its life near Erie, PA was another matter. Nothing on that car was corrosion free.

I have had the wheel nuts on both sides off without any issues. I usually start at least a week beforehand with a daily PB Blaster application on any nut that looks like it will be tough to remove. I plan to just purchase new bolts for the wheel bearings, they're cheap. HF has a nice set of star fastener impact sockets. I plan to pick up a set.

[98v70dad]

I wouldn't replace a FWB until it's noisy. There is no labor savings, you get a good 10000 mile warning, and I think Erik has. > 200k on his without failures. My 1999s packed up,at 150k and 180k, though.

It does make noise. I've been getting noises for over 10K miles and they are getting worse. 160K on my car AND my daughter abused the heck out of it when she was driving it. I don't know how many times she called me to say that she had run it over a median or curb going 15 mph. I've collected up the air dam and patched it up with zip ties and metal straps more than once. I would not be surprised if one or both of the front wheel bearings is bad.