Install used wheel bearings?

[FireFox31]

I think one or both front wheel bearings have failed on Geronimo (they might be original with 350k miles). The owner says it sounds like a motorcycle at highway speeds but not when driving slow. I confirmed there's no noise when revving at idle and heard the low growl at 30 mph. I plan to lift it and listen with a stethoscope to confirm which bearing it is.

Does it make sense to install used bearings with maybe 130k miles on them? Money is tight for the car's owner and it needs a lot of other work. MVS posts say their lifespan is at least 150k miles. I would listen to them with a stethoscope before install. I would install them on the same side they came off so they run the same direction.

Oddly, this sound started recently with no gradual increase in noise. I drove the car a bunch in 12/2021 (including highway speeds) and don't recall hearing a bearing failure. Before my work, three calipers were seized closed potentially heating and ruining the hubs, yet the hub I suspect failed was from the one caliper which did work.

Thanks for your input.

[abscate]

150k miles mtbf is a conservative estimate, so used bearings can make sense. If she is driving 10k per year or less , she can get another 5 years out of them potentially. I think you will have all the stuff loose on the front end from previous work?

DonnVa generously donated good bearings the FDPP last week, so I might have better candidates from the dry South. We have Jane Bonds’ too.

Remember the swerve test to confirm the side. If the four e-torx bolts are seized, apply heat to the outboard side of the bearing screw ends to free them up. I might have decent used e torx screws too.

[454cid]

If they're good, they're good. These cars run unit bearing hubs, right?

I had a unit bearing hub on my truck that needed to be replaced, and it was the side that had issues with seizing calipers. One day the rotor glowed red on that side!

On my truck they're a pain to change, as the rotors get pinned to the backside of the hubs with the wheel studs.

[abscate]

Don’t forget the 9492980 bearing seal, either, in saltyMaine. This is an add on , it might not be present , stock.

[FireFox31]

I used a stethoscope to listen to my two used wheel bearings which aren't installed. I held one in a clamp, put in a lug nut, and spun it by hand as fast as I could. The best place for the scope seemed to be the thick casing just below the rotor mating surface. I heard a gentle whir when spinning each bearing, but they didn't sound raspy or dry. Hopefully they're good to install.

[abscate]

I’ve never had luck bench testing those bearings to figure out if the are good or not. I’ve gotten false negatives and positives. We had a quiet one ona1998 that you couldn’t even turn by hand, more than 1/2 rotation

[kallekula]

A new bearing with hub is like $20-30. If he can’t afford that he cant afford gas, if he lives in CA that is.

[FireFox31]

I'm seeing the new FAG hub/bearing for $130 on FCP. I'd rather use that or my OEM used one instead of a low priced aftermarket bearing which might fail quickly.

[foggydogg]

I used a stethoscope to listen to my two used wheel bearings which aren't installed. I held one in a clamp, put in a lug nut, and spun it by hand as fast as I could. The best place for the scope seemed to be the thick casing just below the rotor mating surface. I heard a gentle whir when spinning each bearing, but they didn't sound raspy or dry. Hopefully they're good to install.

I'm with Dr. Abscate here, since money is an issue, and the used bearings had a known past, don't be shy. You may not be able to replicate the noise with the hubs unloaded, try the swerve test.

[misha]

A new bearing with hub is like $20-30. If he can’t afford that he cant afford gas, if he lives in CA that is.

FAG (oem) hub bearing assembly for volvo 850 ,s,v,c70 is from 100-150€ per unit