Wheel bearing life expectancy?

[01rangerxl]

The next time my truck needs front pads, I'm going to replace the rotors as well. I am expecting to need to do that in 20K-30K miles, possibly slightly less. I'm wondering about the wheel bearings though. They have been repacked I think twice before, but are original. The truck has 144K miles now, and will probably have over 160K miles when I do the brakes next. Should I just get new bearings, or should I continue to use the originals as long as they are in good shape? What aftermarket brands are known to be consistently good? Timken? SKF? I do not want to use generic China parts for something like this. There is no rumbling or noise, and no other signs of the original bearings being worn out.

This truck uses old style bearings that use the rotor as the hub. These are not sealed bearing units.

 

[GSCJR]

Just clean, inspect and repack.

 

[hemitom]

If you have kept them repacked and never run dry or melted the grease out with sticking calipers, they could last forever. I had the original bearings in a new yorker with 180000 miles they were still good.

 

[yonyon]

Unless you see discoloration, rust, pitting, scoring, or anything like that to indicate there's a problem why replace them? Those bearings can last pretty much forever if conditions are favourable. The inner seals wear out but the bearings don't have to.

 

[widman]

The wheel bearings in my two pickups have about 260,000 miles on them. As long as you use good grease and pack them correctly, there is no reason to expect them to go bad.

 

[01rangerxl]

As long as they look good when I actually see them, then I will keep them. I thought they might be something worth proactively replacing, but given the sketchiness of many aftermarket parts, I don't want to put something in that isn't as good as what I am taking out.

 

[VNTS]

If you have kept them repacked they can last almost forever.

I had over 300K miles on the rear wheel bearings in my Shadow, but I had repacked them every 50K or so miles.

 

[Donald]

They should be inspected and just repacked if no damage is found.

Quality grease and no dirt or water and they will outlive the vehicle.

BTW - not all grease is for wheel bearings. Over time chassis grease has been made better and can stand high revolutions and heat. But read the labels.

 

[Lyman]

Keep the races matched to the bearings if you reuse them.

 

[Errtt]

I've lost a wheel bearing once... well twice if including my boat trailer.
I used to always carry spare stuff to include bearings, just don't anymore.
I've had one vehicle go almost 300k (then sold) with original wheel bearings.
If any doubt, they aren't to expensive if you want some piece of mind, and if the used are not to bad, maybe thrown in the trunk and hope its never needed.
Clean, inspect, repack is the usual.

 

[Rand]

I thought the bearings were part of the hub and you had to replace it as one unit? or did I misunderstand?

 

[yonyon]

You're thinking of a 4WD Ranger. This one is RWD.

 

[exranger06]

Originally Posted By: Rand
I thought the bearings were part of the hub and you had to replace it as one unit? or did I misunderstand?

Go back and read the last sentence in the OP...

 

[The_Eric]

I looked up the spec for tightening your bearings - according to SKF: Tighten hub nut to 17-24 ft-lbs while turning wheel. Loosen 175* and tighten to 17 in-lbs.

 

[01rangerxl]

Originally Posted By: The_Eric
I looked up the spec for tightening your bearings - according to SKF: Tighten hub nut to 17-24 ft-lbs while turning wheel. Loosen 175* and tighten to 17 in-lbs.


Thanks!

 

[The_Eric]

You are most certainly welcome!

 

[bdcardinal]

If you know the awesome trick to pulling the seal without a tool, you can reuse the seal no problems.

 

[demarpaint]

Originally Posted By: Blkstanger
Keep the races matched to the bearings if you reuse them.


+1 A lot of people don't realize that and end up with problems.

 

[SteveSRT8]

Great^^^ The torque spec was my first thought. I have run 3500 fleet vans at 9000 pounds for half a million miles on the original bearings, they are generally lifetime if you keep them clean, DRY, and properly adjusted.

 

[ARB1977]

My tacos bearings are sealed and are pressed in.