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0 pointstalldatethrow2y ago0 comments

Almost every car my family owns is over 200k miles, and we recently got rid of a 290k mile Volvo S80. I do all the work on all of our cars, and I've never had to replace a wheel bearing.

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iancmceachern2y ago

We usually get 80-100k out of them on them:

https://www.bellandbell.com/service/service-and-parts-tips/h....

I too have had cars that went far longer than this without replacement, but they probably should have been replaced.

Just because you didn't have to, doesn't mean you shouldn't have.

talldatethrowOP2y ago

If a dealership's marketing says they last 100k, you can be certain they'll go 200k. They don't call them stealerships for nothing.

I'm as good of a mechanic as a diy gets. I've rebuilt entire auto transmissions instead of just sticking in another unit. I've regearied rear ends (which did get interior bearings while there). I do head gaskets as favors to friends.

I'm fairly certain all of my 200k+ mile vehicles have had perfectly safe and functional bearings.

iancmceachern2y ago

When was the last time you had the alignment checked?

talldatethrowOP2y ago

Never because I don't trust 90% of alignment jobs done by regular shops.

When we lifted our 4runner I did it myself with tape measures. 40k miles later tires wearing better than most new vehicles.

But are you implying that a bearing can be so bad that it throws off alignment, yet I wouldn't feel that massive play while it's going down the road??

1 more reply

rightbyte2y ago

You got lucky. Wheel bearing failure is usually a damage (pot holes) or manufacturing defect that slowly propagates.

talldatethrowOP2y ago

That's some great luck. 4 corners * 6+ cars between mine and parents * 200k each. Only advantage I guess could be that it's in California without rust or salt splashing everywhere.

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse

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iancmceachern2y ago

We usually get 80-100k out of them on them:

https://www.bellandbell.com/service/service-and-parts-tips/h....

I too have had cars that went far longer than this without replacement, but they probably should have been replaced.

Just because you didn't have to, doesn't mean you shouldn't have.

talldatethrowOP2y ago

If a dealership's marketing says they last 100k, you can be certain they'll go 200k. They don't call them stealerships for nothing.

I'm fairly certain all of my 200k+ mile vehicles have had perfectly safe and functional bearings.

iancmceachern2y ago

When was the last time you had the alignment checked?

talldatethrowOP2y ago

Never because I don't trust 90% of alignment jobs done by regular shops.

When we lifted our 4runner I did it myself with tape measures. 40k miles later tires wearing better than most new vehicles.

But are you implying that a bearing can be so bad that it throws off alignment, yet I wouldn't feel that massive play while it's going down the road??

1 more reply

rightbyte2y ago

You got lucky. Wheel bearing failure is usually a damage (pot holes) or manufacturing defect that slowly propagates.

talldatethrowOP2y ago

That's some great luck. 4 corners * 6+ cars between mine and parents * 200k each. Only advantage I guess could be that it's in California without rust or salt splashing everywhere.

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse