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        General >> Give/Need advice to/from others >> Front Wheel Bearings?
        
(Message started by: Mike_Floutier on Feb 6^th, 2007, 11:08am)

Title: Front Wheel Bearings?
Post by Mike_Floutier on Feb 6^th, 2007, 11:08am

Hi,

I'm still on the trail of this rumble/bearing noise.

It's funny but I now realise that I had totally ruled out the possibility of the problem being the FRONT wheel bearings. So, when ever I heard a noise, I imagined it was coming from the back and concentrated my attention there.

However, with no joy from all my work at the back, I had to admit that the sound was coming from the front - well partly at least. And I guess, as it gets worse (as it is), it's more obvious that it's not only at the back.

MY QUESTION is:- Does anyone have any experience with FRONT wheel bearing failure/replacement. None of my (very high mileage) Scorpios has ever has a problem in front and I've never heard of it happening so I'd be interested in your views before I launch into another avenue.

I've tried spinning them and listening for the usual noise but can't hear anything and there is no felt movement when twisting the wheels. HOWEVER, by twisting the wheels AND turning them at the same time, I can get brake pad noise by pushing them one way which I can get rid of when pushing them the other way - something that doesn't happen on the rear that I recently replaced.

What do you think?

Thanks

Mike

Ps Oh and I can feel vibration through the steering wheel and my feet at certain speeds eg 40mph.

The noise is evident from 30mph and gets really bad at 50-60

Title: Re: Front Wheel Bearings?
Post by solarpanel on Feb 6^th, 2007, 6:02pm

front bearings need to be pressed in,i had some done by local garage cost about £200 the pair,its not a diy job.

Title: Re: Front Wheel Bearings?
Post by solarpanel on Feb 6^th, 2007, 6:05pm

as for mileage.......1 car done 160k and other did 135k before replacement

Title: Re: Front Wheel Bearings?
Post by cossie_al on Feb 6^th, 2007, 7:00pm

I did manage to replace one front bearing myself. However, if or when the other side goes I will be paying a garage to do it.
The symptoms were exactly as you describe Mike, and mine has also covered 150k miles on the original bearings.

Title: Re: Front Wheel Bearings?
Post by Mike_Floutier on Feb 6^th, 2007, 7:12pm

Thanks guys,

My car has done nearly 250k miles so I guess I shouldn't be surprised.

Cossie_al, I'd be interested to hear how you did yours and also which bits led you to think you wouldn't do it again.

As a private hire driver I like to do stuff myself 'cos apart from the garage costs I also lose out on loss of income.

What I was thinking of was maybe getting a complete hub assembly/spindle carrier (with bearings in-situ) from a breaker and simply fitting it as a unit. I just got a pair of drive shafts complete with cv joints and stub axles from a breaker for £30 which were fine so I think it's worth a go. It would save a lot of time, effort and money.

That idea would also give me the option to replace the bearings from either mine or the breaker's at my leisure without the car being taken off the road. That's what I did with the cv joints.

Any other thoughts/experiences would be welcomed as I ought to fix it in the next few days as it's getting steadily noisier.

Thanks

Mike

Title: Re: Front Wheel Bearings?
Post by solarpanel on Feb 6^th, 2007, 7:28pm

the first time i had problems with bearings i thought that i had run over something in the road when i got home [500 yards] the front wheel looked ready to fall off,bearing totally fell to bits,second car just whining noise.

Title: Re: Front Wheel Bearings?
Post by wickedteen on Feb 7^th, 2007, 11:01pm

you can do them yourself with a big heavy vice, a copper hammer and a socket

Title: Re: Front Wheel Bearings?
Post by Mike_Floutier on Feb 8^th, 2007, 9:46am

Thanks wickedteen,

Is it similar to the back ones or are there some differences.

Thanks

Mike

Title: Re: Front Wheel Bearings?
Post by Simmo on Feb 8^th, 2007, 10:02am

Mike. Have you read THIS ? (http://www.fordscorpio.co.uk/manual/suspension/FSuspWBearing.pdf). Mike

Title: Re: Front Wheel Bearings?
Post by Mike_Floutier on Feb 8^th, 2007, 11:18am

I have indeed Simmo, it's always a bit scary seeing all those special tools - but you guys always seem to have a way of doing it without the tools.

I just got off the phone with the breaker's I used for the drive shafts which were fine. They only want £45 for the pair of Hub assemblies/spindle carriers complete with bearings. That's got to be worth trying!

Mike

Ps I'll do the back bearing first though and see what difference that makes. It's really hard to tell where the blinking noise is coming from. I only know that it gets worse every day - Is it likely to be the diff.?

Title: Re: Front Wheel Bearings?
Post by v4-max on Feb 9^th, 2007, 4:39pm

silly answer but have you checked the balance weights on the wheels? this would give the same feeling through the steering wheel at the speeds stated. does it stop shaking if you go over 50?

Title: Re: Front Wheel Bearings?
Post by Mike_Floutier on Feb 9^th, 2007, 7:15pm

Good point v4, if the rear bearing replacement solves the noise but I've still got the vibration in the front I'll check it.

Thanks

Mike