What should I expect to pay to replace front wheel bearing?

[2talll]

I went in yesterday to get the tire pressure looked at on my front passenger side tire, thinking that was the reason the tire was making a weird noise. Turns out the bearing is shot and needs to be replaced really soon.

What should I expect to pay when I start calling places and asking for estimates tomorrow? The place that looked at guessed around $180 for the bearing and then $70-120 for labor. My girlfriend's brother who is a mechanic said that would probably be a good deal and he didn't think I'd find a cheaper deal.

What do you guys think? I know last time I had a problem you guys were able to give me ballpark figures as to how much I would need to pay.

Thanks

 

['97 V8]

On ebay, a hub assembly sells for 75. It takes 1 hour to do, but a shop will probably charge for 2, so im guessing around 200 in labor. You can do this yourself btw, its pretty easy. Big 32mm nut needs to be removed, then 3 15mm?(i cant remember when i replaced mine) bolts need to come out. The assembly nsimply slides out. Put the new one in. Bolt it up. Put the wheel back on and tighten the 32mm nut till you cant tighten it anymore (200-250 ft pounds of torque)

 

[2talll]

Trust me- no way I can do it myself.

BTW, if this is such a "do-it-yourself" project, why did my brother and my girlfriend's brother both say they don't have the needed tools at home and would have to do it at the garages they work at? Am I missing something- did my saying the "wheel bearing" make them think I meant something harder to do? I'm so confused right now.

 

[smdavis]

We've done ours - twice! You will save money by doing yourself because the hubs are so darn expensive. Just by the size socket you need to do the job, it's not as expensive as paying someone else to do it.

 

[2talll]

I thought I could just get the bearings changed and wouldn't need the entire hub.

Anyway, there's no way I'd be able to do it myself and our brothers are the only two people I know that would be able to help me do it. I am beyond brain dead when it comes to cars- heck I couldn't figure out how to get the jack out of the storage area in the back, lol.

I got to make a couple calls tomorrow but I might have caught a break- I called a friend and asked him if he knew anyone that could help me out and he was talking about his mechanic that does his work and it turns out his mechanic is my girlfriend's other brother's fathr-in-law. So he said to tell him when I call that he recommended him and to get into talking since I've been in his house before- maybe he'd give me a break.

 

['97 V8]

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=165429

there you go sunshine

this will tell you everything to do. An idiot can do this....blindfolded. If your brother doesnt have a ratchet and sockets, he shouldnt call himself a mechanic.

 

[daffy]

It really is an easy job for someone with reasonably low skills, but you make it sound like you have none, so I'll run with that...

$300 is much more of a fair price than I've seen others quoted for, I think I've seen $900 in here before, major rip-off.

Ask if a shop will let you provide the part you find cheap, if so, let them charge you shop rate (in this state it's like $80/Hr) I think the book has it as a 2 hour job. If not, and they give a lifetime warranty on a more expensive part, that may be good way for you to go as well.

If anyone even so much as calls himself a mechanic and can't do this in a driveway in an hour, they are lying. I did mine in my 25 deg F garage in 2 hours, having never done it before, and I'm a freaking computer geek

I think I can get my other side done in an hour when it comes time, which is soon, but this time I'm waiting until it warms up.

 

[Hoppy]

$180 for the new wheel bearing? Does this include the ABS Sensor at all? I was quoted $400 Cdn for a new bearing for my ex. My bearings are good still, it is just that some brain child at Ford decided to design the bearings with the ABS Sensor built into the bearing.

Where did you get the bearing from? I may investigate this too. I am assuming that the $180 is US price.

 

[2talll]

http://www.autozone.com/servlet/UiB...ruck|~Explorer+4WD|~1999|~1+YR|~11.2|~NONE|~B

Is this what I would need to buy???

 

[Blee1099]

Yup.. simple swap to do with a basic socket set and a 1.25" socket.

 

[Vinniety]

http://www.autozone.com/servlet/UiB...ruck|~Explorer+4WD|~1999|~1+YR|~11.2|~NONE|~B

Is this what I would need to buy???

THis is what you need to buy! You will not beat this price.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/e...RK:MEWA:IT&viewitem=&item=270088851040&rd=1,1

I have been searching for a hub assembly for my truck for about two weeks and this is the best price. I bought one today from him. If the noise isnt that loud dont jump the gun keep searching for someone to help you install it or at least give you a good price to swap it out.

 

[etc]

Yeah, we need to know if you're 2wd or 4wd/awd.

 

[2talll]

4wd

It's making a pretty loud noise most of the time I drive, so I don't want to wait too long. I've got a friend at work whose hsband does all the work on their explorer so she's going to see if he'd be willing to do it for me.

As for the ebay link- I'll have to check it tonight since our office computers have the same filters as the ones the kids use in the library so ebay is blocked.

 

[2talll]

My friend's husband is afraid to do it. He says it looks easy enough to do but at the same time seems complicated. He's afraid that if he does anything wrong the whell will fall off when I'm driving and something will happen.

She's going to bug him about it again tonight to see what he says because I told het that all of you guys told me it was so simple that anyone can do it. Is there anything that he could possibly do wrong that he should even be worried about?

Thanks

 

[Vinniety]

My friend's husband is afraid to do it. He says it looks easy enough to do but at the same time seems complicated. He's afraid that if he does anything wrong the whell will fall off when I'm driving and something will happen.

She's going to bug him about it again tonight to see what he says because I told het that all of you guys told me it was so simple that anyone can do it. Is there anything that he could possibly do wrong that he should even be worried about?

Thanks

Remember the way you took it off so when you put it back together its just the reversed steps. If he complained about it dont let him do it. That is just telling you he doesnt want to do it. I wish i had some more free time i would help you but i didnt even do mine yet.

 

[2talll]

It wasn't that he was complaining- she said he would have no problem helping me with something he's done before but he was hesitant to do this because he hasn't done it before and the whell is kind of important. She said he'd give him the directions from the link about since he was going by some manual that they bought for their explorer and see what he says.

I wish i had some more free time i would help you but i didnt even do mine yet.

Feel free to come on over to CT and we can do both togehter at the same time, lol.

 

['97 V8]

3 bolts and 1 nut and its out. You saw the link, its pretty easy.

 

[daffy]

My friend's husband is afraid to do it. He says it looks easy enough to do but at the same time seems complicated. He's afraid that if he does anything wrong the whell will fall off when I'm driving and something will happen.

She's going to bug him about it again tonight to see what he says because I told het that all of you guys told me it was so simple that anyone can do it. Is there anything that he could possibly do wrong that he should even be worried about?

Thanks

As long as the bolts get tightened down (with Loctite) correctly, it's a no-brainer. That 32mm nut is a pain, it fights the whole way, but it is simple, a 3ft breaker was sufficient for me.

The key here is getting that big-ass nut tightened well, if that's good, that wheel aint coming off.

 

[Pollarican]

Do It Yourself

I did both sides on my Ex. I bought 2 bearings per wheel at $15 a piece, and one inner bearing seal per wheel for about $12 a piece. Buy Timken breaings/ seals from Autozone, can't beat the deal. The job is a piece of cake, and there are more then good enough writeups on the site. Spend the money you saved on something cool for your explorer.

There aren't any special tools required- the only thing you might want to buy would be a socket that fits the Dana 35 Axle bolt. I just used a hammer and smacked it at an angle.

 

[Hoppy]

Pollarican,

I have to say, you are perfectly correct. The wheel bearings on a first generation ex are nice and cheap, and Ford should have kept them that way. The second generation ex's have a whole hub assembly with the bearing pressed in, C/W abs sensor. Ford really screwed up here, or they have some contract with the repair shops or parts suppliers to take a cash grab. I unfortunately do not have my old 1992 ex. That truck was built strong and simple. The second gen's went to more power, which I appreciate, but hi-tech stuff that wasn't needed. I think that with the technology now a days they would be a bit more sensible.