Front hub bearing went out is this usual?

[jfile]

Right front hub bearing went out is this usual? I have 50,000 miles on it with only about 5% towing at 10,000 lbs.

[roger350]

I just replaced one at 70,000. After getting it apart it didn't surprise me, and I expect more over the life of the truck. There really isn't a good seal to keep crap from getting up in there. I imagine a few water crossings is all it takes to put you on the road to a bad bearing. And with no practical way of lubing/packing the bearings, it is inevitable. I was not impressed with the "sealed" unit design. The rest of the design, seems robust, as far as how the hub/wheel assembly is held on to the truck, but I see this as a definite achilies heel.

I'm wondering if anyone has considered or tried packing a bunch of lube back there sealing the bearing off from water. It would have to be snythetic so the brakes didn't melt it into a puddle of goo, but it might keep water out of the bearings?

If you need any tips on changing it out, it's still fresh in my mind. Hardest part was getting the darn parts!

[BigLakeDMAX]

What symptoms did you have? I have a high pitched howl or hum from my font end. Seems loudest between 30 - 40 mph. Not effected by pavement surface, braking, or steering - just speed. ALso not affected by shifting in or out of 4wd. Tech thought it was a tire, but I rotated them and sound stayed the same.

Thanks,

Don

[jfile]

That sounds like mine did at first. It started with a vibration between 40and 45 and between 60 and 65, then high pitch squeal when the steering wheel was turned slightly, then it started a grinding noises.
Good Luck

[dmaxalliTech]

we have seen a few go out, but few and far between

[roger350]

Mine started as a squealing noise when going around turns, progressed into a vibration when the steering wheel was turned even the slightest bit in the direction of the bad bearing, (Vibration went away when going straight or turning the other direction). And eventually the truck started pulling to that side. I solicited opinions on these symptoms here, and was told to jack the front end up and grab the tire at 6 and 12 and pull in and out and see if there was play. I had at least 1-1.5" of play from doing this. With the tire off I could tell it wasn't the ball joint, because only the hub was rocking and if it had been a ball joint the entire spindle would have been rocking. Chevy wants about $320 for these bearing assemblies. I tried getting one from Autozone for $155, but when it came in it was a 1/2 ton 6 lug, even though it was listed as the part for a 2500HD. There are numerous diffeerent part numbers for these hub/bearings and it took many calls to dealers to find the correct one. One dealer I called asked me for my VIN in order to get the part number, and I trusted that one, and it was correct. Bought the part through GMpartsdirect for about $180 I believe. No air tools are needed, but would have been nice. You do need some large metric sockets, I think I used a 14 or 15 mm socket for the bolts that hold the hub to the spindle, a 19, 20, or 21 mm socket for the bolts that hold the caliper mounting block to the spindle, and I believe I needed a 22 mm socket for something too? And of course the 35 mm axle nut socket, which I "borrowed" from Pep Boys on their tool loan program. Only other things you need are a torque wrench that goes to about 200 ft-lb, some brake cleaner and axle grease, a good sized breaker bar, and the hard to find High Temp-High Strength loctite, 272 red I think it was, that I could only find at chief auto parts. Another dealer item is a new axle nut, which the manual says needs to be replaced each time it is removed, ran about $7 at my local dealer. Hope this helps.

[TraceF]

Replaced the LF at 49k and the RF at 53k. Bitched and moaned and Chevy sent me a check for one of them. I think the earlier comment about water crossing is true, mine has been in the water two or three times to the top of the tires.

Now I am having other problems. I replaced the idler arm and pittman arm and still have a clunk. I think I have a bad ball joint now.

58k miles. I had hoped these trucks would hold up better.

[GBurton]

Been there, done that, my LF hub failed around 48,000 miles. It sounded like a cupped tire. VERY EXPENSIVE part that should not have failed. Local tire shop told me that they have had several newer GM trucked with failed hubs.

George

[pushpole]

Throw me into the ticked off crowd. Drivers side front replaced at 55k. No other problems of note. Just changing the oil and giving the front end a half squirt of grease every 3k.

[Boonbltz]

We all agree that this is a terrible design for a heavy duty truck. When my hub went out it actually bent (the tire had a terrible wobble to it and can't recall hitting anything like say a brick wall) seem that when the bearings are pressed into the hub alot of heat is used, I asumed this because the new one I put on, the metal surrounding the bearing area was a very pretty color blue. Just some food for thought. The design looks to be very water suseptible (hope that is spelled right)I have never had my hubs under water just in extreme weather, but grease on old hub looked like water had contaminated it. My question is can we grease these hubs through the anti lock probe hole. Or will we just have to stock up on hubs, for a hub change every 50,000 miles.

[TraceF]

GBurton- mine sounded exactly like a cupped or seperated tire!

I wonder if the replacement parts are any better?

[338]

Sounds like this hub design needs a zerk fitting.
How many of you with hub failures plow snow in the winter?

[TraceF]

Plow snow? I do. Oh, wait... I'm in Florida. Sorry

:D

[jfile]

No snow plow here either.

[338]

Hmmm?? I guess its not due to added weight of a snowplow. It must be a water, mud, and dust thing causing the failures. I still say they need a zerk fitting. My trailers all have zerked hubs, why shouldn't my truck that gets put through alot more abuse? Don't you guys agree?

Edit: Now you all have me worried. I'm thinking I shouldn't have traded in my old body style K3500 dually(was problem free for 100,000 miles) for this truck. I'd like to be able to plow snow, go through a water puddle, or mud without having to worry about a wheel bearing going bad.

[DmaxMaverick]

Worry about it if you like. In spite of what you hear, premature failures are rare. The design is far superior to the old "packed" bearings. I have a strict policy of repacking wheel bearings at 15K to 30K, depending on the use. They are normally replaced around 100K, but usually less, depending on the condition of the bearing at the service. I've had brand new packed wheel bearings fail before getting to the first service. I have had only two GM IFS bearing fail in less than 100K, and that was on an '83 S-10 4 X 4 (60K and 94K). It went on to over 270K after that (sold at 270K).

Don't believe everything you hear, and keep it in context. You will hear of these bearings failing because people seldom complain of them lasting too long. Most cases, the bearings will outlast several owners. The failure of packed bearings is common, and a matter of course, so you won't hear much of them, either. I've lost count of packed bearing sets I've bought. Easily 10:1, on equal numbers of each type of vehicles. Look at the older Dodge Power Wagon axles (still have a'75). They have packed type bearings, and a zerk. If you've ever had to replace those, you'd really appreciate any other type. They rarely last longer than 25K, even getting fresh grease about every 5K. The truck is beaten pretty bad, though. Drive that thing around for any amount of time, and you'll appreciate just about any other vehicle! It is a blast in the dunes, though.

If you consider the time/effort/expense of both types, the sealed bearings win, hands down. Sure, they cost 3X as much, but last at least that much longer, and you eliminate the service between replacement. Time is money, and my time is valuable....to me, anyway.

[jfile]

If it makes anybody feel better my friend has a 2001 Ford 350 that had a bearing failure at 50,000 miles also. He also had his trany go out so I don't fell bad with just a bad bearing.

[TraceF]

Yes but we have come to expect more from our GM products..........

[jfile]

From a design prospective should an IFS wheel bearing be any weaker then a solid axle? Why do they say that a IFS is weaker then a solid axle?

[whatnot]

You can get the hubs at Autozone for less than half of the dealer.

[roger350]

Be careful getting them from Autozone. I tried them, and I watched as they pulled up the part number, using the correct info for my truck, '01 2500HD 4wd. The part that shipped turned up to be the 6-lug 1500 part. They didn't have any other listings, and there was no picture in the computer or mention of 6-lug vs. 8-lug. They were unable to cross reference the correct GM number, or the AC Delco (same part different number and box). GMpartsdirect was within $30 of them shipped though at $180. Still way too much for this part. I'm going to cross my fingers and hope mine was an isolated problem. If not, it's not that difficult of a job, especially since I've done it once now already.

[tom.mcinerney]

DmaxMaverick
Member ronniejoe, an engineer, has recently posted that modern wheel bearings are more reliable if continue to use, than if replace with new (providing the used ones look OK). That is, if they survive the 'breakin and infant mortality', they're good for the duration, particularly if treated to fresh lube. This in reference to the open, unsealed bearings, FWIW.