Wheel Bearing......The mechanic said...

[parker57]

He said I should replace BOTH even though only one is bad. Tells me the other one will go bad within months, because once one goes, they both go. Any opinions? Car has 49k miles. Thanks.

By the way, the quote for BOTH was 420 dollars, labor included.

[rixGAphx]

1. Front or rear?

2. BS on both, especially at 49k.
Wheel bearings normally go 150k+ with no problem as long as they're reasonably maintianed (lubed).

Unless you've frequently driven thru deep, muddy water with sandy grit that gets into the bearings and grinds the surfaces, the bearing that is bad is a fluke.

There is no reason to suspect that the other bearing on the same axle will similarly fail, if your driving has been reasonably *normal*.
Even if it does go bad next month, what's the big deal?
Other than some inconvenience to you, there is absolutely NO savings in time or parts or redudant effort to replace it then vs. now.

His price should be 'flat rate' + parts.
Call NAPA for the part price.
I dunno what the manual says for labor, but 1.5 to 2.0 hours each sounds reasonable.
I believe the current rate is about $75 (mechanic's wage + tools/equipment/small parts + shop overhead/profit).

So (2 x $75 labor) + ($40 part?) + tax on parts only = $195 each.

$420 both isn't outrageous, but it's no bargain unless there's something terribly intricate about these bearings that I'm not aware of (I haven't done a fwd bearing in 15 years, and I've never done a GA's).

Good luck.
-Rick

[tenspeed]

49K sound too soon for the bearing to wear out, something may have damaged it that caused it to fail. I would only change the one bearing.

[parker57]

It's the front driver's side. Thanks for the input. The quote was 96 dollars labor ( both ) and then 300 for the parts. Doesnt sound right but the total was 396 plus tax.

[sunrunner_pei]

Originally posted by rixGAphx
1. Front or rear?

2. BS on both, especially at 49k.
Wheel bearings normally go 150k+ with no problem as long as they're reasonably maintianed (lubed).

Unless you've frequently driven thru deep, muddy water with sandy grit that gets into the bearings and grinds the surfaces, the bearing that is bad is a fluke.

There is no reason to suspect that the other bearing on the same axle will similarly fail, if your driving has been reasonably *normal*.
Even if it does go bad next month, what's the big deal?
Other than some inconvenience to you, there is absolutely NO savings in time or parts or redudant effort to replace it then vs. now.

His price should be 'flat rate' + parts.
Call NAPA for the part price.
I dunno what the manual says for labor, but 1.5 to 2.0 hours each sounds reasonable.
I believe the current rate is about $75 (mechanic's wage + tools/equipment/small parts + shop overhead/profit).

So (2 x $75 labor) + ($40 part?) + tax on parts only = $195 each.

$420 both isn't outrageous, but it's no bargain unless there's something terribly intricate about these bearings that I'm not aware of (I haven't done a fwd bearing in 15 years, and I've never done a GA's).

Good luck.
-Rick

No need to do both. Replace the bad one now, wait until the other fails then replace it then. It could last another 3 years.

Rick, the hub assemblies on the '99+ Grand Am are sealed, you can not lubricate them.

[Blylock]

bad ball joints or tie rod ends will wreck bearings in a short amount of time

[parker57]

Dont say that! Or I will be walking. Cant afford to fix the whole darned suspension! I just had it inspected not too long ago, and they told me the front end was great. I will know more on tuesday.

[sunrunner_pei]

Is he putting in OEM bearings or aftermarket? The hub assy's from GM are expensive (~$300 CDN Each), so I wouldn't be too shocked over the cost of the parts. The only thing that really concerns me is changing both at once when only one is gone.

[parker57]

Not sure, I would guess aftermarket as its not a dealership. However, it is a lifetime warranty. ( and this place has been in business for 30 years and is very reputable. )

[crashontome]

i can get a WB here for 100 bucks plus 45/hour labor

[HeyDace]

Just do the one, and yes I've seen them fail at less than 50k. The price sounds reasonable. Flat rate is the Techs wage, book time is what the customer gets billed. For instance, if a tech gets say 15.00 phr and the job pays 2.0 hr and he does it in 1 hour he makes 30.00 phr. A good tech can usually cut the time in half and double his wage. Its a good thing providing the work is there, if not he starves.

[parker57]

Well, I ended up having to replace BOTH. They were both bad. After having just one done, I had to take the car back the next day to fix the other one. Any clue what would cause this? Is this a problem with Grand Ams or should I think the car was damaged at some point before I owned it. ( carfax says no accidents, but that's just reported accidents. )

[sunrunner_pei]

I had both front bearings fail on my '99, but I blame it on the 4 defective tires I had that the dealer took 2 years to replace. 2 years of constant vibration probably killed mine early.

Yes, the bearings on the '99+ are known to be not great. I've seen many posts over the past 3 years of people replacing them, so you're not alone. I'm sure that the winters that we have contributes to their early failure, especially since they're a 'sealed' design and can't be lubricated regularly.

Sorry about your misfortune, believe me, I know how it feels. :(

[parker57]

It ended up costing me the $420, but at least I have my car back!! Hope nothing else comes up for awhile.....need a chance to save up for the next repair!

[sunrunner_pei]

Originally posted by parker57
It ended up costing me the $420, but at least I have my car back!! Hope nothing else comes up for awhile.....need a chance to save up for the next repair!

hehe, that's the way it is right now with my truck. I don't think I can afford to have any more troubles with it.