wheel bearings

Hi. I have dealt with the Toyota rear bearing/drum set-up which was the pain in the rear press in/out style caged bearing. On the rear it was an expensive bearing...around 80 bucks. The front should be somewhat the same because it is a front wheel drive but I think on that year it may be referred to as a hub style bearing. Usually a whole unit that has the press in bearing and the hub with all the new wheel studs attached to it. That type of bearing is much more expensive but usually easier to install. Just a couple of bolts and it done. If you have the press in style....real pain for the do it yourselfer.You would need a hydraulic bench press to help do the work for you. $ 392 bucks is a lot of money and I hope he has included the front end alignment in that price as it should be done. Yes you will need the alignment as the old worn bearing could have been shaking the wheel and in turn affect your tie rod end. Also, if you have too...get a second opinion and go to an auto parts store. They can possibly show you what the bearing looks like and the details of what the job may consist of. Good luck! //Charlie

get a second opinion, go to a totaly different shop and ask for a safety trip inspection. but it would not be uncommon to need replacement of wheel brgs on a 10 yr old car. they are generally a sealed brg and may have the hub installed on it, that is why they cost more than conventional tapered brgs

Yes you need to get a second opinion. but don't tell them you think somethings wrong, see if they find it. You could do most of the work you self with basic hand tools, well basic tools that most car guys have, but if i remember right you will have to go to a shop to get them pressed in and out. But diss-assembling them yourself will save you some green, but is it worth it? Stuff like that is always better to get professionally done.

the bearings should be sealed in the hub. its cheaper to get a new hub. its easy to do but at the same time its a pain in the ass. a shadetree like you can do it.

usually bearings dont get loose. when they're bad they're noisy for a few to several years, then they lockup on ya. if the hub is loose, then titen them or get heli coils. by the way the big nut you see in the middle of the hub holds the cv-shaft in. its not a bearing nut. i'm not a mechanic but i've done this several times on my own cars and i got 2.5 years of college on cars from triton college.

if the axle nut is not torqued properly your bearing will fall apart. the axle on the in side with the nut on the outside hold it together. if they are lose, check for the proper torque. if that doesn't help, get new.

Thanks for the advice... I have a friend who works on cars and wanted to do it but said I'd need a hydraulic press to do it, so I'd have to take it to a mechanic. I have never worked on cars myself and don't know how things go together, but I know a little about fluids and basic stuff. It is the front right bearing that is loose. I did go to a second mechanic and he was about the same price, however he said both front wheel bearings were loose. This is parts and labor. Right now the car has started to burn oil so I'm probably just going to trade it in in a year and get a new car.

just to let you know, fwd uses a hub nut, rwd uses a castle nut or no nut, and 4x4 goes either way. dont get them mixed up