• The site migration is complete! Hopefully everything transferred properly from the multiple decades old software we were using before. If you notice any issues please let me know, thanks! Also, I'm still working on things like chatbox, etc so hopefully those will be working in the next week or two.

Can a 2007 GTreally eat wheel bearing/ hubs?

S

SpringfieldGT

New member
2007 GP GT 133,000 miles

"that noise" first happened about 4 years ago. Bad front wheel bearings. Shop replaced with Dorman. Year and a half later, went again. Strange. "We'll try Timkin this time." Lasted 2 years. Replaced with Moog in September 2014 "at a discount". I pay for labor each time. The rumbling/grinding/TC came back last week. Shop said bring it in Saturday.
I like the mechanic, the service writer not so much. Kind of implies "what are you doing to your car?" My response is "what are YOU doing to my car?" Service writer says it don't get much better than Moog.
So my 3 year warranty will cover the parts that lasted 9 months, I "just have to pay for labor". Again.

Since the original set lasted 60-65,000 miles I never dreamed I would be looking at a 4th replacement. Had I known, I would have learned to do this myself since it appears to be an annual thing.

ACDelco might be the only brand not tried. Even thinking of skipping the shop in favor of my GM dealer (12 mos. warranty parts & labor.) Maybe then I'd never have to deal with it again. But the Moogs are under warranty.

Is there something unusual here?
Rears have never been touched. I don't remember ever replacing wheel bearings on any other car and I've had several over 100,000 miles.
 


I had a 2000 GT that at 130,000 miles at trade in (2009) had never needed wheel bearings. My 2001 had them both replace 3 1/2 years ago with Moogs and both failed just after the warranty expired with only about 20,000 miles on them.

It's a pretty simple DIY repair with the right tools.
 
Modern wheel bearing hub assemblies are manufactured to high precision, and close tolerance. Final machining of the close fit parts takes place when the unit is put into service (installed on vehicle). Final machining creates excess heat that if not managed properly will not only damage the sealed non replaceable grease, also the surface finish and hardness of the metals will be damaged reducing the life span of the part.
After installation of wheel bearing hub assembly, drive short a distance (under 2 miles) and slow speed (under 50mph). This will allow the close fit parts to "wear" together a.k.a. final machining. Repeat this procedure several times increasing the distance, but keep the speed slow, this helps prevent too much heat being generated and ruining the permanent grease.
Most of all, do not just pick up vehicle from shop with new hub/hubs, and then hop on the interstate and go 70mph for 4 hours.
This procedure is known as "breaking in", and can be met with much skepticism. My experience has been, that the more tenderly I have treated any new high precision machined parts into service, the longer they have lasted.
 
I'm going to tell you that I have never ever in my life "broke in" a wheel bearing and have never ever had an issue because of it.
 
thats a new one on me too.

learn how to put new hubs in yourself. its a 45 minute job, these cars are know for hub going bad. it been through 4 hubs in 5 years, all timken. i only paid for one hub. all warranty replacements.
 


And...I'll tell you I've never once torqued a wheel bearing.

Our cars can eat bearings. Depends on the road and or your driving style.
 
Damn wheel bearings! I HATE them with a passion.
My first GP was a '97 model. I put on 170K total miles and only had one front bearing go bad in it.
My '02 40th Anniv. had the right side OE front bearing go out at 60K. Since then, I have replaced the fronts 3 times, using Timken and Moog. Interestingly, on the back, as I was installing new struts, springs, rotors, calipers, and sway bars, I went ahead and installed new Timken bearings (at 110,000 miles). Both of those have gone bad. I took OE bearings from a junkyard GP to use as replacements.
Sick and tired of wheel bearings going bad.
Like others have said above, learn how to install these yourself. It is not hard at all.
I asked a neighbor who had been a mechanic for 30 years why bearings don't last long on a Grand Prix. He said "cheap Korean steel". In his shop, he tells me he replaces many bearings on high mileage foreign cars also. So, don't feel bad.
 
Left front was replaced today under Moog warranty. Service writer said right front was fine. $99 charge for labor. Said I must have hit a pothole to damage it but they exchanged under warranty. It's always something I do to the car according to them.
 
try different brands ive heard others say the timken quality isnt what it ueed to be and ive never had good luck with moogs either.
 


You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top