Wheel bearing gone bad coincidence?

[Michigan]

i have a 2004 tahoe z71 4wd with 168k miles. Got it with 149k miles

I recently took the truck to the tire shop to have my tires replaced on my 20” aftermarket rims. Installed some Hankook Dynapro ATM

Anyways about a 2,000 miles or less of driving the truck I’m getting this loud humming or roaring sound from the wheel. Sounds like an airplane and when driving around a corner on the freeway the noise goes away so I’m concluding it’s the front drivers side wheel bearing.

Is it a coincidence that it went bad or is could it have something to do with the tire shop not reinstalling the wheel back on right? For example I had a tire shop strip my studs on a different vehicle one time because they didn’t have the wheel pushed all the way back in the studs and the guy just torqued the lug nuts on with the tool (drawing a blank as to what it’s called lol)

I never had an issue with the wheel bearing in the past but they are probably something that just fail without any warning all of a sudden? Truck still drives fine just loud as hell. Can barely hear the radio on the freeway

 

[Sam Harris]

i have a 2004 tahoe z71 4wd with 168k miles. Got it with 149k miles

I recently took the truck to the tire shop to have my tires replaced on my 20” aftermarket rims. Installed some Hankook Dynapro ATM

Anyways about a 2,000 miles or less of driving the truck I’m getting this loud humming or roaring sound from the wheel. Sounds like an airplane and when driving around a corner on the freeway the noise goes away so I’m concluding it’s the front drivers side wheel bearing.

Is it a coincidence that it went bad or is could it have something to do with the tire shop not reinstalling the wheel back on right? For example I had a tire shop strip my studs on a different vehicle one time because they didn’t have the wheel pushed all the way back in the studs and the guy just torqued the lug nuts on with the tool (drawing a blank as to what it’s called lol)

I never had an issue with the wheel bearing in the past but they are probably something that just fail without any warning all of a sudden? Truck still drives fine just loud as hell. Can barely hear the radio on the freeway

I don’t think the tire shop could have damaged the wheel bearing. It’s a part that fails.

 

[Doubeleive]

it's just a wear and tear item, and when one side goes sometimes the other side gives up not long after

 

[SnowDrifter]

Wear and tear. I'm sure the 20s didn't do them any favors. Toss some timkens on there and rest easy. I would, however, verify that it is your wheel bearing and NOT drive the truck until you get it fixed.

 

[swathdiver]

Did you re torque the wheels after driving for 50-100 miles? Be thankful they lasted as long as they did, they usually don't.

 

[02Lightning]

Did you re torque the wheels after driving for 50-100 miles?

I always thought this was a cover you butt kind of thing, for when the tire place forgets to torque your lug nuts down. When I take a wheel off and then put it back on and torque it down, I never go back after 50-100 miles and re torque them.

 

[swathdiver]

I always thought this was a cover you butt kind of thing, for when the tire place forgets to torque your lug nuts down. When I take a wheel off and then put it back on and torque it down, I never go back after 50-100 miles and re torque them.

I do and again after a few thousand. There's always one or two at least a few pounds off by then.

 

[drakon543]

definitely timkens tho really wish i knew timken was the way to go a couple years ago.

 

[Michigan]

Thanks, took your guys’s Advice and ordered a pair of timken sp500300. I believe that is the correct part number for 4wd.

I found them on eBay for $110.00 for 2 of them which I thought was unusually cheap as most competitors sell them for about $100.00 for one. I messaged the seller and asking if they were actual timken and he replied yes. He’s also got many good reviews on eBay so I went ahead and ordered.

Don’t think I’ve heard of timken till you guys. How do they compare to moog? Also what’s a fair price to pay a shop to do both front side?

 

[SnowDrifter]

Moog is shit, IMO. They maybe used to be hot shit, but I've yet to get anything from them I can look at and say, honestly, "this is quality"


Timken has always made top of the line bearings. Not just for automotive, but large scale industrial stuff. Is there a bearing on a critical piece of mining equipment that costs $3k+ per hour on downtime? It's probably timken. No, seriously. I have a bit of contact with the heavy equipment world and the folks there tell me that on anything larger, or more labor intensive to get to, they use timken. Smaller stuff, non critcal parts, low labor things use SKF. Take that info how you will

 

[drakon543]

no lies there.

 

[HiHoeSilver]

Moog is shit, IMO. They maybe used to be hot shit, but I've yet to get anything from them I can look at and say, honestly, "this is quality"


Timken has always made top of the line bearings. Not just for automotive, but large scale industrial stuff. Is there a bearing on a critical piece of mining equipment that costs $3k+ per hour on downtime? It's probably timken. No, seriously. I have a bit of contact with the heavy equipment world and the folks there tell me that on anything larger, or more labor intensive to get to, they use timken. Smaller stuff, non critcal parts, low labor things use SKF. Take that info how you will

I have relayed this once before on here, but will do so again quickly, as supportive info to this convo. The facility I work in also houses a one-client print shop (whose things land on all of our porches and are produced by the millions, wink nudge) along with an international printing equipment supplier. ALL those rollers that spin 24/7/365? Timken boxes everywhere.

I work with aerospace companies a lot. I also have a few helicopter mfr as clients. Rotor bearings? Timken.

Mars Rover? You get the idea.

 

[Michigan]

I called a shop that I usually deal with and he quoted me 120.00 per side. Said he’ll talk to his partner and they’ll maybe able to go 200.00 for both. This is labor only. I didn’t bother calling around other shops. Is this a fair rate?

Also he mentioned something about spindle and ball joints having to come out to get the hub assembly in. He said sometimes they can save the ball joint and sometimes you have to get a new one if you can’t. Not sure if he was referring to upper or lower ball joints. Does this sound accurate? I didn’t know this job involved all that

 

[Massfloefi]

I called a shop that I usually deal with and he quoted me 120.00 per side. Said he’ll talk to his partner and they’ll maybe able to go 200.00 for both. This is labor only. I didn’t bother calling around other shops. Is this a fair rate?

Also he mentioned something about spindle and ball joints having to come out to get the hub assembly in. He said sometimes they can save the ball joint and sometimes you have to get a new one if you can’t. Not sure if he was referring to upper or lower ball joints. Does this sound accurate? I didn’t know this job involved all that

For wheel bearings?! Do yourself a favor and get a new mechanic.

Just did these myself in the fall and that's a load of bull ****

*I was referring to spindles and ball joint removal*

 

[SnowDrifter]

Not really

Listed book time is 2.5 hours for both sides. Sounds fair

If you're in the rust belt that's a steal

 

[Massfloefi]

Not really

Listed book time is 2.5 hours for both sides. Sounds fair

If you're in the rust belt that's a steal

I should clarify. Removing the spindles and ball joints is unnecessary.

 

[HiHoeSilver]

Agreed with a combo of the above. There is absolutely no reason to touch ball joints /remove spindles to do the hubs.

$200 for both is a fair price.

 

[Michigan]

The guy I talked to is not the guy that is going to be working on my truck. I don’t know if you have to remove the ball joints to do a wheel bearing replacement on say a 96 silverado but that’s what he has and he was saying that he thinks it’s like his.

I’m no expert but I told him that I didn’t think you had to do all that for the wheel bearing hub replacement and he said claimed you do. Maybe he was confused as to an older model? I’m not sure but he called me back and told me his brother, other owner of the shop said he can do for 200.00 both sides so I’ll be dropping it off in the morning.

 

[Michigan]

Just got the truck back from the shop. They replaced both front side hub assembly bearings. The guy working on the truck said they didn’t have to remove ball joints. He said not to listen to the other guy. Lol. They’re both good guys. Got it done for 200.00 in labor both sides and 110.00 for the pair of timken’s. Was 310.00 a good price for this job?

 

[HiHoeSilver]

Just got the truck back from the shop. They replaced both front side hub assembly bearings. The guy working on the truck said they didn’t have to remove ball joints. He said not to listen to the other guy. Lol. They’re both good guys. Got it done for 200.00 in labor both sides and 110.00 for the pair of timken’s. Was 310.00 a good price for this job?

Yes. Very.