98 Jimmy wheel bearing hub

Need to replace the drivers side wheel bearing hub on my 98 GMC Jimmy. It has 145,000 miles on it. This makes the 6th time I have changed a hub on it. What could I be doing wrong?

Reply to
Tim
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"Tim" wrote in news:o_ydnWqwyK88ESjYnZ2dnUVZ snipped-for-privacy@comcast.com:

Are you replacing with new or refurbed? Why are you replacing it so many times? Disc brakes or regular? Just a guess but if it were me, my first stop would be where you keep getting the hubs to ask about this.

Reply to
Kawosa

Replacement has been with new.

First two were purchased from auto zone and the remainder covered under warranty

No idea why so many the last one was installed by a shop and they tighten the hub nut with a impact gun I used a wrench.

Dick brakes 4W

I have question it to auto zone they have no idea. One went out within a week of replacement, and another the same day but that was the ABS sensor in it.

Reply to
Tim

Should add I have replaced both fronts on my daughters 98 Jimmy over two years ago with NO problems

Reply to
Tim

You are supposed to tighten the hub nut to a certain torque. I have replaced a couple of these and I do know that the ones with lifetime warranty are a lot better that the ones that have the 90 day (or whatever it was). The one on my daughters Jimmy without the lifetime warranty only lasted about a year.

Reply to
The Adams Family

AutoZone told me today it will be covered under the warranty which is one year. I will go with that and hope to dump this and get a different truck. What kind I really don't know. I have always been a GM fan but with the track record of this one I may make a change

Reply to
Tim

"Tim" wrote in news:sIGdnTrClKRruyvYnZ2dnUVZ snipped-for-privacy@comcast.com:

Well, as long as you are getting warranty action just keep on till you get one that hangs in there. Otherwise go get a new GM hub and I bet you will stop the nonsense. If you talk to the Svc Mgr at a dealership, he may give you some pointers on things to avoid during installion. If there's a mistake to be made, they will see it over time.

Secondly if this is a warpage or heat related symptom, you problem may not be in the hub.

Reply to
Kawosa

From what I have learned this hubs have been a problem for a long time.

Reply to
Tim

Some parts stores will allow you to "warranty upgrade" your existing part. You would get the value of your current part put towards one with a lifetime warranty, and only have to pay the difference. Just a suggestion. :)

Reply to
80 Knight

They only have this one part. I have yet to find anyone that has remanufactured hugs.

Reply to
Tim

Topposting again...

Are these hubs on a two-wheel drive or four-wheel drive Jimmy? If four-wheel drive, does removal involve disassembly of the front axle?

Recently, I've begun hearing/feeling a speed-dependent sound/vibration coming from the front end of my '99 4X4X4door. The sound/vibration does seem to change with turns to the left, though I have some more investigation to do. I do know that the 4-wheel drive is disengaged and seems to work fine.

Does this symptom sound typical of an impending wheel bearing failure?

Not Dead Yet

Reply to
NotDeadYet

My experience has been the if you turn the sound will increase that is the side that needs replaced. It is not a easy job to fix. Mine is 4WD

This is based only on what I have learned. Jack it up and have good safety devices under it. Take the tire and try to move it up and down then side to side. I have confirmed a couple times that was the side that needed to be done by doing that but it has not always been true.

Remove the tire. Remove the brake and tie it up out of the way. On the back side start to loosen the large hub nut. I think its a 32 mm socket and its very hard to get off. It will take a 1/2 drive, this last time I used an electric impact which is well worth it if you have or can get one. Just loosen it don't try to take it all the way back at this point. Now on the back side of the hug you will find three bolts that hold the hub and sandwich the splash guard, remove these bolts two will be hard to get to. You should also unplug the ABS senor loose from the frame. Be sure and save this sensor I wish I had a replacement one now. At this point you can remove the large hug nut.

I would get a 3 point gear puller, hook it on and start cranking it down and hit the side of the hug. It will take allot and it will come off hard all the way.

The hub nut will go on as hard as it come off. First time it took me the better part of a day.

Its hard for me to describe but I hope this helps.

"NotDeadYet" coming from the front end of my '99 4X4X4door. The sound/vibration

Reply to
Tim

Should add if you change one you might as well do the other side its not long for it to go bad.

Reply to
Tim

Just the opposite actually. If the sound increases as you hang a left turn, it's usually the right bearing. That's because the bearing that is getting loaded is the one that is subject to the centrifigul force.

Correct - and in fact is quite often not true. Not to dispute your point, just to add to your concluding comment that no discernable movement is not an indication of a good bearing/hub. I've tried to get movement to no avail, only to remove the hub in two pieces.

Reply to
Mike Marlow

Guys,

Before posting my original message I was already under the impression that the vibration was located more to the right side of the truck. At that point I took off the tire/wheel/caliper/rotor just to see if I could feel anything when I turned just the hub. No such luck. I couldn't really tell anything. There was little, if any, vibration during rotation, and no free-play in the other axis. Maybe it only happens when loaded with the weight of the vehicle? When I get time, I will check the driver's side hub.

In the mean time, I do need to drive the truck occasionally. Am I risking a catastrophic failure here? My only other experience with bearing failure happened in a Ford van, where the steering got progressively more sloppy. I had time to deal with that failure as it didn't happen at highway speeds.

Not Dead Yet

Reply to
NotDeadYet

"NotDeadYet" during rotation, and no free-play in the other axis. Maybe it only

Failing hubs will go a long time before they pose a catastrophic threat.

Reply to
Mike Marlow

Did you check the ball joints?

"NotDeadYet" during rotation, and no free-play in the other axis. Maybe it only

Reply to
Tim

Well, not really. While the truck is a '99, it only has 40K on the odo and has been fairly well maintained. All 11 grease fittings get a few squrits of Mobil 1 Synth lube every 3000-4000 miles. . I know these vehicles have ball-joint problems, but I wouldn't expect any so soon (mileage-wise). One more thing to check, though it will have to wait until it's above 0F outside....

Thanks for the continuing input....

Not Dead Yet

Reply to
NotDeadYet

Should of done it today it was up to 6 here LOL.

"NotDeadYet" odo and has been fairly well maintained. All 11 grease fittings get a

Reply to
Tim

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