Rio Wheel Bearing B/S?

I have never had a problem with my Rio until two weeks ago. I decided to go get some new brakes because it has been a very long time- I went to Meineke in Augusta, GA and they said I needed new brakes front and rear, the rear are drum brakes and then they said I had hydraulic fluid leaking out the rear brakes. Ok so supposedly they fixed that and I drove off toward Atlanta. As soon as I got on the highway I heard a high pitched short squeal. Pulled over, didn't see anything wrong kept going. About an hour later there was a humming and racketty sound coming from my rear left tire. Noticed something was wrong and slowed down and did notice that as I turned the steering wheel to the right the noise became louder. When the sound was unbearable I pulled off the highway, removed the wheel (the lug nuts were scorching hot) and found the whole drum brake was cracking in two and if I had made one more revolution (I tried later) on that tire the whole assembly would have broken off the car. Now Meineke finally paid for the fix at another Meineke close to Atlanta but is refusing to reimburse me for my other expenses saying that I had a bad wheel bearing. Is that possible that I had a bad wheel bearing even though he had just worked on the brakes? I was told at the Atlanta Meineke at first that the original one had torqued it too tight or not packed the bearings, does anyone know how this damage could have been caused.

Reply to
Bridge
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Reply to
Terry Cano

Thanks so much I'll check it out. We're definitely taking them to court.

Reply to
Bridge

Thanks so much I'll check it out. We're definitely going to court.

Reply to
Bridge

If it's like most front wheel drive cars like my Jetta, which I've had the pleasure to work on a few times. :o( In order to get to the brakes, you have to remove the cotter pin and nut to release the rear drum. Along with the drum comes the bearings, which should then be protected from dirt, cleaned and repacked. When replacing the rear drum, a new inner seal has to be used (did they charge you for one?) with the inner bearing behind it and then the outer bearing is fitted. Next the washer and nut have to be replaced and TORQUED into place. Usually you tighten it until it becomes slightly hard to turn drum and then back off on it until you can move the washer with some slight resistance. It's a 'feel' kind of thing. If they just tightened the hell out of it, that's what happened.

Reply to
Tom

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