Timkens Unit Bearing Failed after 10k Thoughs?

[purplezr2]

https://goo.io/KKQVMl

So about three months ago I changed the wheel bearing on my sister Vue. The diagnosis of the wheel bearing was a noise well driving that got louder when turning right.I replaced it with a genuine timkens bearing with not real issue and the noise went away. So fast forward to yesterday when my sister mentions needing an oil change and that her car is making that noise again. So I change the oil and took it for a spin and sure enough it sounds like the wheel bearing is bad again. Has about 10k miles.

Thoughts?

 

[George in Rancho Cordova]

Noise on same side, or opposite side?

 

[DangerousDan55]

Thinking, to loose, to tight, damage during install, or lubrication.
How did you do the install.

 

[purplezr2]

Noise on same side, or opposite side?

Same, side, sorry for not being clear.

 

[metaleltr]

Contact Timken

LIMITED WARRANTY.
7.1 Timken warrants that, on the Shipment Date, the
Products (a) will conform to any specifications explicitly identified
on the face of Timken’s quotation or acknowledgement or set forth
explicitly in another document that is a part of the Agreement, and
(b) will be free of defects in material and workmanship that would be
discovered by following Timken’s standards of manufacture and
inspection at the time of manufacture. Timken warrants that the
Services will be performed in a good and workmanlike manner in
accordance with any specifications explicitly identified on the face of
Timken’s quotation or acknowledgement or set forth explicitly in
another document that is part of the Agreement. THE FOREGOING
LIMITED WARRANTY IS IN LIEU OF, AND TIMKEN
DISCLAIMS, ALL OTHER WARRANTIES, EXPRESS AND

 

[plow]

Did you replace the race as well?

 

[1Fast2G]

Did you replace the race as well?

Its a unit bearing. Completely sealed, no race to replace. Maybe you over torqued the axle nut.

 

[9GUY9]

Many people would consider 10K life from a GM FWD bearing as normal.

Pull it out and get it warrantied. Make sure you get the proper torque on the axle nut.

 

[bullnerd]

A guy I work with went through this with his cougar.

He ended up getting a different brand bearing then no more issues.

I forget the details something about them being made in Spain? Not whats advertised on the box?

 

[purplezr2]

To answer some questions,

It is a whole unit, slide right in no hammering on it to get it in.

Axle bolt was torqued to spec that was listed in the manual, don't remember the number off the top of my head

I have also done about 30 off these, first failed one.

Pretty shocked to buy brand name and have it be **** out of the box.

The post below indicated it would be on the box, it was not I want to say the spec was 150ish, but I may be thinking of the wrong vehicle.

 

[ihateimacs]

Supposedly the leading cause of that type of bearing to fail early is incorrect torquing. I would make sure that you use a torque wrench and tighten it to the torque specified on the sticker when you first open the box. If you did do that then I got nuthin. It should have have a warranty if you bought it from a reputable place.

 

[GTA Matt]

****** bearing, incorrect torque or excessive camber.

 

[ihateimacs]

I work for a parts store and the last bearing we sent out to do a labor claim on went to Timken and they denied the claim because they said it was over tightened. The shop that did it is known for some real quality work. We still warranteed the bearing but they were out of luck on the labor. The only ones I ever see as repeat comebacks are on trucks with large tires and they pretty much know why. Sounds like you know what your doing so I say try another Timken as they normally seem to hold up pretty well.

 

[SpiderGearsMan]

cupped tire ?

 

[maks8489]

Happens all the time, especially when we're talking GM products. I sell auto parts and I can tell you swapping defective hub bearings is a fairly common occurrence, no matter the brand name.

 

[Torque1st]

Was the bearing assembly dropped anytime during manufacturing, shipping, handling, or installation? An impact load will destroy bearings, so will hitting a pothole. These new rubber band tires on giant wheels don't help either.

 

[justin1795]

i put 3 on my sunfire in 3 months. first 2 where cheaper ones and the 3rd was a timken. i finally said screw it. they were never loose just always making a noise.

 

[retDAC]

... The only ones I ever see as repeat comebacks are on trucks with large tires and they pretty much know why. ...

Would you please tell me why?

 

[Torque1st]

Would you please tell me why?

Overload forces on the bearing assy. Just like using a longer lever or pry-bar. The same force at the end of a longer lever produces a more forceful end result.

 

[Kevin C]

A lot of manf went from tapered rollers to ball bearings to reduce rolling resistance. Just by their nature, they are a lot more sensitive. That may not be the root caste, but it sure doesn't help. What I have seen is they are a lot less tolerant of impacts and loading and probably any inconsistency in manufacturing.

Or they forgot to put enough grease in it or got the preload wrong.

 

[JakeKohl]

Or the noise was coming from something else and the work around the bearing affected it enough that it got quiet for a little while. Axle? CV's? Transmission output? (I'm assuming this is FWD).

 

[Milton Shaw]

Custom wheels with a lot more offset cause and lot more load on the bearing than they were designed for. This was especially true on older cars with small outer bearing and large inner bearing that was designed to carry most of the load. Still would look at torque settings and installation problems.

 

[purplezr2]

Or the noise was coming from something else and the work around the bearing affected it enough that it got quiet for a little while. Axle? CV's? Transmission output? (I'm assuming this is FWD).

The old bearing was bad also, feels very rough,

 

[porschedude996TT]

Just have her turn the Radio Volume Up. LOL, just kiding, we did just that in a '56 Chevy years ago as a kid coming back from another town. Bearing got noisy, turned the radio up, got noiser, turned the radio up more. Got home, changed the bearing the next day.

Are these Double row ball bearing units? And you say they drop right in without a slide hammer or a press. Usually this is when the damage is done. Check the other side and see if the housing measures differently. Maybe the housing is machined short?

 

[CKC]

its not usual for these sealed bearing packs to fail soon after being replaced, doesn't matter where its from.
Timken sources some of there parts offshore so the name means next to nothing. a lot of variables here, install another and carry on...

 

[May Pop]

I had 2 Timkens fail that were purchase at AutoZone. Only 12-15K before they self destructed. Very disappointed.

 

[retDAC]

Overload forces on the bearing assy. Just like using a longer lever or pry-bar. The same force at the end of a longer lever produces a more forceful end result.

Custom wheels with a lot more offset cause and lot more load on the bearing than they were designed for. This was especially true on older cars with small outer bearing and large inner bearing that was designed to carry most of the load. Still would look at torque settings and installation problems.

Thank you very much for the replies, gentlemen.

 

[DynoDave]

To answer some questions,

Axle bolt was torqued to spec that was listed in the manual, don't remember the number off the top of my head.

This may be your problem. GM used a different design of nut at the factory than what comes in the box with replacement bearings, in some cases. Different nut, different torque value. There may have been an instruction sheet in the Timken box making this point clear, and telling NOT to use the torque in the service manual, but the torque they provide in the instruction sheet, or in a TSB.

An example, from a Timken box, and an Olds FSM...

So that FSM value is 284 lb. ft., and the replacement nut in the Timken box calls for 173 lb. ft. Big difference, and that axle nut sets the bearing preload in the unit bearing.

Check the new box for an instruction sheet.

 

[chadman]

My guess is that your sister either hit a chuck hole or a curb and brinneled the race. BTW I work in the wheel bearing industry at KBI/NDH, the main OEM supplier to GM.

 

[Diesel Dan]

There is a chance it was just a bad bearing, not hardened properly etc. Even with todays quality standards there are still a few bad parts made.

chadman,
Question for you then, why do unit bearings fail so regularly on 4x4 S-10s? We can get 80K+ out of the tires but not the unit bearings? All stock, not offroaded, driven very mildly.

One thing I have seen is that aftermarket unit bearings do not have as much grease in them as the OEMs did. I've cut apart many used ones. Noisy OEs still have colored grease in them when many replacements are dry when cut open.

 

[May Pop]

I agree on little grease in replacements. But without knowing the grease in there its not a good idea to add any more.

 

[chris142]

Prolly just a dud. It happens. I put a brand new ac compressor on a car yesterday and it was locked up out of the box.

 

[Highbeam]

Get used to it. There's a reason that you've done 30 of these plus the ones on your sister's car, they are a wear item.

I have a ford F350 and have replaced 4 unit bearing assemblies. They need to be replaced more often than brake pads. Stock tires, stock wheels, stock lift, etc. On the Ford bearings the front axle shaft is only held with a circlip so no issue with overtorque, it's just a wear item.

Get used to it.