How long do front wheel bearings last usually?

[lone73]

Anybody got any idea on how many miles before they give out. I'd like to replace mine before I end up on the side of the road. Do they fail catastrophically or gradually get noisier and noisier?

thanks
.
.
.

 

[LT4man]

Are you referring to your 73 Vette or your 96?

On the 73, as long as they are cleaned and repacked with grease every 25,000 miles or so, they should last indefinitely.

On the 96, you should get about 100,000 miles out of them.

If they start to make noise, they should be replaced IMMEDIATELY. The 96 front bearing is a sealed assembly. No greasing or maintenance is possible. As long as you do not hit 6" curbs on a daily basis, they should last a very long time.

I have 85,000 miles on mine and they are still good!

SAVE THE WAVE!

 

[c4cruiser]

Life of the bearings will also depend on the driving you do. If you autocross a lot or do occasional track days, the bearing set will take a lot of abuse and may not last more than a few years.

The left front bearing hub on my 87 is getting loose and the car only has 71K on the clock and I do 8-10 autocross events each year and a couple of track days.

When bearing begin to fail, you should be able to see it by raising a front wheel and grab the tire at the 12 and 6 o'clock positions and move the wheel in and out. Any excessive movement will usually indicate worn bearings.

Wheel bearing sets for the 96 can be expensive. Figure on anywhere from $160 to over $200 each! :cry

 

[lone73]

Thanks for the replys. I have about 155K on the odometer now and they are not wobbly or anything. Just wonderring what folks generally get out of them.

thanks
.
.
.