New Wheel Bearings? Yea or Nay

[jonp]

Pretty much done replacing the suspension on my CRV. The new CV shafts came yesterday so thats about it except for the bearings. What is the opinion on those? Replace since ive done everything else as a preventive measure or wait till i hear or see something. The vehicle is approching 160,000 miles

[JSnover]

If you are lucky enough to have the time, the money, and the skills all at the same time, I'd say do it now.
I have never owned a CRV but my '87 Blazer and my 2000 Explorer both needed front bearings between 175-200K.

[Lloyd Smale]

160k on them id replace them without a doubt

[Houndog]

Since you will have the spindles loose to replace the CV shafts I'd replace the wheel bearings! You will be 1/2 way there already. It's a no brainer as far as I'm concerned.

[starnbar]

Yeah that's a lot of miles and every time I didn't do a complete change out on something guess what? You answered your own question by asking and you know the answer to that one.

[bullet maker 57]

Change them. Cheap insurance.

[MrWolf]

You just jinxed yourself. Change them.

[w5pv]

Make sure you lube the inner needle bearings.

[PaulG67]

Absolutely replace them. I would replace brake pads and discs while your there also.

[osteodoc08]

Replace them.

[runfiverun]

with 160-K on it I'd replace them and be done with it.
then start saving up for the next thing, or the next vehicle.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

with 160-K on it I'd replace them and be done with it.
then start saving up for the next thing, or the next vehicle.
160K....that's just broke in.
The last car I bought (Toyota Matrix) had 220K on it...a year and a half later, it's at 235K.

I, myself, wouldn't spend the money on new 'unneeded' wheel bearings for a Honda or Toyota...they'll probably outlast the car.
that's just my 2¢
YMMV

[starmac]

I would probably replace them while I was right there, at the very least give them a close inspection. Bearings are cheap enough, BUT some vehicles now you have to change the hub, instead of the bearings as the race is built in, that sometimes starts running into some bucks, if that happens to be the case.

[NSB]

Your Honda CRV bearings will last a long time yet. I don't believe there is any maintenance process for these bearings as they are sealed. It's pretty rare for any Honda model produced since the early 90s to need bearings before the car is completely worn out. I think you're good for another hundred thousand miles yet.
FWIW: I worked as a quality engineer for 33 years G.M., five years as a quality manager for Ford/Visteon, I retired and I'm on my third Honda. I can't wear one out. Tell you anything?

[runfiverun]

y'all must have nice paved roads where you drive.

[DougGuy]

With new CV axles the front end will be a LOT quieter. If you have any bearing noise it will be easy to detect. I would leave the factory bearings until you hear a noise. They just might outlast the rest of the car.

[NSB]

y'all must have nice paved roads where you drive.
I live in the pot hole capitol of the world.

[DerekP Houston]

My last job I drove a ton of miles so I've been in the proactive maintenance category so I didn't get stranded on the side of the road. I would go ahead and swap em just for peace of mind. If it were me every time I heard a noise I'd be betting "man I should've swapped those, i bet thats what the noise is."

[jonp]

I would probably replace them while I was right there, at the very least give them a close inspection. Bearings are cheap enough, BUT some vehicles now you have to change the hub, instead of the bearings as the race is built in, that sometimes starts running into some bucks, if that happens to be the case.
the front are just bearings and the rears are the hub and both are sealed. Both cost about $25/pair on ebay so the cost is easy enough. The motor mounts I'm wrestling with right now suck. There is always that one bolt you can't reach except with a $129 tool made just for it :x

I prefer the none sealed kind you can pull and pack grease around. My Toyota Tacoma had those. Once a year I pulled them and took a look just for fun. Only took a few minutes

[Hickory]

Better safe, than sorry would apply here.

[DerekP Houston]

There is always that one bolt you can't reach except with a $129 tool made just for it :x


Hit up autozone if you have one nearby. I borrow those type tools from them all they require is a refundable deposit. Better than buying it for one job and not needing it again.

[Petrol & Powder]

160K....that's just broke in.
The last car I bought (Toyota Matrix) had 220K on it...a year and a half later, it's at 235K.

I, myself, wouldn't spend the money on new 'unneeded' wheel bearings for a Honda or Toyota...they'll probably outlast the car.
that's just my 2¢
YMMV

I'm in this camp.

The rest of the car will die before the bearings will.

[BigMagShooter]

if they don't make any noise and are smooth, I'd leave them. Personally, since they are such a pain, I'd leave them until I had to.

[BigMagShooter]

I'd NOT use Autozone bearings in the Honda. Spend the dough and get the HONDA bearings IF you're going to do it.

I'd wait.

[DLCTEX]

If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

[Traffer]

I have a Civic that I bought new. Now has 222k miles on it. I changed the front end including inner and outer tie rod ends complete springs and struts, brakes, upper swing arms, lower ball joints, torsion bar mounts etc. The wheel bearings are good. I would say, unless you off road the thing. the wheel bearings on a Honda are good for 500k miles.

[Plate plinker]

I would if your local conditions are rustbelt rough. Otherwise nah.

[Rusty W]

I have a 2002 CRV with 240k+ miles on it. I bought it used in 2008 with 160k on it. Since I've owned it the only things I've had to replace are brake pads, struts, a squeaky serpentine belt, and tires. I live on a county chip & seal road and about a mile of dirt road for a driveway. Been a great little car. If it isn't broke, I don't fix it.

[starmac]

My problem with waiting till it breaks, is it never breaks close to home or when I have time to work on it. lol

[MtGun44]

I replaced one front wheel bearing on my old Accord at 345,000 miles
and the other was fine. Unless they are noisy, leave them alone. They
do NOT suddenly go out, they will growl for 10K miles or more, no
problems, just noise.

Expensive part and a PITA to install, and a fair chance of damaging it
during the install and having to do it over. Ask me why I know THAT!

Bill

[dubber123]

3 of the 4 on my old Subaru have 290,000 miles on them. The 4th has been replaced 3 times in the last few years with aftermarket junk. Unless you can replace with OEM bearings, I would leave them alone.

[6bg6ga]

Yes, replace. Buy them on line and check out sites like AM-Auto parts. Stay away from the AC Delco brand if replacing GM for example. I replaced all 4) wheel bearings on the wifes SRX Cadillac for less than $200.00 It doesn't pay to buy the most expensive brands as all will give about the same life. Th bearings I purchased came in a plain white box and were the same as the expensive brand. Just my .02 as this was my second go around. The first was our 04 GMC Envoy.

[6bg6ga]

AS MTgun44 has mentioned replace them only if they produce noise. In my case with both the Envoy and the SRX they were growling. One more thing....try to avoid deep water and puddles as in my experience I believe they were a factor in the bearing going bad. Not too bad to replace just need air tools and the correct socket to get that big nut off the axel.

[3 gun Gus]

If it ain't broke, you're not trying!

[Frank46]

I had one wheel bearing **** out on the way home from work. Luckily made it home ok and replaced both at the same time. Made sense as I didn't know what shape the other was in and since I was at it and the car was up on stands it was a no brainer.Frank

[jonp]

I decided to wait. When I pulled the CV shaft the bearings looked good. I found them for $25 or so online and will order some. When I hear a noise I'll put them in. They are not hard to do on this car.

[6bg6ga]

My bearing reference was to the wheel bearing hub assemblies found on some of the newer SUV's like Envoy's, SRX's, Blazer's and such. As mentioned by Mtgun44 these will make noise for a long time and typically last another 10K before going to heck in a handbasket. My experience with the older wheel bearing/ race assemblies is to replace them soom after they start making noise.

[jonp]

My bearing reference was to the wheel bearing hub assemblies found on some of the newer SUV's like Envoy's, SRX's, Blazer's and such. As mentioned by Mtgun44 these will make noise for a long time and typically last another 10K before going to heck in a handbasket. My experience with the older wheel bearing/ race assemblies is to replace them soom after they start making noise.
Yes, that is my plan. I'm getting a little tired of pulling the front of the car off to replace it piece by piece. At least I'm getting pretty good at it.

[Detroitdanm]

I'd leave the quality OEM bearings alone, unless you can find very good quality name brand bearings like made in the USA Timkins or similar. The cheap china stuff is just that, the metallurgy and tolerances are likely far worse than what you have now in your 160K young OEM's.