While my 98 has been an exemplary sweetheart at 195K miles, it seems to have developed a curse on the front left wheel assembly.

The whole setup isn't the original, of course, but OEM. I few years back I replaced everything (lower arm, bushings, etc) including new rotors, bearings, et all. It all seemed to go back together well. I did both left and right, and the right (passenger) side has never had a problem, but the left...

The first issue came up a few months later. On the Florida turnpike at 70mph the inner bearing decided to implode. It limped to the next exit, where I had to have a shop work on it (no tools, miles from home) and $400 later I had a replaced spindle (off a junkyard) with everything else replaced and/or reused.

I took it home. Normal city driving and a few trips later, it started to make some weird noises which turned out to be the brake caliper clips sliding sideways and touching the wheel (clack-clack-clack). I got all new brake hardware (clips etc) and made sure it all was ok.

A couple of months later, again, noise. I just took it apart : it ate up the OUTER front wheel bearing to pieces. So now I am not messing around. Since I don't know where the shop parts came from, I am getting everything, from rotor to bearings to the cotter pin and replacing it all myself.

After thousand and thousand of great miles, that front left corner seems to have become possessed. Still, she stranded me only once, seems to warn me of impending issues, and continues to be the solve it all member of the family.

Now, if I could just make it stop raining inside...

 

Wel, fixed it today. For the fitting of parts I think the previous shop used the wrong front outer bearing. This time everything is nice and tight, perfect fit.

Big thanks to RockAuto.com, great prices and got everything.