Wheel Bearing Failure

fmc400 · #1 (**permalink**) 11-01-2009, 04:23 PM

I had a pretty bad vibration in the front wheels consistent with speed, pulled them off and found this guy on the passenger side. Any idea what would cause this? Made in China? Rim too heavy? Too much/not enough/wrong kind of grease? There's very little grease on it now because I cleaned it up for the picture. I replaced the rotors with the bearings, and used the races that were already installed with the rotors and not the races that came with the bearings. I'm curious if there was some kind of machining mismatch there. I'm interested to see if anyone has seen this kind of catastrophic failure before. Thanks guys!

SevenT4 · #2 (**permalink**) 11-01-2009, 04:29 PM

You need to use the new races or the new bearings are not going to last long. Was the bearing pictured the new one you just installed or the reason you installed new ones?

shadowviper12345 · #3 (**permalink**) 11-01-2009, 04:38 PM

this is usually caused by the bearing over heating because there isnt enough grease. it could also be caused if the bearing is put on to tight.

fmc400 · #4 (**permalink**) 11-01-2009, 04:38 PM

The bearing shown is the one I recently installed. Both the bearing and the race were new.

fmc400 · #5 (**permalink**) 11-01-2009, 04:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shadowviper12345

this is usually caused by the bearing over heating because there isnt enough grease. it could also be caused if the bearing is put on to tight.

Thanks so much for the input.

shadowviper12345 · #6 (**permalink**) 11-01-2009, 04:46 PM

im not sure if it matters but i probly would have used the races that came with the bearings.

ranger429 · #7 (**permalink**) 11-01-2009, 05:14 PM

Agreed, you never know if they are machined the same. Most of the rotors now come from overseas.

4x4 Bart · #8 (**permalink**) 11-01-2009, 07:02 PM

Could the race not have been seated all the way. If it was a 1/16th short of seated, the bearing nut could have torqued to spec like normal but during hard turn or a pot hole the race slipped into it's proper place deeper into the hub causing a loose bearing fit and wheel vibration that destroyed the bearing and broke its cage.
This looks like its caused by a loose bearing to me.

montana_highboy · #9 (**permalink**) 11-01-2009, 10:45 PM

I'm not sure i completely follow, in your first post you state "I replaced the rotors with the bearings, and used the races that were already installed with the rotors and not the races that came with the bearings"

In your follow up post you state "The bearing shown is the one I recently installed. Both the bearing and the race were new"

As the others have stated i would suspect the bearings were not mated with their respective races if i'm reading you correctly, btw were these Timken bearings?