Wheel Bearings and Alignment
Thread Starter
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Junior User
Joined: Mar 2003
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Wheel Bearings and Alignment
I'm tired of going to a shop for a front end alignment only to be told they have to repack the front wheel bearings first ($170 please). So I tell them to take a hike. I can't see how grease or no grease can make a difference in the alignment. Am I wrong?
John
John
New User
Joined: Jul 2004
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Front bearings on my 95 AWD are permanently sealed - just replaced the front left bearing at 248k miles. (about $110 at Auto Zone). Had some alignment
issues also, replaced badly worn tie rod ends and ball joints. I'm sure some-
one else with RWD can speak about their front bearings. Don't you love it
when someone tries to rip you off and some gut instinct tells you to slow
down and check things out?
Good luck!
issues also, replaced badly worn tie rod ends and ball joints. I'm sure some-
one else with RWD can speak about their front bearings. Don't you love it
when someone tries to rip you off and some gut instinct tells you to slow
down and check things out?
Good luck!
Post Fiend
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 14,413
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From: Sarnia, Ontario, CANADA!
If your wheel bearings are loose you will not have a true 100% accurate alignment. It is pretty easy to do. If you don't know how to do it, just get a Haynes manual. Should only take about an hour or 2 at the most. Good luck!
-Matt
-Matt
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Junior User
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Re-packing the bearings isn't a problem, I've done probably a hundred. I concur a loose wheel bearing would make an alignment impossible (these weren't), but driving the van doesn't push out the grease till there is none in the bearing and now they're loose. The grease isn't taking up any space in the bearing of any consequence, just a thin film to prevent metal to metal contact. I would expect to be able to have an alignment done on a van that had NO grease in the bearing at all.
Senior User
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Ask people you know were they have their vehical aligned and try one of those. I think the guy you went to was trying to drum up work.
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New User
Joined: Jul 2004
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Do I understand it correctly that the RWD Aerostars have the traditional/con-
ventional bearings that require packing/repacking?
ventional bearings that require packing/repacking?
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Joe Kucinski
Junior User
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 58
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From: Knoxville
Wheel bearing?
My 95 3.0L XLT Aerostar is a great machine, but I'm hearing a "roaring" sound on the Right Front wheel. As you might guess, the van pulls to the
Right on a straight road. I suspect it is out of alignment. Not sure how
long the alignment problem has existed, but I recently bought the car
and found the the "roaring" sound has existed for a couple of years!
Could this be a bad wheel bearing AND alignment problem?
Is the replacement of inner and outer wheel bearings a driveway job?
Any special tools needed?
Thanks to anyone who has done this, or experienced this...your
recommendations.
Tim
Knoxville, TN
Right on a straight road. I suspect it is out of alignment. Not sure how
long the alignment problem has existed, but I recently bought the car
and found the the "roaring" sound has existed for a couple of years!
Could this be a bad wheel bearing AND alignment problem?
Is the replacement of inner and outer wheel bearings a driveway job?
Any special tools needed?
Thanks to anyone who has done this, or experienced this...your
recommendations.
Tim
Knoxville, TN
Senior User
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 289
Likes: 0
From: The Show Me State
Folks,
I've used both dino and synth grease on A* wheel bearings at one time or another, didn't see any difference in that application. Either way, and of couse especially if you're going from one to the other, take care to clean the entire system completely. I've seen (not on my own vehicles...) different brands of grease "repel" one another, providing poor perfomance if not directly contributing to component failure.
Just a thought...
DadVan
I've used both dino and synth grease on A* wheel bearings at one time or another, didn't see any difference in that application. Either way, and of couse especially if you're going from one to the other, take care to clean the entire system completely. I've seen (not on my own vehicles...) different brands of grease "repel" one another, providing poor perfomance if not directly contributing to component failure.
Just a thought...
DadVan