FYI Axel Failure
FYI-Has anyone had this problem? I purchased my 2011 Cruiser RV 24SD ViewFinder new. Used it about 3000 miles each year 2011 & 2012. I pulled & packed the wheel bearings each year. Jan 2013 had my loc...
Forum Discussion
69 Avion wrote:
I'm not making an assumption on anything. I'm just saying that the odds are that if the other bearings are set up fine, than the one that went bad was probably fine when it was packed and installed, especially if the bearing on the same side is checked. If two people do the work, they usually each take one side. What I wouldn't assume is that the bearing quality was 100% fine. Bearing do go bad. Cheap bearings go bad more often. I have no idea what brand bearing that they use. If it were mine, I would check the existing bearings on the old axle to find out what brand they are.
If the OP wants to save some money, he could put new Timken (or other quality bearing) on the old axle and run it for a while. I like to match axles, but in the short term it won't hurt anything on leaf springs with an equalizer. I wouldn't do that with a set of rubber torsion axles.
Sure bearings can go bad. But they usually have a little help as improper adjustment, lube etc. Even then, they don't go from perfect to failed instantly. There are many early warning signs that a mechanic should see. My shop manuals actually have pictures of bearings with these types of signs, along with a diagnosis of what type of abuse is causing the bearing degradation.
BTW, Timken is moving or maybe already has moved production to China.
China gets a bad rap, some of it deserved, but just as the Japanese grew out of their quality problems in the 60s, so will the Chinese. You might be surprised just how many Chinese bearings are in cars that don't fail.
