Checking wheel bearings....

abc40kids wrote:

Cummins12V98 wrote:

abc40kids wrote:

Cummins12V98 wrote:
IMHO that was a huge waste of time and money.

Just because the grease was dark means nothing. How did the bearings and races look? Also the bearings you removed may have been of a higher quality than the new ones. Great you did maintenance but the bearings usually don't need replacing. Just clean, repack with new seals and you are good to go!

Bearings, races, seals, grease.... $125.00 IMHO, the bearings..... Almost nine years old and never touched just made more since to replace instead of re-pack. At the price I paid it was a no brainer. With me it's all about time and if the local shop would have been more reasonable I would have let them do it. Old bearings into the trash and new ones greased and in..... Spent more money to replace but definitely didn't waste any time.

I think I spent maybe 5 minutes removing and replacing
This was my first time messing with this and more than one shop, person and manufacture ( Alco ) recommend replacing due to my lack of past maintenance.

Your money your time. Seals $20 still need to be replaced. Driving out races and replacing just as much time as cleaning the bearings probably more. Also if you are not skilled at race removal and reinstallation you may cause damage.

A visual inspection is what you should always do. Just because there may have been a lack of maintenance means nothing. It's what they look like is what matters. Don't forget everyone in business needs to sell things.

So to just throw away $100 IMHO is better spent on something else.

That's just me!

The above comments are more directed toward anyone thinking of checking out their bearings.

I think I had 5 minutes tied up in the race removal and install, another couple minutes greasing the rear bearing and putting it back in with the seal. Next year this time I will inspect and repack when needed. I'm not an expert on telling the difference between a good and bad bearing...... Most of them looked good, just like the new ones but one looked like it could have been bad?? $25.00 a wheel to replace everything with the same bearing that came out made the most since to me and yes my money and very little time once I got past the first wheel. It seemed to take more time to jack it up take the wheel off and back on. $100.00 well spent....

I find it interesting it only took you 5 minutes to R&R the races and two minutes to grease the rear bearing install it with the seal.

I think you should go into business, those are some very fast times especially for someone that does not know if a bearing/race are still usable. ;)