I think my wheel bearing is bad

jammin1911 · Post by **jammin1911** » Sun Dec 10, 2006 2:17 pm

I finally jacked up the front of the car to check whats broken under there causing my rediculously violent wheelhop when i turn and hit bumps at the same time..

it looks like a pretty bad wheel bearing on the front drivers side.. i didnt take anything apart to inspect but the wheel moves in every direction quite a lot actually, at the outer edges of the wheel probably about 1/8th inch

it does this horizontally and vertically so thats why im blaming the wheel bearing..

as i type this however, im thinking that when i was moving the wheel i could see the half-shaft/drive shaft moving as well... hrrmmmmmmmmmmmmm could that still be the wheel bearing?

what are my options here?

Also, if I do need a new hub what cars can i take one from?

Post by **ARCHINSTL** » Sun Dec 10, 2006 4:15 pm

Be certain to check your inner and outer tie rods as well; there should be no movement of the ball in the socket. Mine were quite bad, and I replaced inner and outer and boots. The cost was $106 on the rods from Autozone and $28 on the boots from Advance (prices are for both sides): Oddly, neither store had both available. The rods were made in Japan as well.
Check out the AZ link for really excellent replacement procedures.
http://www.autozone.com/servlet/UiBroke ... epairGuide
Tom M.

Typrus · Post by **Typrus** » Sun Dec 10, 2006 4:46 pm

Check to make sure its not balljoint slop either. Always possible.

Considering the CV shaft goes through the inner bearing and connects to the part of the hub connected to the wheels, its quite possible to have slop between the inner and outer bearings and see the CV move when the wheel does, but the knuckle be unaffected. Thats the important question. Does the knuckle wobble too, or just the wheel?

jammin1911 · Post by **jammin1911** » Sun Dec 10, 2006 5:04 pm

the knuckle being the entire contraption that all of my multi-link and suspension bolt to, right?

that does not move

the only movement i could see what the actual wheel (so the hub) as well as the cv shaft was moving with it.

jammin1911 · Post by **jammin1911** » Sat Dec 16, 2006 10:08 am

Alright so lets say that it is my wheel bearing (I still havent had a chance to play with this again)

What are my options as far as other cars go.. I would just end up going to a scrapper and ripping something off myself so what cars would be compatible for front wheel bearing?

Jts · Post by **Jts** » Sat Dec 16, 2006 1:48 pm

might as well take the whole assembly with you. Or give toyota a call and ask them to cross reference the part. Other tercels of the same age seem like they would be compatable, but i doubt anyone here knows for sure.

waynehoc · Post by **waynehoc** » Sat Dec 16, 2006 3:36 pm

Okay, got some time to check the Toyota EPC, and it's the same part numbers for all AL2* chassis production dates 82/05 thru 88/01 for the knuckles, bearings, seals, hub sub ass'ys, deflectors and disks.

Bottom line - get the knuckle ass'y you need from ANY '83 thru '86 Tercel sedan, or ANY '83 thru '88 Tercel wagon.

keith · Post by **keith** » Sat Dec 16, 2006 4:22 pm

Wheel bearings aren't that expensive new and aren't hard to replace or expensive to have pressed in if you remove the hub assembly. Just get a new one. There are two different types, one sealed, the other not sealed, but they are interchangeable. I prefer the not sealed so I can re-pack it with a high temp moly-lith.

jammin1911 · Post by **jammin1911** » Wed Dec 20, 2006 7:02 pm

very good thanks a lot for the info all!!

Typrus · Post by **Typrus** » Wed Dec 20, 2006 7:15 pm

Any thoughts on how to re-pack with it in? I don't have a press. FULLY cleaning and repacking your wheel bearings is VERY important to bearing longevity. In the front, very much so. In the back, I'm not entirely sure as I don't know if its isolated from the gear lube. Even so, regular gear lube service is a must. Anyone enlighten me on rear bearings? The FSM just says to press them off, but I dunno how the heck you'd do that. Is it a true press or can you smack it off with well-placed punch and hammer blows, as you would with a bearing race inside a drum or disc?

keith · Post by **keith** » Thu Dec 21, 2006 6:56 pm

You absolutely have to have a large shop press, and its not a press on, press off. The rear bearings are sealed bearings and there is a ring just in front of it that has to be ground off first. Then the bearing has to be heated to 310 degrees in oil before it is pressed on, then the new ring gets pressed on. A lot of shops (NAPA and CarQuest) have these presses and don't charge too much for the press work. You need to grind the ring off yourself.

You need the press for the front wheel bearings as well, but its a little more straight forward. Its not to expensive to have it done if you remove the knuckle yourself.

For repacking wheel bearings, I like NAPA Hi Temp Moly Lith. When I was in the Navy, we used it for the wheel bearings on F14's, and those were only sleeve bearings. I find I get better highway mileage with this grease too.

Typrus · Post by **Typrus** » Thu Dec 21, 2006 9:44 pm

Just make sure you fully clean all the old grease out.
Any issues with longevity?

Jeeze.... What a pain in the butt.
What about the AE86 bearings? Any idea on them?

keith · Post by **keith** » Fri Dec 22, 2006 7:29 am

Yes, the molylith lasts longer too.