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[stuvaux]

hi guys
how easy are the front wheel bearings to replace??

is it true they only come pressed into the hub?
and how many parts are there to the front hubs in total

i have been told there is the hub with bearing assay, plus the hub carrier

also, any ideas of where to get all of these from??!

i am presuming it is the bearing that has gone - there is a roaring noise from the drivers side front wheel, especially when cornering to the left

thanks,    stu    8-)

[Admin]

Unusual. I have not heard of a wheel bearing failing on an Omega.

Not easy to replace by us mere mortals as they require rather a lot of force to remove!  

As far as I am aware they are pressed into the hub and come as a complete unit.
But the all knowing one will give full information soon enough.

[stuvaux]

i did have an accident in the car a couple of months ago - causing it to be written off

i hit a kerb, when i swerved to avoid another driver, with the drivers side front wheel the first to hit
the car ended up completely on the kerb
i have so far replaced the subframe, d/s wishbone and shock absorber

it now drives okay, just needs a few more tweaks to get it back to 100%

i am sure the problem was already there before that though, as there was a roaring noise then, mainly on braking

[omegaV6CD]

I have learned the hard way that sometimes bearing gone-like noise can be a worn aged tyre. I ended up changind 3 gearboxes on my old astra trying to eliminate the noise while befor i had replaced all the wheel bearings. Check your tyres first. As Laidback 66 said it is unlikely for an omega to fail the wheel bearings.

[nixoro]

Old School thing but have you tried jacking the car up and moving the wheel to see if there is any play in the wheel, might be worth a look if only to eliminate the bearing as being the problem.

[stuvaux]

thanks for your advice so far

there doesn't seem to be any play in the bearings when you rock the wheel

as for the tyres, the problem was there before the accident, when i had just had new alloys/tyres fitted(which are still to be repaired!!)

can bearing failure cause roaring when braking??  i have already fitted new discs/pads

by the way, can ayone recommend a lowering kit for a 1999 estate??!

thanks    8-)

[nixoro]

Pure guess and i'm sure someone with more knowledge of this will correct me

When you had the knock and replaced the wishbone/subframe/shock did you have the alignment/geometry checked only this could be causing your problem.

[Marks DTM Calib]

Jack the car up and put a listening stick onto the hub where it sticks through the middle of the wheel and the otehr end on the bone just below your ear.......spin the wheel and listen for noises

Best source for hub assemblies is ebay at around 40 quid and despite the large torque required (breaker bar is essential) they can be changed DIY.

Ebay Front Hub

[stuvaux]

okay thanks

the alignment has not been done properly yet

i will try listening for bearing noises as described asap

thank you to all,  stu   8-)

[Nobby]

I replaced my front n/s wheel bearing in Jan 2005. Not a difficult job ,but you do need a breaker bar plus a torque wrench capable of 250Ibf ft. The breaker bar I had was too short so I improvised and put a length of scaffolding pole, about 3-4 foot over the bar to give more leverage.  You must keep the said wheel on the ground while untightening the hub nut.  Its VERY tight, and has to be replaced at a torque setting of 236Ibf ft.  If you need more info ,Haynes manual explains how too, chapter 10. The wheelbearing normaly only makes a noise when driven slowly on a smooth road. As you pick up speed it dissipates then slowing down to around 10mph you will hear it again. Your'll not necessarily hear it if you jack up the car because of no weight on the bearing. Vauxhall price was £102.00 inc vat, (last year) thats bearing and hub complete. I would say second hand is false economy, and too much of a risk .

[stuvaux]

thanks again for your advice

the noise on my car is there at all speeds though, not only when i slow down

although, as i said, before the accident, it only used to roar when braking

is there any sure way i can tell if it is the bearing?

thanks,   stu   8-)

[Matchless]

You can try jacking it up and checking for play at the wheel rim but this only works on a completely knackered bearing.
If it is noisy it is often due to a tiny imperfection on the bearing track and doesnt result in any play, you have to find a way to 'listen' to the bearing. Jack up the wheel then use a steel bar or long screwdriver held against the suspension upright, as close to the stub axle as possible, put your ear on the other end of the rod or screwdriver and spin the wheel.
You will hear all sorts of noises but if you repeat for the other wheel you should be able to tell if one is noisier.
If you push the brake pads back clear of the disk it helps, as you eliminate the noise from the pads rubbing on the disk.

My experience is that the noise you describe is probably due to the tyres, have you tried swapping tyres front to back?

[stuvaux]

thanks - will try asap

as for the tyres, the noise was there when i had the new alloys/tyres on before - so i am unsure if that could be the problem

stu    8-)

[Marks DTM Calib]

The tyres/alloys I assume were new and not second hand and of unknown quality/origin?

[stuvaux]

no, the alloys/tyres were brand new

[Tony H]

My moneys on you front wheel alignment being out after the bump,causing you tyres to scrub slightly which is the cause of the noise.

[Markjay]

I have play on both front wheels, Vx said it was front bearings and Tony as WIM confirmed (the play disappears when the brakes are applied). They are not noisy though, but just to demonstrate that apparently they do go sometimes - and my car only did 45k from new! Yes they come complete with the Hub, and require huge torque - GeffD kindly offered me use of his tools, but both Vx and Tony said the play is not too excessive and does not require immediate replacement, so I didn't change them yet.

[stuvaux]

thanks again to all

i am just about to check for bearing noise now

will keep you posted on developments!

thanks,   stu   8-)