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From: ems@amdahl.UUCP (ems)
Newsgroups: net.auto.tech
Subject: Re: Toyota problems (wheel bearings)
Message-ID: <2180@amdahl.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 1-Nov-85 12:40:40 EST
Article-I.D.: amdahl.2180
Posted: Fri Nov  1 12:40:40 1985
Date-Received: Sun, 3-Nov-85 06:32:52 EST
References: <2427@sunybcs.UUCP> <204@ucdavis.UUCP>
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Organization: Circle C Shellfish Ranch, Shores-of-the-Pacific, Ca
Lines: 36

> >       2)  The bearings in the rear end have started to hum.  How much damage
> >           can I expect if I wait a few months to replace them?
> 
...
> Wheel bearings usually just keep getting noisier until they get so loud
> that you have to replace them just to keep your sanity.  I favor milking all 
> the mileage out of the original equipment bearings as possible, since they
> frequently last longer *after* they start to make noise than the replacements
> will after you install them.  Wheel bearings get *real* noisy before they
> will freeze up, and the replacement bearings I've gotten have often been of
> rather poor quality.

One thing to watch out for is *front* bearings.  (I know the original
was about rear bearings, but this is important).  My sister had a small
Ford that had the front bearings go dry (grease 'evaporated').  The
result was a noisy front bearing.  This first manifested itself in Los
Angeles.  As home was north of San Francisco, she decided to just
drive it home before getting the bearing fixed.  After several hours
on the freeway noise was worse and the performance was off.
She stopped at the request of a friendly Highway Patrolman ...  The
wheel then fell off.  A *VERY* overheated bearing had softened the spindle
it rides on enough for it to break.  It was a dull red at the time...

One wonders what would have happened if she had not been pulled over
for a smoking wheel.

Even if you do decide to push the bearings; grease 'em.  Often and well.

-- 

E. Michael Smith  ...!{hplabs,ihnp4,amd,nsc}!amdahl!ems

'If you can dream it, you can do it'  Walt Disney

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