Wheel bearing problems, the worst problem our cars get? Options

[Euphoria]

Now I know not everyone has had wheel bearing issues yet but when you do, watch out haha. A while back I found out I had a bad wheel bearing (my fault never checking for play etc) so I took the hub out and went to press a new one in realising the flange on top needed to be changed also ($150 from toyota) so all seems simple so far...30km later, noises again, I was thinking it was just the axle nut was not the right torque setting, find out the bearing seized, I couldn't be bothered to put a new one in so I payed someone to do it, 50km after the bearing, it was ruined again and had play, the flange was also destroyed. so $250 later I decided to find a hub in a wreckers, no problem on that side whatsoever since.

Knowing they often go one after the other I checked for play regularly and listened out for noises on the other side, but all seemed well until a few days ago it was making noise, I took it off and the nut was finger tight, did up to right torque settings and was fine until a day later, but didn't show any play yet, took it apart to get it pressed in and the flange moved up and down :s and had a little play.

I'm hoping I will have less problems as I got there early this time round, after finding one competent mechanic he told me how celicas always have that horrible problem and the flange and hubs get eaten away when they have much play. Not only this, when I had the first one go bad, it didn't make any noises at all and didn't show any signs at the hub of damage, and every incompetent mechanic said the hub was fine when I'd question it.

Is this a problem on all cars or do our cars just have a horrible design? I've just generally never heard of people having problems, ive heard they make noises, you get them fixed quick and they are fine.

Also to get a hub ($450 AUD) Flange ($150 AUD) and wheel bearing from toyota ($120 AUD) that is a lot of money for a bad wheel bearing, lucky for me I found a wreckers .

This post has been edited by Euphoria: Jun 17, 2010 - 5:06 AM

[Euphoria]

I have almost 200k on the chassis and still have the factory oem wheel bearings FROM THE YEAR 1994 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! tell your mechanic to stick that in his pipe and smoke it......and my suspension is not stock either haha.....

Same here. I'm still running the original bearings from '94. Never had one make sounds. I think even if I tried, it wouldn't happen.

Bearings don't always make noise, first one I had didn't make any noise I just failed rego and had to put a new one in, also I've noticed they get worse the hotter they are.

For some reason my driveshaft nut came loose 6 months down the track, so that day I tightened it to proper torque specs...fine for a week and then the same happened, this time round I got very bad sounds so I took it apart and yes, once again its destroyed the flange which is $150 and a used hub is the same money so I might aswell do that AGAIN.

I'd also say bigger wheels are a BIG thing on screwing up bearings.