As a follow-up to my previous post, I thought this might prove insightful, not because I know many people who need new wheel bearings, but because this simply presents some interesting ways of thinking about the problem. I probably haven’t given enough thought or credence to these.
(Also note, this is for pressed-in bearings only. There are a lot of configurations out there, but I’m referring to your typical FWD type of wheel bearing)
- Pay a dealership to change it. This is the most expensive option, but you get an OEM part that is likely to last a very long time, and there’s a decent amount of butt-covering on your part, as the liability is on the dealership that changes it.
- Pay a professional to change it. This would be pretty much any other shop that isn’t the dealership. You probably won’t get an OEM part, but you will still get a new part, and there will also be a decent amount of butt-covering, as the shop eats the liability.
- Pay a friend. If you have a mechanic friend, it is often profitable for them and saves money for you. Most auto shops have a lenient policy of using the shop premises for “outside” work so long as it not on the company’s dime or clock. The only problem is that it may take longer to get back, as you’re basically asking your friend to dedicate an evening or two to your car. Plus, if they mess something up, it’s not fair to place the liability on them, as they were trying to do you a favor. It’s much better if your friend is a professional.
- Remove the knuckle assembly and pay a shop to replace the bearing. If you have the right tools, it’s not terribly difficult to remove the knuckle assembly. However, if you do this, you will need to get an alignment afterward. Also note that a lot of national chains do not like doing this sort of work, as there are probably a lot of idiots who order the wrong bearing, and the shops don’t want to be liable. You usually need to find an independent shop to do this. And, uh, since your car is disabled, you may need a lift if you can’t hoof it.
- Replace the knuckle assembly with a junkyard assembly. Hey, if your bearing is on its last legs, you may as well give this a shot. On my car, the lower ball joint bolts into the knuckle but is designed to be detached from the car using 3 bolts on the control arm. It’s likely you’d be picking up an assembly that includes the ball joint, and if that’s the case, you’re literally just swapping the assembly. Ball joint arm bolts, tie rod bolt, knuckle bolts. Slap that axle nut on there, torque it to spec, done. As long as you’re willing to risk it on that ball joint, this could be an extremely economical solution. These things sell for about $20 at the junkyard, maybe $60-100 on eBay. Just…maybe don’t buy anything from rust belt states (or frickin’ Minnesota). If you’re lucky, you get a quality OEM part with mild usage. If you’re not so lucky, you’ll find yourself changing the assembly again.
- Replace the wheel bearing yourself with your own tools. This is, in some ways, the most direct route, but you will probably need to own quite a few tools, and the liability is all on you. If you know how to do it and have the skill and experience to handle things that could go wrong, great. You can take a difficult job that’s usually around $400-500 and do it for nothing more than the price of the new bearing, which can be anywhere from $25-90. But don’t buy the $25 one, unless you really want to change it again within a year.
I suspect there are many options out there for accomplishing things and solving problems. Too often there tends to be this binary discussion of “pay someone” or “do it yourself”, but that isn’t fair to the many different ways you can solve a problem.