I am curious as to how much work it would be to replace the front wheel bearing. As I've read, on Saturn's the bearings are pressed in - probably should be done by a machine shop - but would only cost <$75 in parts. This beats the $300 I was quoted at a auto repair place. How long do stock bearings usually last on these cars anyway? Thanks!
They should in theory last the life of the car. Mine went bad, though, shortly after ramming the front wheel into the curb during a snowstorm. What you could try is to get the whole steering knuckle & wheel bearing off a junked car. Spin it first to make sure it's OK... if no obvious clicking or roughness, it should be OK. The main cost involved in replacing these is the labor to press the bearing onto the steering knuckle, and to re-install the knuckle on the car, align the wheels, etc. The bearing itself is not that much money... maybe $80 for the part.
Around here, the dealers will press in your bearings for a small fee. It can't be that big of a deal for any shop to do that has a press. Regardless, you will still need an alignment to do the job right. And Saturns are not the only vehicles that use pressed in bearings now-a- days. James
How long do stock bearings usually last on these cars anyway? One went bad on my '94 at about 145k. On the race car, I replace them before they go bad. They will go bad quickly if the big axle nut is not very very tight. So tight that's its a bit beyond the published torque spec. This information comes from a Saturn tech I've known for more than 10 years whom I trust. I wouldn't trust a bearing off a junkyard car to be much better than the one you're replacing. After all, a lot of them go through serious harshness to get to the junkyard... I think the last time I replaced one, it ran around $50 from Autozone. Your Saturn dealer's service department is able to press the bearing out/in, as well as any competent machine shop. My machine shop charged just a few bucks (less than $20 if I recall correctly). The big center axle nut will be the toughtest part of the job. You'll need a good impact wrench, or at least a 2 foot breaker bar to get it off. A Haynes or Chilton manual will talk you through the rest of the job. Lane [ lane (at) evilplastic.com ]
I took the hub off and had a Saturn shop replace the bearing for about $75 if I remember correctly. Probably should not have to replace ordinarily. I had to replace one on a 99 Saturn that I bought used. I have a 97 SL1 that is still going strong that I bought new. MR
I though thta if the bearing went bad and because it was part of the hub.. you just replace the whole assembly.. hub and all. I think I even read this somewhere in the saturn repair specs also.
