Wheel Bearing Questions...

So I figure I have a bad wheel bearing; unfortunately I can't figure
exactly what I'm going to have to do to fix it. The manual I have
pretty much says don't mess with it and take the steering knuckle/hub
assembly into a shop and have the bearing pressed. I called the
nearby dealer and he said to just order the hub assembly and to put
that on instead of pressing the bearing. Call the auto parts store
for the hub assembly, and apparently you have to press the bearing
that comes with the new hub assembly. What is the advantage of
purchasing a new hub assembly as opposed to just the bearing? Is this
really that hard that I should take it into a shop? I mean I know I
need a press, and yes, I have access to one. what about an
alignment? Why would I need one of those? I mean I guess I
understand why, but If I'm not cranking on the tie rod or anything is
it really going to throw it off that much? So many questions; and so
little time before this thing decides its going to completely go
out...thanks!!

 

Mind reminding us what vehicle this is as I'm to tired to use telepathy
at this moment...

 

Yeah, it's a 99 SL1 with about 113,000 miles...sorry

 

To be sure, this conclusion came how?

That helps. It would be easier if the hub/bearing was one unit but the
bearing is pressed inside the steering knuckle making it part of the
unit as well. This job takes more than hand tools unfortunately.

 

Yeah, just take the knuckle to Saturn. take your car back to Saturn for
alignment. I had it all done for <$200 including parts and what not...There
was a good guide on the Saturn site. I can dig it up if you'd like?

 

Thanks for all your help and willingness to do so...

A friend and I fixed the thing; quite a job. He's a mechanic, and had
never seen a bearing like that.

I can go into detail if you'd like...it took a lot longer than we both
expected.

To answer another question: How did I come to the conclusion it was a
wheel bearing? Well, it was making a thumping noise for quite some
time, around a year or so. Of course it got progressively worse, and
I began to have premonissions that at some point, probably around 3
am, my tire would fall off and I would go crashing into the woods and
become a missing person.

It was classic wheel bearing symptoms, a thump-thump-thump type of
noise, which earlier in it's time would only do it if the weight would
shift onto the tire around a corner, or not do it if it would shift
onto the other wheel. And apparently I was the only one to see this
as odd, as a number of local shops that I took it to said it was fine,
even after I explained what it was doing. Probably wanted nothing to
do with changing that bearing. I know the guy who helped me said he'd
never do another one.

 

A year? Jesus. I can feel a slight misbalance in my tires and I usually
freak out. I can also feel when my tires are low as to how they sound...

I'm a freak for sure

 

well, I noticed it, but what can you do? Fix it I suppose, but i
guess that is how cars go...turn up the radio, and the problem
momentarily disappears.

 

Google is your friend.

http://groups.google.ca/groups?as_q...81&as_maxd=15&as_maxm=4&as_maxy=2006&safe=off

especially (IMHO)
http://groups.google.ca/group/rec.a...e1ac9?lnk=st&q=&rnum=1&hl=en#75cbe98ea96e1ac9

and
http://groups.google.ca/group/rec.a...9a162?lnk=st&q=&rnum=5&hl=en#d2965e3b0fa9a162

Good luck, YMMV