Front wheel bearings; how to fix?

When I first got this truck, I did'nt know what I got myself into! Really, for being 17, it was a financial blackhole. I spent $4k already in 6months on my truck alone! It has come far. And it might actually not get very far for long if I don't fix it!

2 or 3 days after I got it, I took it to an auto shop and they gave it a diagnostics check, from the inside out. They told me in one of the many problems, it was that I needed to repack the wheel-bearings in the front. both inner and outer!

My dad says the only thing thats keeping me from being able to do it myself is that the inners have to pressed in I guess? So, I mean, is it going to be more cost effective to put it in a shop for repair?

I just notice that sometimes my wheels shake the whole truck like your going over little bumps... thought it may be the cause?

yes the outer sleeves have to be pressed in. inner and outer bearings.

you could get a machine shop to press it in really. not too bad.

?????? if i remember right i repacked my front bearings myself. it has been to long to really remember but i know for a fact that i packed at least one on both sides. i say just pull it apart and check it out.

i too bought a serious fixer upper. i thought what i was buying just need an engine rebuild. yeah, 5k later. at least everything is new.

you can repack them w/o removing the outer sleeves. the outer sleeves are press on

if you buy a new bearing set, you will get the peice that rotates (thing that you pack) and an outer sleeve. the sleeves needs to be pressed in.

just repacking them will sometimes work, but if the bearing was ran with no grease, the outer bearing will get worn quick. it's just like running a motor with no oil. so even if you repack an extremely worn bearing, it will still wiggle and not be a tight fit like it should.

Well, repacking is the easy part, I suppose. It's gettin' them back in. Did you do the outer bearings in the front or the inner ones behind the spindle? Thats what I also need repacked. I don't want to pull it out and end up messing it up and then not even be able to get it somewhere at all!

Hahaha, and 5k later is'nt the end of it either!

Mark, what does it mean by "pressing" them? Because I mean why would'nt a rubber mallet do or something?

All I know is that the guys told me in the report that they should get redone. Dunno how they figured out it needs a fixin'... So what could the noise from the wheel be coming from?

pressing means you have to use a hydraulic press to get them in or out....
not a task for a rubber mallet.....any decent auto shop will have one, if you pull the hub, & carry it to them, they probably won't charge much to press the old bearings out & press the new ones in. the noise could be one of two things on the front....brake pads are worn & squeeling, or the wheel bearings are dry & need repacking as a temporary fix until you can get some new ones put in.


oh, 4k-5k that ya'll have spent isn't bad (well it is, but not as bad as me).
i bought my truck new in '94, it was the last '93 on the lot as all the new '94's had just come in. i paid $9997 for it, the sticker was @$13,975......drove it like i stole it for 4.5 years till the motor gave up on me....it sat up till two years ago this oct. 12 when i pulled it out of the barn...to date i've spent almost what i originally paid for the truck & it isn't even running yet, nor have i got my motor back from the shop which will be another @$3,500, then i still have to finish the body work, interior, & get it painted......(damn this is an expensive hobby!!!) i figure i'll end up havin @$16k in it when i get done.....(i must love this truck)

^^^ wow, now i don't feel so bad haha. i bought mine for 150 bucks but she told me all that it need was the eng to be rebuilt. turns out someone stole a crap load of parts so i had to redo everything. these cheapskates even stole the fuses out of the fuse box. what really sucks is that i bought a rebuilt head for 300 bucks and it still isn't right! i just decided to drive it til the head completely goes out. then drop either a v-8 or a v-6 in her.

sorry bro didn't mean to still your thread haha.

but repacking the bearings is an easy job. don't sweat it.

HAHAHA....$9997, thats awesome. You're the first person that I've ever heard of thats the origional owner of their mazda.

YEAH ME & MY G'MOTHER ON MY DAD'S SIDE WENT & LOOKED @ IT & I TEST DROVE IT, THE SALES GUY SAID THAT HE HAD TO HAVE STICKER FOR IT.....IT HAD 231 MI ON IT AFTER THE TEST DRIVE.....SO I TOLD HIM I'LL THINK ON IT...THEN I GO ACROSS THE ROAD TO THE MITSU DEALER, DROVE ONE OF THERE TRUCKS & GOT A QUOTE ON DEALERSHIP
LETTER HEAD, WENT BACK ACROSS THE STREET TO THE MAZDA DEALER
& SAID THAT IF HE WANTED TO SELL IT, HE WOULD HAVE TO MATCH THAT OR I WAS GETTING THE MITSU, ESPECIALLY SINCE HE HAD THE 94'S ON THE LOT & IT HAD MILEAGE ON IT. NEXT THING I KNOW I'M COSIGNING WITH MY G'MOTHER FOR MY FIRST TRUCK ON MY GRANDFATHERS (MOM'S SIDE) B'DAY JUNE 25 1994......PART OF THE REASON I DIDN'T FIND A TRUCK IN BETTER SHAPE TO BE MY PROJECT...AS BOTH ARE PASSED NOW.

I had the axles off my 92 2200 last week end to put on new rotors and pads.Pulled the outer bearings and repacked them as part of the job.Truck has 129 k miles and there was little if any bearing wear.Outers get more wear than inners due to loads on them turning.Not saying ur bearings dont need replacing but I would pull rotors and front axles and check outers before I replaced them all.They may just need packing.