bearing change?

patrickc

can any mechanic change a wheel bearing, or is there specialist machinery required?

cheers

crosstownk

Depending on the make/model it may need to be pressed/pulled out. If a decent mechanic is prepared for this then he should be able to do it on your driveway. But lifting the car on a ramp would be preferable - especially if it's a front wheel bearing

mcwhirter

It depends on the car, some need special tool to remove bearing, some don't. What car is it?

patrickc

crosstownk wrote: »

Depending on the make/model it may need to be pressed/pulled out. If a decent mechanic is prepared for this then he should be able to do it on your driveway. But lifting the car on a ramp would be preferable - especially if it's a front wheel bearing

mcwhirter wrote: »

It depends on the car, some need special tool to remove bearing, some don't. What car is it?

it's a 00 opel astra, the normal mechanic who does our cars, does them here, just wondering whether it's worth calling him tomorrow or not.

btw it's the front right bearing

rccaulfield

On a wheel- yea any mechanic!

Plug

He'll need a press, most of the time thats the case anyway.

Lucifer

On an astra the front wheel bearing comes as a hub so its a bolt on job, no need for a press.

DaMonk

On the subject, anybody know what the going price is for a wheel bearing, on a volkswagen preferably?

peasant

shouldn't be more than around 50 Euro or so

DaMonk

peasant wrote: »

shouldn't be more than around 50 Euro or so

Is that for the actual bearing or for getting a machanic to do it?

nc13

That price would be for a front, a back bearing is about 15 to 20 euro. That's just for the part, labour is about 45 to 50 euro per hour.

peasant

That would be the bearing only ...
(39 Euro is what I paid on t'internet for a good FAG bearing kit for my T3)

oeb

If you are getting a squeek when driving it could be the plate the bearings are attached too aswell. That was about 120 euro when I got it fixed in my 00 primera recently.

Lucifer

It really depends on the car and the set up. I got a rear wheel bearing for an escort recently and it was about 50 trade price. An astra comes as a hub so is alot more expensive. Could be about 150.

DaMonk

is it dangerous to leave a wheel bearing as is if its about to go? there's a kind of noise thats hard to explain...

oeb

A really loud squeeking from the wheel? From what my mechanic told me it's not like the wheel will fall off or anything, but you do want it delt with sooner rather than later cause it may effect the suspention if it's left for a long time without dealing with it.

patrickc

DaMonk wrote: »

is it dangerous to leave a wheel bearing as is if its about to go? there's a kind of noise thats hard to explain...

it can do damage to the hub especially at speed when it heats up

crosstownk

DaMonk wrote: »

there's a kind of noise thats hard to explain...

A worn bearing usually makes a droning noise that's more prevalent when you turn through a bend putting more weight on the wheel in question. Turn the opposite way and the noise will subside a little.