If I Have To Change One More $@$#$% Wheel Bearing On This Truck I'm Gonna Snap

[CanukGMC]

1998 gmc jimmy sls 4.3l vortec 4x4

I've had it. I changed my front passenger bearing in Feb because it literally blew up (literally). I had changed it the other one out 6 months earlier. Now comes March, I hear the oh-so-tell-tale moaning from the front end while accelerating, doesn't matter engine RPM, only variant on actual speed. I think to myself NOT AGAIN! I do the "test" where I turn left, noise remains, I turn right, it disapears completely, like turning mute on the TV. According to everyone who posted this test that means my RIGHT wheel bearing is done (passenger side, the one I JUST CHANGED!). SO I get another bearing, luckily under warranty, pull it all apart, the bearing falls out and breaks my little finger, AWESOME! I goto the hospital, then the parts store, get my new bearing, put it all back in *typing sucks with a busted finger*. I do the first drive AND THE HUMMING SOUND IS STILL THERE AND DISAPEARS WHEN TURNING RIGHT STILL!! WTF!

1)what are the chances i got a brand new defective bearing? low to none
2)the test doesn't work and I should have just pulled the drivers side in the first place. I think this is what's going on.

Looks like when my finger heals I'll be doing another #@!$@#% bearing job.

Can anyone explain to me why the test doesn't work? And can anyone explain why these trucks eat wheel bearings like cheerios.

[old_master]

GM T body vehicles use two sets of ball bearings in each front hub assembly. Turning right loads the outer bearings of the left hub and the inner bearings of the right hub. At the same time, it unloads the inner bearings of the left hub and the outer bearings of the right hub. Turning left does just the oposite to all bearing sets. The "turn left, turn right test" only determines if there is a faulty bearing if the sound changes. It's up to the technician to determine which side of the vehicle the change in sound came from. The quality of the bearings is what determines how quiet the bearings are, how long they will remain quiet, and the price.

[CanukGMC]

Originally Posted by old_master

GM T body vehicles use two sets of ball bearings in each front hub assembly. Turning right loads the outer bearings of the left hub and the inner bearings of the right hub. At the same time, it unloads the inner bearings of the left hub and the outer bearings of the right hub. Turning left does just the oposite to all bearing sets. The "turn left, turn right test" only determines if there is a faulty bearing if the sound changes. It's up to the technician to determine which side of the vehicle the change in sound came from. The quality of the bearings is what determines how quiet the bearings are, how long they will remain quiet, and the price.

Thanks for the reply, I thought the same thing about dual sets inside the hub itself, but since everyone kept saying turning left and no sound means the left bearing, etc, I went with that. I wish I would have known that earlier, hopefully someone else will read this and learn from my experience. Thanks again, I'll be pulling that other bearing later this week when my finger comes down in size hopefully.