Wheel BearingcostAutoZone

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My 02 explorer began making a grinding noise in the rear while on vacation. I just happened to be near a Goodyear repair shop. I took it there because I knew if the bearing went the tire could fly off at high way speeds. The total cost was just over $400.00. I called my mechanic near home and he said the repair bill is accurate. $1300 seems really high. If you haven’t repaired this yet don’t wait too long.

If a mechanic determines that any of your wheel bearings are worn out, you’ll want to have them replaced as soon as possible to avoid further damage to your vehicle.

Worn-out or damaged wheel bearings cannot be repaired and instead need to be replaced, ideally by a professional mechanic.

I recently had my 2002 4WD Explorer in to the dealer’s shop for OLF and tire rotation. It had 72500 miles on it at the time. Anyways, the service manager called to say that my rear wheel bearings needed to be replaced. The estimate was $1300!! I asked him how bad it was and he said that the technician was surprised I hadn’t been complaining about the noise. Problem is, I don’t hear any noise! It seems to be fine. Any other symptoms I should be experiencing if they are really shot? Also, does the $1300 price tag sound reasonable? I’m going to get other opinions, but would appreciate having a ball park price that I should be paying. Thanks in advance.

Frontwheel bearing noise

Your vehicle’s make and model, the type of bearings and parts used, labor rates, and where you have it serviced all factor into the cost you’ll pay for a wheel bearing replacement.

Hub style wheel bearings, the most common version used in modern vehicles, cost around $80 to $300 each. Don’t be alarmed if your mechanic says you need a new hub assembly, as this just means that the wheel bearings were installed inside the hub assembly at the factory, making it one complete part.

Rear wheel bearing replacementcost

Wheel bearing replacement time

They are an expensive proposition as the entire bearing/assembly must be replaced. An independent shop could do this job for less I’m sure using aftermarket parts.

If the wheel bearings were really worn, you would hear them screeching as they ground around. You may even feel a slight wheel wobble/vibration.

Once the condition of your front or rear wheel bearings breaks down, your tires will wear out faster and can do so unevenly. Braking issues can occur. You also risk having your wheels lock up, which could lead to axle damage and other dangerous issues that are not worth the risk. Driving with a faulty wheel bearing is a safety hazard and not recommended.

Wheel bearing noise

Worried you might overpay for your wheel bearings replacement? Use Jerry’s GarageGuard to get a fair cost estimate for your wheel bearings replacement.

Andrea Richard is a writer and editor with nearly 15 years of experience crafting content for a variety of industries. In writing for Jerry, Andrea’s mission is to deliver relatable and informative content so readers can better understand the costs associated with car ownership and car leasing. A native Floridian and a road trip enthusiast, Andrea first learned to drive on a Honda Accord when CDs were still a thing. She has served on the Society of Professional Journalists Florida board of directors and volunteers as a judge for national journalism contests. Her work has earned several awards for feature writing, investigative reporting and branded content campaigns.

Toyota wheel bearing replacementcost

Wheel bearings are a workhorse. They are crucial to your vehicle’s steering, handling and suspension because they join the wheel to the axle, enabling it to turn with limited friction. Replacing one wheel bearing can cost $350 or more on average in parts and labor, which means replacing all four in your car could cost more than $1,400.

My 02 Explorer needs the same thing. Evidently this is a very common problem for this model year. Sounds like a safety hazard to me and I don’t understand why it is not being recalled. This may be the last Ford I buy.

Grease and a seal are crucial for protecting a wheel bearing. The seal keeps the grease clean from dirt and moisture. If it begins to deteriorate, the grease can become compromised, which may cause the wheel bearing to overheat and become faulty.

Road conditions like potholes, speed bumps, dirt, and sand can wear down the seal over time. Wheel bearings are designed to last a long time, often more than 100,000 miles, and don’t require routine maintenance. But once they show signs of wearing out, you’ll want to replace them as soon as you can get your car to a mechanic. The cost will vary depending on several factors, so call a few shops and ask for an estimate for the replacement for your vehicle’s make and model—and don’t delay getting it replaced.

You don’t need to replace all four if one is faulty. You can just replace the single bad bearing—you don’t need to do the replacement in pairs like you would with new tires.

The range of the cost of labor for a wheel bearing replacement should be approximately $150 to $200, but auto mechanic labor costs can vary wildly depending on the region and the level of expertise needed to fix the problem.

I have an 03 and am getting rear wheel bearing replaced for the second time since buying it 7 years ago. I’ve put about 65,000 miles on it since buying it. It cost around $350 then. Haven’t gotten an estimate yet for this time around.

Frontwheel bearing replacementcostNear me

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I just did a rear bearing on my 2002 Explorer. This is a press in bearing and a good shop around price for just the baring is about $140. Because this bearing is sealed and compact, the amount of internal grease is minimal. This can lead to failures much earlier than other wheel bearings. I just bought this vehicle with 90K and the rear wheel bearing had been replaced about 5K earlier. Improper installation caused the bearing to fail again. This car had a catastrophic bearing failure that destroyed the rear half axle, brake caliper, and E brake backing plate. You should be able to hear it before there is a real problem. Cost seems normal for dealer markup, but likely $500 cheaper at an indy.

My mechanic replaced the sealed front wheel bearings on my 2000 Blazer at 65k miles, the cost was ~$350 per bearing with labor the total cost was $800. I think the dealer price per bearing was between $450 and 500. My bearings went bad after I replaced the tires, for a while I thought the bearing noise was caused by the new tires. My mechanic picked up on it on the next oil change. One way to tell is if the noise changes pitch as the steering wheel is turned off-center (i.e. changing lanes).

Frontwheel bearing replacementcost

Mine sounds like a tire going bad. Kind of a thump thump noise more pronounced at low to medium speeds. They have to drop the differential to do it. My independent mech. has quoted me 500 in labor alone. But hey at least my transmission hasn’t failed, Yet.

Unless Ford has changed their rear-end design, the rear bearings and seals cost around $50 per side with about one hour labor per side to change them. That’s $300 to replace them. But they almost NEVER need to be replaced. They operate at low speed and are well lubricated. You can check them yourself by jacking the wheel off the ground and try to move the wheel and the axle it’s bolted to. The axle may move in and out a LITTLE, but there should be no up, down, side to side play…

The high price does not mean you’re being ripped off. The dealer labor rate is usually higher (out of necessity) and the dealer cost on the Genuine Ford OEM parts is usually pretty high. Tack on the dealer markup and the price at the dealer could be in line.

Usually bad bearings will either growl, rumble, and in some cases they may be quiet but the bearing/hub assembly has excessive play (looseness) in it. There usually is no adjustment on these and replacement is recommended if the play it outside the factory specs.

I would get another opinion, or two, with attention paid to bearing sideplay. (For what it’s worth, one of my daughter’s cars (Mitsubishi) has the same type of bearing/hub unit and has excessive play in both rear hubs with no noise. How long it’s been like that no one knows, but it’s going to get repaired in the near future. At this point, no problem). Hope that helps.