a few quick questions. I'm pretty sure a wheel bearing is going ~ 2.5 years of ownership, over 28+ track days, 44K miles and still on the original wheel bearings. I'm guessing it's time?

So, i'm going to replace both sides, left and right, should I also replace the hub assembly while i'm in there? I'm going to order the parts tonight. I'd rather spend a little bit of extra once doing over maintenance than spend twice trying to cut corners/do short cuts.

Thanks in advance.

 

I forgot who said it, but someone said: "wheel bearings usually tell you when they need to be replaced"

But, if you're going to do it for preventative purposes, yeah, just replace it all. Easier than trying to cut off and air-hammer the inner race off the old hub. AND, you can keep the old hub for emergency purposes.

 

Are you doing the labor yourself? Or taking it somewhere? S2KC sponsor Rising Star Motor is cheap and fast FYI (and will warranty parts, even if tracked )

 

Every time I have replaced a rear bearing (3 times now) after getting the hub out I have found the hub to have been heat-cycled so badly that it had become brittle. Save yourself the headache and do the hubs too. Typically when the bearing starts to go it just creates a TON of extra heat and that is what kills the hubs.

 

No play no noise I don't replace it

You can spend that money on other things

 

There is definitely some noise.

the noise is similar to this, but no where near as bad yet.

https://www.s2ki.com/s2000/topic/902...or-axle-noise/

I mostly only hear it on starting from a complete stop - i tried it in 1st and 2nd gear to make sure it's not my transmission. I'm also starting to occasionally hear it very faintly while freely rolling with the clutch depressed.

I initially thought it was my diff, but i've never had any particles in the fluid, and I just changed it 1 track day ago (I change it every 10K miles or 5 track days, which ever comes first).

I also observed that the noise i'm hearing is louder and more noticable on hard corning.

Even if it isn't my wheel bearings, which I think it is - i'm guessing it's likely on it's way out based on the amount of the track days i have on them.

 

yeah that sounds like a lot of time for a single set of wheel bearings!

A lot of times you can tell it's wheel bearings because you hear the noise turning one way (usually the way that puts the bad wheel bearing on the outside where it bears weight) but not the other way. Sometimes it makes noise even when unloaded and doesn't do this though.

I always replace the hub along with the bearings...it's only a slight amount more cost because I have a shop do wheel bearings due to my lack of a press, and it's less labor if you're replacing both which makes up some of the cost difference and worth it for peace of mind.

 

I've done 4-5 hub bearing replacements so far and the only time I needed to replace the hub was because I waiting too long before replacing it, that the hub was spinning in the bearing. If you replace the bearing right away, you shouldn't damage the hub.