Hi,

Thought I'd share my recent experience with the front wheel bearings on my Fabia 1.4mpi X reg.

The car had developed a speed related droning noise from the front that did not depend on whether the engine was driving the car. If I swerved slightly right the noise beame louder. If I swerved slightly left it nearly stopped. From this I reasoned that the front left bearing was faulty (neaither of them showed any free play or noise when the wheel was spun and I could feel no vibration when I spun the wheel and squeezed the coil sping together on either side - a test I read about). I thought the front left as faulty because swerving right increases the load on this side. I replaced the bearing and guess what - no change in the noise! So I replaced the front right and the noise is gone. With the old bearings off the car the front left was relativley stiff to turn (like the new one) whereas the front right was much freer and a slight noise could be heard.

One thing that suprised me was that for both sides the old bearing retaining ring was not snapped into place - so the only thing retaining the bearing was the fact that it was pressed into the bearing carrier. ...The car has done 90k and I wouldn't have thought the bearings would have been replaced before now so does anyone think these bearing rings can pop out by themselves or maybe they had been replaced and not fitted properly?

Anyway quite an easy job but had to make my own press out of a 10ton bottle jack a piece of channel section and some chunky steel strip.

Cheers,

Simon

i didn't think there was a clip holding the bearing, bearing is just press fit into the hub

a lot of cars are like at now, although i have replaced a hub/knuckle/bearing assembly recently due to the bearing having "moved" out, symptoms were an ABS fault

oh and your bearing noise would depend on which race the damage was on, inner and outer races i each bearing

Edited 10 January, 201016 yr by ric04vrs

Hi Thanks for the advice and comments. Ive put a picture here (hopefully)

My link

showing the clips not having been clipped in properly - you can see them between the hub flange and the bearing carrier in amongst the crap. After I'd pressed in the new bearings I used a flat blade screw driver to push the clip into the bearing carrier - it clicked into place.

I have the same symptoms you had so I need to ceck mine ASAP but it's been so cold lately I haven't fancies having a proper look at it. I've only been doing small journeys and no unnecessary ones and been keeping my speed down. Is there any long term problems for not changing the bearing as soon as?

front bearing nut which type you have in your cars?

my left is 19mm hex like sump plug key but 19 mm and right is 34 mm bi-hex or 36 mm .I'm not sure which they are?

where can i buy them?thanks

Edited 10 January, 201016 yr by icito

Hi,

Thought I'd share my recent experience with the front wheel bearings on my Fabia 1.4mpi X reg.

The car had developed a speed related droning noise from the front that did not depend on whether the engine was driving the car. If I swerved slightly right the noise beame louder. If I swerved slightly left it nearly stopped. From this I reasoned that the front left bearing was faulty (neaither of them showed any free play or noise when the wheel was spun and I could feel no vibration when I spun the wheel and squeezed the coil sping together on either side - a test I read about). I thought the front left as faulty because swerving right increases the load on this side. I replaced the bearing and guess what - no change in the noise! So I replaced the front right and the noise is gone. With the old bearings off the car the front left was relativley stiff to turn (like the new one) whereas the front right was much freer and a slight noise could be heard.

One thing that suprised me was that for both sides the old bearing retaining ring was not snapped into place - so the only thing retaining the bearing was the fact that it was pressed into the bearing carrier. ...The car has done 90k and I wouldn't have thought the bearings would have been replaced before now so does anyone think these bearing rings can pop out by themselves or maybe they had been replaced and not fitted properly?

Anyway quite an easy job but had to make my own press out of a 10ton bottle jack a piece of channel section and some chunky steel strip.

Cheers,

Simon

Sounds like the bearings have been replaced before, the retaining rings will always be in place from the factory, front bearings are very common on fabias

front bearing nut which type you have in your cars?

my left is 19mm hex like sump plug key but 19 mm and right is 34 mm bi-hex or 36 mm .I'm not sure which they are?

where can i buy them?thanks

Hi

the 19mm hex are the old type from the early fabias the 34mm 12 point is a later style. My bearings came from German and Swedish - the bearings are a Vtech product and cost about £32 each.

Hi

the 19mm hex are the old type from the early fabias the 34mm 12 point is a later style. My bearings came from German and Swedish - the bearings are a Vtech product and cost about £32 each.

thanks

unfortunately is not bearing they are ok

today left my car in local garage and tomorrow ill know cv joint or gearbox its clicking sound bearings are ok

thanks for answer anyway tomorrow ill cry

My bearing went and from the noise I swore it was the N/s front, but on further investigation it was actually the O/s front!

I have had the same problem, when turning left the bearing noise faded so replaced front NS bearing, still noise, just replaced the front OS now silent so its a lottery to which wheel bearing it is. The bearings have inner/outer races and unless you can determine which side it is you will have to change both side then its done.

Had this on my vRS. Turn right,lots of noise. Turn left no noise. Had a independent and skoda change the left bearing but no joy. Both said I needed a new gearbox.

Luckily unit 18 diagnosed it to the front right wheel bearing.

I have the same symptoms you had so I need to ceck mine ASAP but it's been so cold lately I haven't fancies having a proper look at it. I've only been doing small journeys and no unnecessary ones and been keeping my speed down. Is there any long term problems for not changing the bearing as soon as?

By not changing the bearing for a while and running at high speeds... The extra friction generated can pretty much weld the hub to the axle.

I ended up having this with a rear axle hub... Ended up having to get a blowtorch to heat the hub up to get the bugger off.

Also...

The FAG part that you get from GSF does say on the box 'replace both sides' for the rear hubs - I didn't and approx. 10k miles later I had to change the other side as well *shrug*

Hi I think I have the same Problem on the drivers side back sounds like a little mouse squeaking any idea on cost for bearing rePlacement ?

Talk to unit 18 in milton keynes. They charged me silly money to change my wheel bearing. Ali and the team are a great bunch.

I know it's not how you meant it, Steve. But silly money reads to me as expensive not cheap lol

Yeah i see that now. Depends how you look at it i suppose. Anyway go unit 18. was there yesterday for a cambelt, again very cheap plus when i book in the mr2 for a front hub replacement there only charging £40+ vat to do it.