Have reached 130k and one of the front wheel bearings is moaning.Anybody ideas of time/cost to have it replaced and wether to insist on make of bearing?

About 1 to 1.5 hours labour at a garage. (Although it can be done start to finish in much less time ) last time I done mine I brought one from eBay for £35 and it came with a brand new hub. It wasn't a well known brand but it fitted perfect and was still good 60000 miles later when I parted with the car.

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Anything by SKF/FAG which are OEM, depends whether you are selling the car anytime soon, if not go for one of these brands.

Mine had both front wheel bearings replaced a few years ago, from memory the ones to get are SKF/FAG as Liverpool-Lad said.

 

I would get both done as the other side might not be far behind failing too. I think it took the garage that did mine about 2-3 hours for both sides. The tracking might be out a bit afterwards so I'd recommend getting that done too (mine was a long way out).

Tracking shouldn't be effected at all.

Of course tracking will be affected, you are replacing a worn part with a new one, for the sake of a few quid get the alignment checked and know for sure it's right. I've changed hundreds and almost all have needed adjustment afterwards.

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You have changed a wheel bearing. How is that going to effect the position of a steering arm, track rod end, subframe or wishbone?

You have changed a wheel bearing. How is that going to effect the position of a steering arm, track rod end, subframe or wishbone?

 

Bolts could be lined up slightly differently in the holes when everything is re-assembled. A change in the ride height or camber will also cause a change in the toe.

Bolts could be lined up slightly differently in the holes when everything is re-assembled. A change in the ride height or camber will also cause a change in the toe.

There is no adjustment on any of the bolts removed to take a hub off. Bottom strut bolt is a single pinch bolt with a fixed locator on the strut. The bottom ball joint is held in with M8 bolts in 8mm holes in the wishbone. The track rod end is a tapered ball joint held in place by a single nut.

I 100% agree that toe alters with ride height, but why would the ride height change? I don't argue that periodic wheel alignment checks aren't a bad idea. But nothing removed with effect it. If the alignment is out after, it was out before.

Well on mine something must have not gone back together in the same position as it was before... before replacement the steering wheel was straight ahead and after it was noticeably off to one side. After the alignment was adjusted I'm pretty sure all the values were in spec.

 

Don't think anything on mine has been put back together incorrectly but maybe I should check! Out of the three bits to undo to remove the hub, it seems that the ball joint would be the most likely (least unlikely?!) bit to get wrong.

The only time I have ever seen it out after a wheel bearing (and it was waaaaay out) was when a dullard had only got two out of the three bolts in the bottom ball joint (ball joint was rotated around). He got sacked shortly after that, wasn't the only mistake. Wouldn't be so bad but he had test driven it too and it was all over the place.

I have had the Octavia on a four wheel alignment rig and tried to adjust alignment on the bottom ball joint and it just doesn't happen. This is why the LCR etc has the different bottom wishbones that can be adjusted (also lighter and slightly different geometry too).

In theory it's a fairly quick job for a garage, but in reality it's not so much. They can be a **** to press out

In theory it's a fairly quick job for a garage, but in reality it's not so much. They can be a **** to press out

The real pain is when you press out the hub and the inner race stays on it. That can be a joy due to the ABS pick up. I normally stick em in the vice and crack it with a chisel, having said that one time I tried that a sliver of the wheel bearing shot off and stuck on one of my workmates earlobes. Never laughed so much in my life, freak accident.

The only time I have ever seen it out after a wheel bearing (and it was waaaaay out) was when a dullard had only got two out of the three bolts in the bottom ball joint (ball joint was rotated around). He got sacked shortly after that, wasn't the only mistake. Wouldn't be so bad but he had test driven it too and it was all over the place.

I have had the Octavia on a four wheel alignment rig and tried to adjust alignment on the bottom ball joint and it just doesn't happen. This is why the LCR etc has the different bottom wishbones that can be adjusted (also lighter and slightly different geometry too).

Snap! Seen an idiot do that exact same thing when I worked at Volkswagen. 2 bolts in and one completley outside the lock nut cage. Same idiot later went on to fit mk5 Golf lower arm console bushes. ..completely upside down. Wtf? I congratulated him on fitting something I thought was impossible to get wrong , not to mention way harder than fitting them correctly.

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Thanks to you guys for your replies.l agree with Tech1e that the wheel alignment is not affected when replacing the wheel bearing it must be worn suspension components ie track rod ends etc.

Just to say it cost me £93 all in (FAG bearing fitted)

Thats a decent enough price

That is decent. It cost me 180 a wee while ago to get both front ones done, which included them taking one hub elsewhere to use a more powerful press