Bad wheel bearing - 986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners

hdpt73 · 11-12-2003, 09:54 AM

I have a 98 boxster w/40000 miles and have a bad wheel bearing. the local repair shop quoted me 650.00 to repair this and I think it's alittle high.
350.00 labor
200.00 alignment
80.00 part
then 8.25% tax

I've taken off the calipers/rotor and ran into a problem (requires pulley to take off the bearing) before i can proceed. I know i can do this myself but lack the pulley/press it requires to take off the bearing. has anyone had a similar problem or just replaced their rear wheel bearing b4? btw, i bought a oem replacement bearing for 51.00 bucks.

thanks guys

donv · 11-13-2003, 07:36 AM

I haven't done this repair on a Boxster myself (can you provide a photo of where you're at with the work so far?). However, from my prior experience under the car:

, this is probably like most cars (a tapered bearing which sits in a race within a carrier/housing), and then there are typically two ways to go:

1) remove the carrier/housing from the car and take it to a machine shop where they can press out the old bearing a press in the new. Usually a minimal charge.

2) Buy or rent a puller (at AutoZone or Taylor Rental, etc.) to pull the bearing with the housing still on the car. You then need a bearing drift (if I remember the name correctly - essentially a bar of steel with a set of stepped circular ridges at one end to fit into the center of the bearing) to drive it into the housing and seat it. Careful attention required or bearing damage can result.

(1) is less likely to cause damage but makes for more disassembly work - and may drive the need for the alignment after, (2) is faster but requires specialized tools and careful attention on your part.

This is a fairly generic answer but maybe someone else has done the actual job on this car before and can supply more specific info. Good luck!

martynanasi · 07-03-2007, 05:06 PM

Hi I know these posts are a few years old but I have been questioning if I have a bad right rear bearing myself. I wasn't initially sure what it was since I thought it may be a flat spot on the tires from storing the car for the winter and not moving it.
When I drive my 2001 S it sounds like I am in a lumber truck. The road noise almost drowns out the radio or people talking. Was this the same noise you were hearing on your bearing?

Just curious since I don't want to start paying 100/hr for discovery purposes.

Thanks for any help since I would get rid of the girlfriend before the car.

M-in Toronto

juan986 · 07-03-2007, 08:36 PM

I had the same problem with one of my bearings and it got really loud, I got the replacement at pelican parts for 35 bucks and they charged 100 to replace. This should not be a hard fix anyone with the right tools can do it. I took it to some shop where they work on BMW's. Apparently if you dont fix fast it could be dangerous since you might have a wheel fly off!

husker boxster · 07-04-2007, 03:09 AM

M-in Toronto

My 2001 S had the same symptoms and was diagnosed as a faulty rt rear wheel bearing. It was replaced and the noise went away.

Hmmm... coincidence we have the same yr and model and experienced the same problem? Mine had 35K when replaced but I think it had been making the noise since I bought it with 15K (so much for wheels flying off immediately). Anyone else have an 01 S with a bad rt rear wheel bearing?

986rgt · 07-04-2007, 03:17 AM

I did my own front wheel bearings, and put the DIY on the Wiki. As for the price that you were quoted, its not that bad, considering you are gonna need an alignment when you are done. My advice is throw the parts back on the car and get it done at the shop. My dealer wanted like 1200 for the job, hence me buying all the special tools and doing both fronts by myself.

Steve

Boxster WIKI wheel bearing change.

navpat1 · 08-04-2007, 06:58 PM

My 2002 S has been making the kind of sounds described for nearly 1k miles. Sounds like I have heavy-lugged mud and snow tires on the car. Took it to Porsche Monterey for a diagnosis (Its a certified pre-owned) and their opinion was: Pirelli tires. They switched sides on the rear tires and told me to try that for a while. I specifically asked if there were some element of danger in case of a complete failure of a wheel bearing and the service manager's answer was no. Having no recourse I drove away thinking I would drive for a while and see. On the way back to the central valley the sound began changing with differing throttle application, though not a lot. To me, that puts the tire theory back on the shelf. Question, how bad can it get before the dealer will step up with warranty work. This diagnosis surprised me, as both the sellers and the fixers there have impressed me with their integrity. Has anyone had this task done under new car or certified used warranty?

I really, really love the car, but I was extremely put off by this diagnosis followed by what is, to me at least, audible evidence to the contrary. I have never had a porsche this new, but am an ex 914 2.0, 356 T-5 and 911 S owner. This car takes me closest to what I feel is pure sports car. Aside from this incident and beyond whatever the outcome is, I do love the car and would truly appreciate any assistance. Finally, please understand that I have no ill-will toward this dealer, I just happen to think the person in question was wrong this time. Pat Bodin

husker boxster · 08-05-2007, 04:38 AM

Hi Pat,

With an '02, you're obviously out of factory warranty and this repair isn't covered by CPO. Why? I don't know but believe me it isn't. Maybe your dealer wanted to try something that wasn't cost prohibitive to you as a first stab at solving the problem. My bearing replacement only cost $410 because the dealer originally thought it was covered by CPO and then had to sheepishly ask me to pay for it after Porsche said "Nein!". They cut me a deal by charging me at warranty rates. I've seen much higher prices paid by other forum members. I'd take it back to the dealer and say the tire rotation didn't work. Then be ready to pay for the bearing replacement.

Good luck. You have an 02S. We've got a couple of 01Ss with this problem in this thread. Is there a pattern? Is this a weak link in early S's?

blinkwatt · 08-05-2007, 10:49 AM

Order your wheel bearings from www.************************************************************ , $30.

navpat1 · 09-02-2007, 06:53 PM

Well, I took the car back, they listened to me, agreed with the mechanical vs. tires customer diagnosis and their stethoscope pointed to the diff. bearings. Draining the oil, they found enough metal to build a new mainshaft. Once inside they found no bearing or synchro wear but replaced every bearing in the housing and thoroughly cleaned and flushed everything. One week later I picked up the car and drove away (having paid nothing) with the top down. Putting the top up as the day got hotter I heard an unwelcome but familiar sound. It's no worse and no better so I'm just going to drive these Pirelli Assymetrico's off the wheels so I can buy new tires. Since swerving causes no change in sound, and it's really loud in a tunnel, I'm at this point inclined to blame the minor cupping on the rear tires. If it is wheel bearings I'll just bite the bullet because, although the car has had me to the dealer more than I would like, they have been fair with me and the car is just so dang fun to drive that it's worth it. I haven't had this much fun with engine noise since I owned a brand new '68 Z-28 Camaro ($3,558). Thanks to all for your posts. See you next problem!

PB

jvmoney · 10-08-2007, 02:33 PM

Yes, I had the same issue on my 02 S. Faulty Bearing is what they attributed it to. They are charging me about 560+ for this work and almost all of it is labor. This is insane! I'm just hoping the sound will go away.

juan986 · 10-08-2007, 06:26 PM

get it fixed, 35 for the part in pelicanparts.com and about 2 hours of labor.

eVoMotion · 01-03-2008, 11:55 AM

I just had a rear wheel bearing start making noise on my 02 S as well. I bought the car with a certified warranty thinking that it covered obvious parts, but no. $700 later. WOW! I asked if I should change the other side now as well and the service manager said - no they should last 100K. WTF then?!

porsche986spyder · 01-03-2008, 12:34 PM

Wheel bearings are considered normal wear and tear and are NEVER covered under any warranty. They are just like windshield wipers, tires and brake pads, etc... they all wear out over time. Although some faster than others. I.E. beware of pot-holes. They can knock your wheels bearings out of whack very quickly. Found my front bearing on e-bay for $22.00 plus shipping.

eVoMotion · 01-03-2008, 12:38 PM

I kind of agree, but...I wonder what the expected life of an engine bearing is. Wheel bearing should last more than 30K...and the service mgr agrees.

husker boxster · 01-03-2008, 02:02 PM

Evo, out of curiosity, which side had the problem? If it's the right side, it appears more than a coincidence that so many 01 & 02 Ss have this problem. Faulty batch of parts?

eVoMotion · 01-03-2008, 02:18 PM

Mine was on the passenger side.

Anyone have experience with porsche recalls?

We had issues with our alternator for two years on another call and finally received a recall notice and it was fixed.

I would have liked to use that $ to replace my PZeros with something better.

boxs2000 · 01-03-2008, 08:27 PM

I have a 2000 986s and my passenger side bearing started making noise at about 35k also. The job can be done if you have ball joint tool and take it to a machine shop and have them press it out. Not that hard of a job. I had mine done by a shop, and I bought the bearing for $50 bucks. I went ahead and had them do both sides just in case. Also if i remember correctly, an alignment is not required if you do not separate one of the ball joints on the suspension. The shop that did it for me, has done many Boxsters and this is a common issue. They did both sides in about 3 hours and charged me about $400

eVoMotion · 01-04-2008, 07:55 AM

Good information.

navpat1 · 02-05-2008, 07:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eVoMotion

I kind of agree, but...I wonder what the expected life of an engine bearing is. Wheel bearing should last more than 30K...and the service mgr agrees.

My original post last summer left me with P-Zero's being rotated and noise increasing by the week. I finally coughed up the money for new Michelin Pilot Sports all around (18" with sport classic II's) and now we have less tire noise. However . . ahem . . we can now clearly hear the bearing noise (my original theory) which sounds like the sound effects for a Star War's pod racer. I have asked my service manager for a quote, noting that it will probably be less than a set of Pilot Sports, and after a week I have no response. Recall that he suggested I buy a set of new Michelins last summer. As to Evo's question on bearing longevity, I have never seen a rear wheel bearing last less than 60k miles, and that was on a '55 Chevy that I was less than kind to, shall we say. Having said that, we are talking about a different kind of bearing on a P-car. The rear is much like the front on most cars in that it is not constantly bathed in 90W differential oil, but rather is assembled with lithium or other grease and sealed. I no longer work on cars but in the absence of a response from my 'home' dealer, I visited the Livermore store and got a quote of $820 for both side (rear). This seems consistent with what others are paying, and an independent in Stockton (CA) quoted me $20 MORE than the dealer in Livermore. This will bring the total bill for putting this matter to rest at just over $2000. That's an expensive growl!
I'll post again after the fix. Cheers.