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7000 miles and I already have bad wheel bearings!


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Had to replace the bearings on my spark 4 times just this year. My rear bearing gs keep failing. Twice on each back wheel. At least 8 times in the life of the car. I want to sue them. After reading these reports it's clear it's defective. I have 136,000 miles on the car. Again 4 times twice on each back wheel. Also they had changed the part since it was first designed. Fail

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First off, did you change the OEM wheel or tire for another size? This can put uneven or more stress on the bearings...specially bigger wheels and lower profile tires. If not, then this is maybe some axle or instal error. You most likely had one of the two GM sourced bearing sets...at one point during a ramp up there was a shortage of bearings for the 2013 and some were sourced from another factory...2 kinds...same specs but one was a red spacer and the other a blue and I am still not sure which of the two was the problem. Still, there is something more than just the bearings going on here...My take is that it is axle or not a proper install. They should be replacing the entire hub..cheaper (labor) and the bearing is factory fitted.

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  • 3 months later...
37 minutes ago, staff said:

Bad wheel bearings are typical across the range of vehicles these days - especially for those living up north / bad roads.

 

Lol, but I'm south and smooth down here. 

 

Looking online I only have to replace the actual bearing. I thought it was going to be a whole assembly. 

 

Now on what would really help is to know the torque setting for the spindle nut. Anyone know off hand or have the service manual?

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Bluer it's...177ft-lbs front and 140ft-lbs rear...Don't forget to grease & pin the bolt after torquing to spec. Try to be as accurate as possible because that will affect how well the bearing unit is seated and the race is not loose or compressed... SKF bearings are best if you can find them. I know they do have units for the '13 Spark.

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22 minutes ago, Retired old Gearhead said:

Bluer it's...177ft-lbs front and 140ft-lbs rear...Don't forget to grease & pin the bolt after torquing to spec. Try to be as accurate as possible because that will affect how well the bearing unit is seated and the race is not loose or compressed... SKF bearings are best if you can find them. I know they do have units for the '13 Spark.

 

Thank you for the torque spec. Do you have a service manual?  I'm thinking of buying them seeing I'm keeping the Spark. 

 

I would assume sure you mean grease and pin the bolt you mean after torque grease the spindle threads and hit the enge of the nut to lock it in. 

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Have some interesting finds going on with parts. Dealer say you can only buy the bearing and hub separate, instead like most have the whole hub assembly. 

 

So after digging around round the complete hub fits many other GM cars. The one issue is it does not fit ABS cars only non abs. Here is the kicker though, all photos show the same hub with the area for the ABS ring. 

 

You can buy the bearing, hub, and ABS ring for the Spark all separate. I'm wondering if I could buy the hub assembly and just put the ABS ring on it. 

 

Here re is the GM part number to the full hub without ABS. 96318867

 

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

Ya, Bluer, I would try to stay away from a bearing only swap..apparently very tight seating and needs to be exact. ABS ring to hub is also a hassle to get it exact. I'm almost certain the Aveo complete hub assembly would fit. If not, go with the Spark hub and bearing unit...failing that, supply parts & have the job done by your trusted mechanic. Working with separate components is micro gauges and a lot of swearing and oops. BTW..as to your service manual question..I do have access to a garage that has one on a computer, so I get the odd use out of that since I don't really bother much trying to fix anything on the sensor controlled Spark..not worth the hassle on a $10K car with over 100K mi...mind you..I really have not had any issues at all...anyways Bluer..that's my take on the bearing issue...spend a few bucks and save your sanity on that. I think you could have that done parts and labor for around $250. plus $1.00 or less for a coffee while you wait. BTW..My Rover V8 is not touched by me for any non warranty issue...cars are just to complex with all the electronics and now you fix one thing and the sensor/computers just ofset almost anything you do..I only do mechanical engine stuff theses days.

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7 hours ago, Retired old Gearhead said:

Ya, Bluer, I would try to stay away from a bearing only swap..apparently very tight seating and needs to be exact. ABS ring to hub is also a hassle to get it exact. I'm almost certain the Aveo complete hub assembly would fit. If not, go with the Spark hub and bearing unit...failing that, supply parts & have the job done by your trusted mechanic. Working with separate components is micro gauges and a lot of swearing and oops. BTW..as to your service manual question..I do have access to a garage that has one on a computer, so I get the odd use out of that since I don't really bother much trying to fix anything on the sensor controlled Spark..not worth the hassle on a $10K car with over 100K mi...mind you..I really have not had any issues at all...anyways Bluer..that's my take on the bearing issue...spend a few bucks and save your sanity on that. I think you could have that done parts and labor for around $250. plus $1.00 or less for a coffee while you wait. BTW..My Rover V8 is not touched by me for any non warranty issue...cars are just to complex with all the electronics and now you fix one thing and the sensor/computers just ofset almost anything you do..I only do mechanical engine stuff theses days.

 

I went ahead and ordered this and will be here tomorrow. 

 

https://www.amazon.com/ACDelco-RW20-90-Original-Equipment-Assembly/dp/B000EQW1FW

 

I have spent hours researching the parts between 17 different models. Even the aftermarket full hub assemblies fit our Sparks. But for some reason GM wants to sell all the parts for the assembly separate and be installed with their special Kent tool. Every part for the assembly fix multiple vehicles except the bare hub. So I will see how the full AC Delco matches to the factory installed. 

 

I know now it would be easier to have someone do it but now I'm on a mission to solve the puzzle. Then maybe it can help others down the road. 

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Looks like you found the correct part...and..at a good price. I go by OEM numbers and a visual..both match..so, looks like you're good to go. The Aveo hub pix you posted will also fit (# and visual correct)..Nice work securing the right part and the rear hub is not a very big job. Just remember to to clean off any rust on mating surfaces etc and don't be shy with the heavy lube. Torque for rear bolt must be 140lbs if unsure about your wrench accuracy, err on the plus side and don't forget the spindle and nut grease and cotter pin to lock big spindle nut after torque. Lots of respect for someone willing to do the research and work. Pix of progress sequence to follow??

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Ok the part came in yesterday and will change it out shortly. Here are some photos. 

 

I ordered the AC delco part number and the outer box has that number and the factory aveo number on it. Then open that box and the inside box is the factory aveo box, crazy. I know they are same manufacture but box in a box, puzzled. 

 

The bearing i bought seperate in the pictures is the exact bearing already in the hub, all numbers match. What's crazy is the bearing slips right into the hub with no force, I was just seeing how it fit above the bearing already in there. So my feeling is the bearing just slips into the hub and the snap ring holds it in there with some pressure. The bearing outer race seats in the back by the ABS ring and the snap ring only touches the outer race. Then when you put the axel nut on that only applies pressure to the inner race on the bearing. So I'm wondering if the bearing would need to be pressed at all if just replacing the bearing. I will figure that all out when I do the swap. Then I might have my old one as a spare and install the new bearing. 

 

73645D09-2166-49FC-99EA-ECAF9B03D838.jpg

 

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Edited by bluer101
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Well we have a winner folks. New hub assembly installed, smooth, and quite now. I think the fronts might need doing now, lol. Now with the back silent I can hear the front more. But I played it up to my low profile tires. We will see. 

 

The brake drum was stuck to the hub, so I removed the whole hub and drum together. Then flipped it upside down over a few 2x4 pieces. Then put a 2x4 on the hub and hit with hammer, came right out. I applied some PB seen in photo but it would not budge with tapping with hammer on car. You can see brake dust on the ground. I also put on a brand new axle nut too. Well hope this helps other in the future. 

 

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  • 3 weeks later...

Just an update Bluer and whomever else is interested: Had my stock aluminum wheels rotated at my long time and trusted mechanics shop and I asked him to clean and lube the hubs and was fussy about wheel lug torque being correct. I mentioned that the manual for the 2013-'14 calls for 92Lbs. He told me he recalls that as he does a number of Sparks but said that GM has now changed the spec to 100Lbs, not only for the 2015-2017. He double checked using his computer spec subscription for all models of cars and all years.."Mitchell on Demand" and two other service programs and Mitchell came up as 103Lbs for 2010-2015 Sparks and another 2 programs showed 100Lbs for 2010-2015 Spark. So he thinks GM revised the torque up after the manuals were printed for the 2013-14's and is stated in the 2015 manual as 100Lbs...same aluminum wheels, same hub, studs, nuts etc. He thinks the reason is 92Lbs is fine but as the metal components of the hub and studs and wheels heat up under braking and or hot ambient temps the expansion causes a drop in torque that may on rare occasion loosen the bolts. That is why most shops will ask you to come back for a re-torque after the car has been driven for 50 to 100miles since the aluminum wheel nut depressions compress a bit after torque on new or rotation...Story is actually longer with more tech stuff..but it made sense to me and was confirmed by the GM user manual starting for 2015 model year with exact same hub, studs and wheels etc stated at 100Lbs. I think they want to standardize the torque specs for cars like Cruze, Sonic, Spark etc at 100Lbs. ...Sorry for the rambling post..but I gotta rush off this morning and just waiting for my wife to finish with the shower...OK..'Nuff said on that...

Edited by Retired old Gearhead
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  • 2 months later...

In 56 years of driving American cars (GM, Ford & Chrysler) many over 100k miles, and a couple over 150k miles, never had to replace wheel bearings. Either I am a fantastic driver, or just a staid old boring conformist who has never tried to use non-standard tires and wheels or suspension components. I am betting on the latter. 

 

However my hat's off to you two, gearhead & blue for having the skill, energy, patience and brains to tackle such jobs which probably are not even your line of work. I am just a mechanical engineer who became pretty good at designing and N/C machining parts for the machines which take more brutal punishment than any other I know of in a factory...cold extrusion metal forming presses, and various other machines for different applications. But I become petrified and paralyzed trying to dis-assemble anything in the power train or suspension components of a car with my own hands. 

Edited by Bobby MSME
$$
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  • 2 years later...

Just shy of 30,000 miles, left front wheel bearing had to be replaced. Thank goodness my extended warranty was still valid for the $600 repair.  Glad I took the car in, I wasn’t sure if it was the tires or something else, just knew my little car had never been so loud. Wondering why my Onstar maintenance check didn’t indicate an issue? The chassis seems really squeaky, started hearing that at approximately 24,000 miles.

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  • 1 year later...

2013 Spark LT (bought May 2016). Replaced rear bearings and hubs Feb 2018, now all 4 bearings are out again. My mechanic is upset, since I baby my baby, and put a bit under 40k miles on it (Florida roads, few potholes, no clay or gravel driving). We're putting Moogs on the rears and Nationals on the front (no Moogs available locally for the fronts). He's cutting me a deal because of the short time and my family does all their business there. But my '00 Cavalier only needed rear bearings once in her 200k life span (Pennsylvania driving, mountains, snow, ice and 8 years of Florida driving) until a deer took her out in '16. 

I'm going to do some research, and hoping that I'm not buying 4 bearings again in 2 1/2 years.

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  • 2 years later...
On 6/16/2016 at 5:28 PM, Retired old Gearhead said:

On a very smooth paved road drive at different speeds and see if the sound is louder or less when quickly turning from left to right..an empty parking lot is ideal..just wind around the lamp poles with windows closed and interior fans/radio off. If sound is more noticeable on a turn it is a bearing..Left turn louder is right bearing and vise versa...expect about $300 for hub and bearing plus labor...DIY is complicated. Reasons I will not bore you with..unless you have done a hub swap before..'Nuff said on that.

Do you advise replacing the hub along with the bearings? I'm about to do mine

 

 

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