Why is my truck eating wheel bearings

BFH Please do not Use Abbreviations !

 

Big F-ing Hammer

 

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Along the way have you replaced the inner wheel brg seals?

I recently had my driver's side CV axle out for a ecgs bushing swap and discovered the inner seal was folded in on itself. The axles have never been out so it's been that way since it was new (150K /17yrs). Luckily I live an extremely dry climate and it sounds like at least one of them is just starting to make noise. I agree with the possibility of it being a moisture issue depending on where the OP lives, esp if the inner seals haven't been replaced which is probably a good idea considering the ongoing drama with the brgs. One of the things we do on our dirtbikes to combat wheel brg moisture issues is to pack the area between the seal and the bearing with waterproof grease. It's not for lubrication but acts as another moisture barrier.

Unless the bearing housing is getting distorted when it's torqued down which would indicate a bent knuckle I have a hard time believing it's an external physical issue without some indication in tire wear.

 

Appreciate all the replies. This issue continues to be a mystery. It seems as though the noise is actually coming from a combination of brakes and tires. I have a plan to replace brake rotors, pads and tires in the Fall and also get a good alignment. I will report back what the results are. In the meantime, I have work to do on my FJ60.

 

Also, I am in inland SoCal, so very dry climate.

 

Update:

The noise is back with a vengeance and new tires did not fix it. I got the tires last Friday and am installing new coilovers and wheel bearings this weekend then I will get an alignment. Pretty sure it’s the wheel bearings again. No way it can be brakes. That makes no sense, save for previous bouts where it only made the noise under braking and only after driving for a while.

Anyway, looks like I just need to budget for new wheel bearings every 30k miles, which sucks.

 

What brand of bearings are you using? There are tons of inexpensive bearings out there and just as the old saying goes, you get what you pay for. Are you using a complete hub and bearing set or are you pressing the new bearings onto an old hub? There's nothing wrong with pressing the old bearings off and the new ones on - as long as you do it correctly.

 

I replaced my OEM bearings at 93,320 miles with TRQ bearing/hub assemblies in 2019. The OEM were beginning to make a scraping sound when rounding corners. No issues since then. I am currently at 134,900 miles.

 

Last 2 sets were OEM. The set I’m installing rhis weekend are also TRQ. Why buy OEM again if they don’t last?

 

Speaking as someone who works in a Toyota dealership, I've rarely seen OEM bearings go before 100,000 miles. Aftermarket? I've seen some of the really cheap stuff go at 15,000 miles. As others have said, I think you have something else going on there and the seals that protect area would be high on my list of things to replace no matter what bearings you install.

 

I’ve ordered oem inner and spindle seals and will replace them at the same time as the hubs and get a good alignment after. Hopefully these last longer.