Bad Wheel Bearing Symptoms

I have a 2012 tacoma. I recently was on a road trip and noticed an intermittent noise coming from the driver front area. The best I can describe it would be like a creaky bed spring sound without the high pitched squeak. Or maybe like a squirrel scratching at a piece of sheet metal lol. It was super random, no pattern or rhythm to the noise, but it was very present and after doing another couple hundred miles it was slightly louder and more frequent (maybe every couple seconds or so). I made a quick stop and jacked up the front driver side, and was able to spin the tire with my hands and got it to make the noise. I had a suspicion it might be a bad bearing so I tried looking for any play in the wheel by moving it back and forth etc, but I couldn't really tell if there was anything. I drove a bit farther and stopped by a mechanic who did a similar "test" I had just done, but he put a pry-bar under the tire and was able to show me that there was a lot more play in the wheel. The wheel kind of clicked up and down when he levered it up/down with the pry-bar. He promptly informed me that it was indeed a bad bearing. He said the other side was also "f*cked. He said that I should at all costs not drive any farther before fixing it. He told me I would also need new rotors and pads since the ones I had would have "warped to the vibrations". I literally just replaced the rotors/pads/calipers about 10,000 miles ago tho. Is that really a necessary replacement if I replace the bearings? He told me that the new bearings would quickly go bad if I didn't replace the brake rotors/pads. Anyway he quoted my for $1450 which seems like a lot but I'm not sure. I told him I didn't have the money (I don't) and that I would rather just risk driving the last 500ish miles of my trip. He said I wouldn't make it...I did. Funny thing is, from the moment I pulled out of the shop I never heard the noise the rest of the drive. Now I'm not even sure it was a bad bearing, maybe it was just a rock or something that got in somewhere...What should I do? Does the sound/symptom line up with a bad bearing?. I'm thinking I'll get a second opinion tomorrow from a different mechanic in town...I don't want to fix something that isn't broken. Are there any other tests I can do myself to try to verify if it's a bad bearing? And should I try to replace the bearings myself? Not sure if its a challenging job or not...Thanks!

 

I’ve replaced my front wheel bearings twice and neither time did they really feel obviously bad with the “pry bar test”. I can just hear/feel it humming while I’m driving when they’re going bad. If it’s audibly clicking when he did the pry bar, then yeah it’s probably toast.

I wouldn’t worry about the rotors and pads unless you are experiencing excessive vibrations while braking.

It never hurts to get a second opinion, especially if it’s from someone you trust versus a random guy.

Replacing the bearings themselves can be a bit of a pain (need a press, etc). It’s easier to buy the entire hub assembly. That’s your choice tho.

If he did feel they were bad, he was right by recommending you not drive on it. It would not be a fun time if either or both were to fail at highway speeds.

How many miles on the truck?

 

Ok thanks, it has just over 140k.