2007 Wheel bearing replacement

Wheel bearings on Toyota's usually last well over 100k miles, but some do fail sooner, especially in areas where they salt the roads. Even though the bearing are supposed to be sealed crud can get into them. I notice more failed wheel bearings on "salt belt" cars vs non salt cars. A good mechanic can recognize the wheel bearing noise almost immediately and if you trust this shop you should let them fix it. Ask them to take you for a ride and point out the noise before the repair. If you have normal hearing, you should be able to notice a significant difference after the repair. The Gen2 front bearing swap is pretty easy, since it is a bolt-in design with integrated hub. (no press required) Labor should not be too much. Just be thankful you don't need a new transaxle.

 

welcome to priuschat! if you search the threads, i think you will find that bearing replacement under 100k is not entirely uncommon. all the best!

 

I consider the integrated wheal bearing design to be a retrograde step. I know it is quicker to change but in the UK the price of the parts rockets from under £20 to over £250 for a front bearing assembly. Way outrunning the small extra cost in pressing the bearing out and back in.

 

This is very informative. Do you know if there is any preventative maintenance steps that can be taken to postpone an outright failure? Thanks

OP, sorry if I’m hijacking your thread but do let us know if the repair was successful and also how much it cost you.

 

There are is no way to service or re lubricate the bearings on the Prius as with many other cars the bearings are sealed and the only way to prevent outright failure us to replace at the first sign of noise or wheel bearing play.

 

any preventative maintenance steps
Other than driving a different (older) car on the salt covered roads, I started avoiding using car wash soap around the wheel hub areas when washing the car, just use water. I've replaced the front two at around 230k, it's a chore. Interesting few reports of the rear's going out, but that's true for most cars I believe.

 

If you factor all the steps, it takes about 1 hour more per side of billable shop time to "press in" press type bearings. In the US the extra cost of the integrated hub vs the extra labor is about a wash...

If you are doing the job yourself and not paying a repair shop, then yes, the press in type is much cheaper....but can be more frustrating without the appropriate specialty tools.

 

In the UK the difference at the dealers would be about 3hrs labor, and for the smaller independent work shops "of which in the towns there are many" would be at leased 6hrs.

Although retired I have access to a full engineering workshop, I also have a hydraulic bearing puller/press "works on a porta power principle". Have thought about picking up some gen1 front hubs to see if they would fit the gen2.

 

Gen1 & Gen2 Completely different.
Gen1 Prius (2001-2003 in North America) have 4 bolt wheel hubs and press-in bearings.
Gen2 Prius (2004-2009 in North America) have 5 bolt wheel hubs and bolt-in hub/bearing assembly to the knuckle.

New Gen2 good quality aftermarket hub/bearing assemblies less than $150 here.

 

Yes I realize the difference in the number of studs for the wheels but it may be possible to press out the gen2 wheel flange/drive spline and fit it in the gen1 bearing.

The bearing carriers are both fixed by 4 bolts to the main housing/carrier I believe.

If not I have been looking at a Toyota Aventis at a breakers owned by a close friend with a very similar setup to the Prius. Being retired I have plenty of time to experiment it's money that is short.

 

Lost my driver front wb on my 07 at 30K.