2nd Gen Non-Engine/Transmission Service Life of 2wd Front Wheel Bearings???

[HBarlow]

My Ram now has 98k on the odometer. It sees a lot of highway miles pulling a travel trailer. I don't like breakdowns so I prefer to give up a some component service life by having parts replaced before they fail. I feel that this approach allows me to limit the risk of equipment failure on a weekend far from home when parts stores and repair shops are closed.



I know that the sealed wheel bearings used on 2000 and later 2wd Rams are intended to last a long time without maintenance but the actual service life of a part often depends on type of service, road conditions, driving style, and other factors.



I have read all the archived posts regarding failure and replacement of sealed MOPAR front wheel bearings. I noticed that several TDR members have experienced wheel bearing failure in the 90k to 100k mileage range. I'm wondering if that is typical service life.



I'd like to hear from other TDR members who have trucks with 125k, 150k, 200k, or more miles who have not yet replaced their front wheel bearings.



Have any of you RV transporters or hotshotters out there who run lots of highway miles reached 200k or 250k miles on your OEM sealed wheel bearings?



If TDR members can establish a range of expected service life using low mileage and high mileage extremes we might be able to predict when failure could occur and achieve maximum service life while avoiding unexpected breakdowns.



I would appreciate responses from fellow TDR members with 2000 and later 2wd trucks. Or maybe one of you computer whizzes would be kind enough to set up a TDR poll that members with 2000-???? 2wd trucks could post their odometer readings at time of wheel bearing failure. It might be helpful to know if brake pad and rotor replacement correlate with wheel bearing failure and whether the truck is equipped with an exhaust brake.



Harvey

 

[FourBarR]

dont know about 2001. 5, but my 98. 5 has had 2 bearing failures. one happened at 5000k ,caused by lack of grease at factory. 2nd. one at 53000k rough making lots of noise. i now pull the hubs everytime i do the front pads,and repack bearings. no problems since. thuck now has 168000k.

 

[BillGotthelf]

If you clean off bearings, races and repack with good hi-temp grease (synthetic best) the bearings should last well over 250,000 miles. I do my bearings in my 99 every disc pad change (20,000 miles).

 

[daveshoe]

I believe that bearing failure is due to the open nature of the rear of the bearing hub mount. It is like two cups stacked together back there with an opening in the middle for salt to get in and corrode things. While some may disagree,The newer trucks bearings can be serviced by pulling the outside bearing off , taking the brake assembly loose , and pulling the inside bearing off. I made a special jig/puller for this inside pull and it keeps everything nice and straight and no heat and beat.

ForBarR and others have stated that packing bearings works for them. The guy that told me how does it to all his trucks and has seen over 300K on one of them and hubs are fine.

One advantage of servicing the bearings is that you can do it when you have the time and not when the beast breaks down. Another is that once you get yhe bugger apart[not easy] you can apply anti-seize and make you next service or replacement very easy to do. Of course Mother Mopar tells you not to service them--at 700 bucks for two wheels why would they?

 

[JerryTurbo]

I? 531,000 on my 2000. I must be doing something wrong. .

 

[HBarlow]

JerryTurbo:



If you've put 531k miles on your sealed wheel bearings without failure I can relax and forget about mine for a few years. That's the kind of information I needed and was hoping for.



I read posts by several TDR members who had experienced failures before 100k and was thinking I should replace mine before they failed.



Maybe Dodge knew what they were doing with the "long-life" sealed wheel bearings. I won't complain about spending a small fortune to replace them if they will last as long as yours have without the need to remove, clean, and repack bearings annually.



Thanks for that info.



Anyone else with high mileage 2000 and later RAM 2wd trucks using sealed front wheel bearings who have not experienced wheel bearing failure?



Harvey