I've got slight play in one of my front wheel bearings. I've been I contact with two indys and both are quoting to change the complete hub rather than just the bearing. Is this normal?
No 1 Supplied & fitted £463.80
No 2 Supplied & fitted £437.03
If not, can anyone recommend somewhere to go that would do the bearing only? Don't mind traveling!
Mark
Bearings are available separately from the hub but you need a fairly meaty press to swap them over.
I believe the OEM spec ones are made by Timken.
I imagine any place with a press and a willingness to do something other the "easy" option could do it.
If you are going to swap the hub, then you can fairly well change it yourself - a replacement hub is somewhere in the £200-300 range (haven't looked in awhile!).. or a bearing is about £80 - but as mentioned, you need a fairly decent press to get it out, getting it back in probably needs less force as it won't be rusted solid!
I think the hardest part of swapping the hub would be undoing the stake nut on the end of the driveshaft.
Avoiding Br!tpart (you'd need to ensure the Indy's weren't quoting to fit their parts), the hub kits (Allmakes) are £175 + vat, the Timken bearing set is £76 + vat
As RR says though, a beefy press is required and I think you'll be hard pushed to find a shop that is prepared to mess around and throw more labour time pressing hubs apart, when a complete hub swap is quicker and easier (for them!)
EDIT- Marty beat me to the button!
Another thing to consider, how's the rest of the hub, in particular where the abs sensor is seated. When it's a rusty mess you might have problems to replace it.
Buying a complete set it far easier instead of heating the lot when pressing the bearing out and no risk of damage when pressing the new bearing into a rusty hub. But when budget dictates it is very well doable.
I had the same problem when I limped to a local Indy. They didn't have a press that was up to the job and would only swap the whole hub.
IIRC I got this one http://www.island-4x4.co.uk/front-assy-allmakes-ftc3226g-p-27883.html
Thanks for the comments - looks like a new hub then!
Marty - not sure I'd be brave enough to do it myself. It fails my own mechanical test - "if I mess this up could it kill me" - wheel coming off is a yes!