Do i need to replace the whole hub if i just need the bearings replaced? If not, where can i get the bearings so i don't have to spend the 160 bucks, or if you know where i can get a rear wheel hub for under that let me know! Poor college kids need help sometime!

Thanks in advance

 

i have not seen mini drawing before, but normaly the bearing are pressed into the hub. If you can do it youself it might be cheapest to just replace the whole hub. If you are taking it to a shop they should be able to take care of just the bearing. Thats pretty bad if the bearing needs to be replaced unlessed the car as been seriously curbed or damaged. I doubt you could find much cheaper than oem stuff on the internet on such a relatively low volume newish car.

 

Unfortunately....I'm pretty sure you have to buy the whole assembly. The bearing is integrated into the hub. It makes installation much easier as you dont have to press the bearing yourself.....but it makes the price much higher

Best place i found when i got my front hubs was: http://germanautoparts.com/

 

THANK YOU! 30 BUCKS CHEAPER THAN ANY PLACE I FOUND! ORDERING THIS AFTERNOON!

 

Since this is the first thread I found on the rear wheel bearing/hubs, I thought I'd start here. I've been hearing a light knocking sound on the right side in the first few miles of a cold day and it seems to come from the right rear wheel or at least right rear quarter of the MINI. Some days it isn't there and some days it is. Tonight I could tell the sound appears when I steer slightly into a right hand turn but not in a left hand turn. I'm starting to worry I have a rear hub going bad but have no other symptoms. The wheel appears tight, there is no vibration or rumble in the ride, no tire wear, etc. Just the sound. I can't find anything in the boot that would be moving around or rattling so I am puzzled.

Can someone describe what a rear bearing going bad would sound or feel like? If it is starting to go, what symptoms might I have that would tell me to park the MINI and replace them? How long might this last? With no garage and little time available to tear this down to fiddle with it in the rain/sleet/snow/flooding I'm considering buying one just to have it handy for when failure occurs if that is even what I'm hearing.

Any assiStance would be appreciated. Rally, I think I remember you saying yours were going bad. Doesn't this sound familiar?

 

It's kinda hard to explain......but the noise is almost a "whuuur...whuuur...whuuur" like a low humming whuur noise evenly spaced. The volume will increase, and the whuuring rate would increase as you accelerate. There aren't really any noticable symptoms like a wobble or even play in the wheel....but the noise will get louder as they get worse. It will become very obvious after a while if it is the bearings.

I'm thrown off slightly by the "knocking" sound....it's a hard noise to explain....but i wouldn't think that it would make a knocking noise. The fact that it does alter with the turning does suggest that it's bearing related....

My fronts were bad first....and they made noise for quite a while before I tracked them down and found the bearings to be a cause. As i said, they get louder and louder as you go on. They don't necessarily fail and leave you stranded right away....the noise slowly builds as they get worse. You shouldn't ignore it for too long....but you could wait for slightly better weather etc.

 

The sound has me puzzled too. It's one of those sounds you wish you could hang off the bottom while someone drives so you can look around and figure it out. Since that isn't a safe idea, it's harder to determine.

The sound is more like something in a side compartment bouncing off the plastic interior wall. It really doesn't change with speed which is what I have been listening for. Definitely not a whuurrling noise, at least not yet.

The sound disappears completely after 3 -5 miles and doesn't return until the MINI is cold in the parking lot again. I even started thinking about an exhaust system bracket out of place or knocking on the body until it heats up and stretches out of the way.

The only key so far is it definitely did come with slight right hand turns in a bend in the road. Isn't there when turning left. Guess I'll continue to listen and pay attention until a nice day arrives and I can get it up and a wheel off to inspect closer for any rocking in the wheel. I've not been too concerned yet as the ride is smooth and braking fine. It could be a pad that's loose and just rattling until the pads heat up.

Oh, thanks for the quick reply. If it continues to bother me maybe I'll get in contact for a weekend lunch somewhere nearby. We'll eat and let it get cold and go for a quick ride. I'll buy.

My worse fear is in my daily travels, which can be 100 miles to a project site, that a hub would lock up and fail. I don't like calling tow trucks.