How long will a bad front bearing last?

[ZMonkey11]

My car has been making a pulsing vibration when I drive my car from 50-70 mph. It generally goes away once I hit 75 mph, the from what I have read, it means I have a bad front bearing.

How long is it safe to drive on a bad front bearing? I don't have but one day every other week to take care of any fixes I need, so I can't bring in the car immediately.

I will have to wait at least four days until I can get this problem checked out. And I have been noticing this pulsing vibration for the last 2000 miles.

Any help is appreciated, thanks!

[lekker_droom]

If it is already bad then you've answered your own question.

Or are you asking how long until it absolutely fails and seizes? If that's your question then its honestly quite ignorant. Replace it as soon as you can.

[ZMonkey11]

Originally Posted by lekker_droom

If it is already bad then you've answered your own question.

Or are you asking how long until it absolutely fails and seizes? If that's your question then its honestly quite ignorant. Replace it as soon as you can.

Wow, you are a piece of work.

I believe it is bad because of what I had read in this forum. I HAVEN'T HAD TIME TO TAKE IT IN.

I want to know if I can make it to next week BECAUSE I DONT HAVE TIME TO TAKE IT IN.

So I am ignorant in asking this so I don't have my car crap out on me while I'm on the highway? Once again, I DON'T HAVE TIME TO TAKE IT IN UNTIL NEXT WEEK.

Get the picture? Your answer, to me, is honestly quite ignorant.

[eurodre]

LOL to OP getting an attitude, yah that's gonna really encourage others to actually give you meaningful answers


but if you didn't get what lekker was trying to say, he is saying that its NOT a good idea to drive on a bad bearing.. that was the underlying point

SO by not being ignorant you would take that as, hmm ok well i either find another way to go to work or arrange something to take the car in to be fixed as soon as possible

[ZMonkey11]

Originally Posted by eurodre

LOL to OP getting an attitude, yah that's gonna really encourage others to actually give you meaningful answers


but if you didn't get what lekker was trying to say, he is saying that its NOT a good idea to drive on a bad bearing.. that was the underlying point

SO by not being ignorant you would take that as, hmm ok well i either find another way to go to work or arrange something to take the car in to be fixed as soon as possible

I get the underlying point. Why make it an underlying point? Just answer the question.

I don't know much about cars in general, and that's why I asked. To get help from this forum.

NO **** take the car in as soon as possible. But once again, THAT IS A WEEK AWAY.

You people assume that people that post questions already have a general knowledge on all the parts of a car. Unfortunately, I don't. If it is not safe to drive on a bad bearing, say it. I don't know what happens to a car once the bearing goes bad. You can drive a car on blown shocks. I was wondering if the car is driveable if the bearing goes bad.

So hmmm...thanks for your answer. But I could have done without your response.

[eurodre]

he answered your question and i tried to help along so you can understand it,

all kinds of people are welcome to ask questions, pros to cars and those ones starting out, but having that kind of attitude sure won't win you any friends on here nor will it help you with your question (which has been answered many times). So i suggest you take a chill pill and listen to what is being suggested

[IMA-G-RIDER]

theres no way for anyone to know how long it will take for it to be shot .

drive safe and slow . to keep it from being under to much stress that can pop it break it ..

[lekker_droom]

Originally Posted by ZMonkey11

I get the underlying point. Why make it an underlying point? Just answer the question.

I don't know much about cars in general, and that's why I asked. To get help from this forum.

NO **** take the car in as soon as possible. But once again, THAT IS A WEEK AWAY.

You people assume that people that post questions already have a general knowledge on all the parts of a car. Unfortunately, I don't. If it is not safe to drive on a bad bearing, say it. I don't know what happens to a car once the bearing goes bad. You can drive a car on blown shocks. I was wondering if the car is driveable if the bearing goes bad.

So hmmm...thanks for your answer. But I could have done without your response.

Haha. Damn man, a little tense? Relax buddy, I know it's hotter than balls here right now but just chill.

[djekua]

You savvy people need to cut newbies a break....seriously these forums are made to help not to bash on people relax...im sure there things that you probably dont know or understand that to others might be common sense... chill brah!

[TofuProductions]

+1 djekua.

Im a bit curious too since I've been wondering this just for future reference.

thanks all.

[blaccG35]

yea u guys should ease off the newbies...especially u EURO hahahha...but OP didnt need to be so heated over a weak comment from lekker

[pelo602]

how much does it cost to replace it?

[partyman66]

Just because it shakes in between 50 and 75 MPH doesn't mean it's a wheel bearing. In fact, I wouldn't even really categorize that as a primary symptom of a bad wheel bearing at all. Usually the most obvious and immediately noticeable drivability symptoms of a bad wheel bearing is that when you take a hard sweeping corner in one direction, the opposite side wheel will make a droning/humming noise(Ex. turning hard right, the left side wheel will make the noise). If it's to the point where it is vibrating on the highway, you probably shouldn't be driving the car until you get the wheel bearing replaced.

The best way to test if it is a wheel bearing is to park your car with the E-brake on and in gear, jack up one side of the front end and grab the wheel at 12 and 6 O'clock and try to see if there is any play in the wheel when you apply opposite pressure on each hand(example: push in on the wheel with your top hand on the outside of the top of the wheel, and then pull out on the bottom of the wheel from the inside of the tire/wheel with your other hand at the same time.... then switch and do the opposite). If you notice any play whatsoever when doing this, you need a new wheel bearing on that wheel. Make sure you check both sides of the car too... each wheel has its own wheel bearing and one might be gone, while the other is perfectly good.

Don't risk it by driving on bad wheel bearings... your wheel could fall off on you while you're driving and cause a huge accident. They usually check wheel bearings when you go for your inspection sticker(depending on what state you live in).

Vibrations from your front end at that speed might be caused by an out-of-balance wheel, a warped or cracked rim, or a warped rotor on one or both of the front brakes.

[j 4 lD]

Baring the most recent post prior to mine, I don't think anyone actually answered the OPs question. The OP made a good analogy with the blown shocks example too.

[ZMonkey11]

Originally Posted by blaccG35

yea u guys should ease off the newbies...especially u EURO hahahha...but OP didnt need to be so heated over a weak comment from lekker

Unfortunately, I don't take it too kindly when someone tries to

a) make me look like an idiot
b) call my question ignorant
c) not answer any part of my question

It goes further when someone actually backs up what the first guy just said. Then he goes on to say basically I'm stupid. and STILL not answer my question.

I think the first two commenters just wanted to up their post count.


I may have overreacted, but the way in which they "answered" my question was not in anyway helpful. I already knew to do it as soon as possible.

Thank you to partymann66 for the great response and to imafukinrider to actually attempting to answer my question.


It turned out my wheel was not balanced and was causing the problem. I had tried to get an answer on this board about it possibly being my bearing or not and had not received any help, so I searched to try to get the answer...so thanks to Eurodre for pointing out that this has been discussed many many many many times on this board. So you can feel good about yourself knowing I did search before I posted. And to note, I also wrote that I had searched the topic before I posted.