Bearings are one of the most ubiquitous devices on mechanical systems. So, this would lead one to believe they might be relatively inexpensive. Right? Right? They are everywhere. I probably have several dozen different bearings in my car.
I called the dealer today to get pricings on my front wheel bearings. $218 a piece. Shell-shocked... absolutely shell-shocked. I had them check again. $218. That was just blow #1, though.
Bearings, again, they are all over the place. They are simple devices. How hard can it be to replace bearings? So, I grab the ol' Chilton's, flip it open to section 8, "Suspension and Steering."
Blow #2. It's never good when the first line of the instructions state:
This procedure requires the use of a number of special tools
Right there, you should just stop reading. I read on; it was just more bad news. Hohum... Emily...
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Comments
there are often times when jobs that require "special" tools can be easily completed with normal tools used in slightly misappropriate ways. this is, however, magic dad stuff. that, and you probably don't even own the normal tools to strategically abuse anyway.
cars suck sometimes.
Is there anyway to get a hammer and screwdriver to act like a ball joint splitter?
Yea... stupid cars.
Yeah, but the good news (?) is that a number of places will rent you the tools you need. Check at the parts store.
As for the cost of bearings, most of what drives the cost is how perfect they have to be. Any slight deviance can be a bit of a problem when they're whipping around at several thousand times a second for a few hours.
Cars cost too much money.. period!
> Cars cost too much money.. period!
Agreed. Then, you drive the snot out of them and cause their tenuous-to-begin-with reliability to go down the toilet.
Oh well, you have to pay to play.
my dad used a big beat up brass hammer as a ball joint splitter on audra's accord...but then again, he's my dad. lined stuff up, took a huge whack at it, and it just fell apart. crazy.
so, yes. it can be done.
> lined stuff up, took a huge whack at it,
> and it just fell apart.
Hmmm... I remember doing something similar and sheering off one of the studs the exhaust manifold rested on. Of course, my "lining stuff up" and "glancing angle" have not been tempered by years of experience.
Hammers do work well on rotors and drum brake covers, though.