1997 Geo Tracker front wheel bearings

pp3harris · 07-23-2009, 05:28 PM

I have a 1997 Tracker, 16v, 4wd, 5 sp, bought in 2000 with 34M on it. It now has 110,000. At least half of this mileage is while being towed behind my motorhome. When I bought it, all fluids/filters were changed, everything lubed, checked out, etc.and it has been well maintained. I was told by someone that I thought should know that the front wheel bearings were permanently lubed and to change them you have to change the hub. I have operated it with that in mind, i.e. the front wheel bearings have never been packed. I am leaving on a long trip and after more questions it seems that the original opinion about the bearings was BS and they should be repacked. There is "0" play in the bearings, no evidence of any grease leakage, everything tight and copacetic. Our bankrupt Chevy dealer doesn't want to fool with it(says $670/side), our local Suzuki dealer said that their last Suzuki mechanic just quit. Several service facilities say that they can't pack the bearings without special tools. Basically,they say if it ain't broke, don't fix it. I am leaning towards dragging it another 4000 miles and hope for the best.
OPINIONS PLEASE. BTW, I just ordered a FSM although I am not a mechanic and have to rely on service facilities.

pp3harris · 07-24-2009, 08:34 AM

I have been convinced by a local machanic that lubeing the front wheel bearings is not that big a deal and it would be stupid to not do it.

I'd still like to hear from JTGH !!!!!!!!

Richard Craneum · 07-24-2009, 09:21 AM

Look here...

swap out of front hub bearings

Jerrys main sidekick page

He made Tracker look easy.

By my experience, if is not broke I will not fix it. The only time I replaced wheel bearing was on a 2001 Grand Am and a POS Honda Prelude. Replaced all 4s since the car drove like crap. Other than that, never messed with one yet.

pp3harris · 07-24-2009, 01:04 PM

Thanks for the input. It gets confusing the more people I talk to. Most things that I have read are about REPLACING the bearings. The last person I talked to here in town(this morning) said that it would ruin the bearings trying to get them out to repack them. The FSM that I just got said that 1993 and later models use a sealed cartridge type wheel bearing which is replaced as a unit but in the next paragraph it says to lubricate the wheel bearing with high temperature grease and install it into the hub.
How do you lubricate it if it is a sealed type unit???????????

Richard Craneum · 07-24-2009, 02:21 PM

I think you do not. I did not lubricated the ones on the Grand Am, they came from factory that way.

Never pulled the ones from the Tracker, my understanding is, they do not come apart for servicing. I think are condition items, just replace when goes bad.

pp3harris · 07-24-2009, 02:27 PM

Thank you for the reply. I am going to get the bearings and the tool to replace them and put them in a box on the motorhome and go about my merry way. Hard to believe that there is any discussion about it. Probably because nobody ever lubricates them, they just replace them when they fail.