# Front wheel bearing



## kaori (Nov 12, 2010)

:?: Does any one know a sure way of checking if the front wheel bearing is faulty and has any one had one changed and the price?

Just been quoted 437 euros at the local garage!!

It is a Fiat ducato 2 .8 motorhome 3.500kg.

Thank you


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## erneboy (Feb 8, 2007)

As you are asking I assume you have little mechanical ability?

It is possible to tell by whether there is play in the bearing, although that may be fixable by adjustment.

Seeing and feeling the operation of the bearing will confirm its condition, if you know what is tolerable and what isn't.

The price you have been quoted is nuts. Ask around and see if you can get it done cheaper. If one is faulty the other is probably not great either. Your price is plenty for two, are you sure it isn't for both?

Check here: http://www.motorhomefacts.com/ftoptitle-109528-ducato-wheel-bearing-costs.html

Alan.


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## Wizzo (Dec 3, 2007)

Jack the wheel off the ground. Hold the tyre either side (3 o'clock and 9 o'clock). Try to shake the wheel. Any movement felt is play in the bearings. You should have no play. If you hold the wheel at 6 o'clock and 12 o'clock and repeat the exercise any movement felt here is play in the ball joints. Again there should be no play.

It would depend on the type of bearings as to whether there is any possibility of adjustment but it's usually a case of fitting new ones. Cannot comment on the price but it would depend to some extent on the amount of dismantling required to get them out.

JohnW


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## erneboy (Feb 8, 2007)

I can't seem to find a definitive answer as to what type of bearing is fitted but they may not be taper bearings, if not they can't be adjusted as John says.

I base my comments on the price you have been quoted on what others have said in the link I gave you and on what I read on another site. I cannot post the link as it's a competitor site to MHF and Nukie gets all upset if we do. I will PM you that link, Alan.


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## tonka (Apr 24, 2006)

In the 5 years of owning my previous van I have had the front nearside changed twice.. We had lots of noise from ours and lived with the rumble over lots of trips but eventually it got to me and was so much better once it was done.
First time went to Fiat agent, cost me £250 ish and lasted only 18 months. !!
Second time I went to a local garage that services trucks and large vehicles, cost £180.
So your €400 plus is still over priced but that could just be because its France... The bearing is about £80-90 in UK BUT it does need pressing in at high pressure so maybe not a DIY job.
If you are getting "rumble" noise when travelling and it increases with speed then almost certain pointing to a wheel bearing. Get van up to speed and dip the clutch if noise if still there, again another good indication that its gone.
There have been several threads on forums about them failing often on Fiats.


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## Stanner (Aug 17, 2006)

It is a large, expensive, non-adjustable roller bearing that needs a massive press to press it into place and the job can take quite while to do if things do not go well.

Your quote does sound a bit high though, I think I paid about £200 all in (inc. VAT) two years or so ago.


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## trevorf (May 16, 2005)

Also had the same problem on my 2.8 Ducato. Drove all the way home from Germany with a whining rumbling sound coming from the front nearside.
Think I paid about £170 for repair but it was a couple of years ago.



Trevor


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## sideways (Jun 2, 2008)

Not a five minute job the hub needs removing from the leg, usually heat is required on the 4 bolts, its a large roller bearing which is a sealed unit and will have to be pressed out and in, its straightforward but involves quite a bit of work, cant comment on French prices as i,ve never had the unfortunate experience of paying them, it will probably drive many thousands of miles without failure just be annoying, however thats something only you can judge, if you dont feel competant to do that my advice is bite the bullet!


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## Mrplodd (Mar 4, 2008)

First it was front cross menbers rusting away, then it was clutch judder and now we have wheel bearings packing up prematurely :roll: :roll: 

Seems to me that there is a bit of a theme in connection with Fiat base vehicles !!


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## ched999uk (Jan 31, 2011)

Bearing is somewhere between £60 and £130! I would say a mechanic would take less than 2 hrs to dismantle, press out old bearing, press in new bearing and reassemble hub.
The price you have been quoted in France sounds expensive but I have no idea what the hourly labour rates are in France.

You could buy a 10 ton press, charge £100 an hour labour and buy the bearing for less than you have been quoted but that is in the UK.

Maybe this is one instance where Rip OFF Britain does not apply!

Good Luck.


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## eurajohn (May 9, 2005)

The Ducato has several different configurations and the bearing spec changes dependant on which year and weight chassis you have, I'm pretty sure there are at least 4 different bearings for the 2.8 engined derivatives. The only one I have personal experience of is the Maxi chassis, this as others have said is a very large double row taper bearing that is non adjustable, it requires specialized equipment to change and would suggest somewhere in the region of 3 hours to complete the job.

Prices for parts in France are far greater than UK there is very little competitive pricing, labour charges are similar to UK. The Fiat price for the bearing is in the region of €250 then of course plus labour, I got the correct bearing sent over from UK at a cost of £78 + carriage (£20) did the job myself. I have found that a lot of the UK motor factors are not very clever when it comes to supplying the correct parts for Ducatos.


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## Stanner (Aug 17, 2006)

Found this looking for an MOT


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