Larger wheels and wheel bearing failure...

[Lolvoguy]

Is there a connection here?

I got into a discussion on a Ford Focus forum recently blaming my wheel bearing noise on the larger OEM wheels on my stock Focus (16 inch).

ON my 97 Escort I ran 14's as stock and never had a bearing failure on some of the worst prairie roads you could imagine (over 150k miles).

This car only has a mere 86k miles. Seems premature to me.

Is there a connection here, or is it just a coincidence?

 

[KingCake]

If the offset of the rim is wrong you will side load the bearing.

 

[CT8]

Originally Posted By: KingCake
If the offset of the rim is wrong you will side load the bearing.
This is why !!! There isn't much extra designed into cars these days.

 

[Rand]

doubtful the wheel size has anything to do with it.. the overall tire are larger as well.

Probably just lower quality bearings or lower engineering standard.

 

[IndyIan]

Originally Posted By: CT8
Originally Posted By: KingCake
If the offset of the rim is wrong you will side load the bearing.
This is why !!! There isn't much extra designed into cars these days.

I read the Focus has some weird torque to yield spindle nuts that are known to back off slightly with sticky tires on the track. Maybe a whack on a curb could do the same?
I'm actually running my snow tires on 15" rims with almost a 1/2" less offset (out) than OEM but with slightly narrower tires. This was the 3rd season with them, maybe 40k km and no problems yet.
Sometimes a wheel bearing just fails... If you have another one or two go out soon then you have a pattern.

 

[bdcardinal]

Lower quality bearings, incorrect wheel offset, heavier wheel and tire combo will all cause failures. Not to mention people seem to slam curbs like crazy now.

 

[Tegger]

Originally Posted By: Lolvoguy
blaming my wheel bearing noise on the larger OEM wheels on my stock Focus

Are these actual "Ford" branded wheels? Just because you got them from the dealer doesn't necessarily mean they're actual Ford wheels meant for that Focus.

 

[Lolvoguy]

Originally Posted By: Tegger
Originally Posted By: Lolvoguy
blaming my wheel bearing noise on the larger OEM wheels on my stock Focus

Are these actual "Ford" branded wheels? Just because you got them from the dealer doesn't necessarily mean they're actual Ford wheels meant for that Focus.


Yes, they are the stock wheels that are 5 spoke. Very common on the 05+ Focus with the sport appearance package or "SES" models

 

[JHZR2]

Originally Posted By: Rand
doubtful the wheel size has anything to do with it.. the overall tire are larger as well.

Probably just lower quality bearings or lower engineering standard.


Maybe not size, but weight can do a lot. Ditto for offset changing the suspension and load setup.

Note the differences in mass:

http://www.caranddriver.com/features/effects-of-upsized-wheels-and-tires-tested

 

[Lyman]

I'd bet my lunch those bearings were made in China.

 

[440Magnum]

Offset is what kills wheel bearings.

The weight of the wheel is completely trivial compared to the fact that the bearing supports a whole corner of the car already.

 

[JHZR2]

Originally Posted By: 440Magnum
Offset is what kills wheel bearings.

The weight of the wheel is completely trivial compared to the fact that the bearing supports a whole corner of the car already.



I agree compared to the mass supported in the design direction of the bearing, as implemented. But wheels offer who knows what other forces in whatever directions. You say offset, but Id propose that a lighter wheel/tire with the sae bad offset might give higher longevity compared to a heavier set.

Basis:

My S-10 ZR2 is known for having poorly-lived bearings. It is outfit with LT31x10.5R-15 tires from the factory, on the EXACT SAME wheels as every other S-10. It is well established that the bearings dont last as long as when smaller, lighter, p205 or p235 tires are fit.

 

[OneEyeJack]

The expertise in designing your car is to do "just enough". It's called engineering. This is especially true if you're going to make a lot of them and have a ghost of a chance of making a profit. You're supposed to drive it as designed. When it wears out you get a new one.

Bigger wheels? The designer that accommodates that without a spec in this world of computer designs, strict budgets and so on is called "unemployed".

So, a little bit bigger, wider, more offset or stiffer will be accommodated within the safety margin. Go test it. What's life without some risk?

 

[SwampSurvivor]

The unit bearings on my Jeep are the same as unit bearings for a 1990 Jeep Cherokee.

The same 1990 Jeep Cheroke that has P195/75R15 on the placcard. On 5.5 or 6 inches of backspacing on a 15x6 wheel.

I have LT235/85R16E tires on a 16x7 wheel with 4.5 inches of backspacing.

Wheel bearings seem to be an 18 month deal. But, it does give me a good opportunity to service the lower ball joints ... which require the axle shaft and bearing to come out

 

[Tegger]

Originally Posted By: Lolvoguy
Originally Posted By: Tegger
Are these actual "Ford" branded wheels?

Yes, they are the stock wheels that are 5 spoke.

In that case -- unless Ford did something really clueless in the design stage -- your bearing failure had nothing to do with those wheels.

FWD bearings can fail when the weather-seal on the inner face fails. This allows water ingress which makes the bearing rust. You can see this easily when the bearing is apart after removal.

 

[Kawiguy454]

Stock wheels = stock offset. the tire size and mass may have minor effect. but bearings wont last forever. Buy some non CH replacements and call it a day.

My 02 F150 front bearings loosened up by 90K with big tires. I replaced with some non CH ones and at 180K+ they're still tight

FYI from the factory my rear Diff had a whine at 70mph took it to the dealer and they changed the lube. the factory pinion bearings went bad just out of warranty. Bearings are only as good as the QC that allows them to pass.

 

[andyd]

My'11 Transit work van had noisy front hubs by 65K. Several guys complained of same thing. '14 is still quiet at 76K. The '14 has 16" wheels. The '11 had 165 60 15s and the tires were junk too. Ford is obsessed with planned obsolescence . If they could have stuff die 5 miles and a day past the warranty, they would.

 

[eljefino]

I bet when they design bearings they tell the engineers it's gonna weigh 3500 lbs and roll on 205/70/15 tires.

Then marketing adds entertainment centers, sunroofs and butt heaters to make it 4300 lbs and it's on kewl 235/45/18s.

 

[HerrStig]

!5x7s on a Camry with an offset which places the outside rim right at the fender edge. 350 K on the bearings. Toyota uses a hub with bearings big enough for a Lexis ES all the way down to the Corolla.