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Old 03-02-2016, 06:30 AM   #1
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Tow Dolly and Rear Bearing Failure

We have a Demco SS dolly and tow a 2009 Mini Cooper which has had the failure of the right rear bearing. We have towed the car for approximately 40,000 miles and the car's speedometer reads 58,000 miles. So the rear wheels have almost 100,000 miles on them. Of all the cars I have had I never have replaced rear wheel bearings. Is the articulating feature of the dolly itself having any undue effect on the life of the bearings?
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Old 03-02-2016, 06:43 AM   #2
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FWIW Probably not the articulation but possibly the weight transfer.

OTOH How many of your vehicles accumulate 100,000 miles before you trade?

That said rear bearings are usually cheap and easy to replace. If that is all you are getting it's not a big deal.
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Old 03-02-2016, 06:03 PM   #3
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Just a WAG here, I'd say it was a bearing failure unrelated to the towing.
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Old 03-05-2016, 07:22 AM   #4
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True, it could be caused by improper installation, maybe when brakes were serviced.
I never had a rear bearing failure on my VW in over 400k miles but my son with same model car had many failures. I did my own maintenance on brakes and he did not. The VW was equipped with drum brakes.
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Old 03-05-2016, 01:26 PM   #5
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How often due you grease the wheel bearings.


The information is out there, all you have to do is let it in.
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Old 03-06-2016, 05:00 AM   #6
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many newer wheel bearing (front and rear) are NOT serviceable . (not grease-able)


even many 1500 pickups have modular front wheel bearings and not grease-able.


modular bearings only have a life of 100,000 miles. my opinion. as they are ball bearings and NOT tapered roller type.


my Dodge Ram 1500 front bearings (both) failed at 35,000...modular
wife PT Cruiser bearings failed at 70,000 miles. modular
both never towed.
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Old 03-06-2016, 07:36 AM   #7
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You might want to check with the dealer or repair shop, about the cost of replacing a wheel bearing. I have a 2008 Saturn Vue, that I pull, 4-down, behind my coach. Last December, I needed a right wheel bearing replaced. So being handy with a wrench, I thought I'd do it myself. I have replaced a few, in my younger days.

Turns out, I simply decided to take the car to a Chevy dealer. The bearing cost me over $500 to replace! I was told that it's no longer a simple bearing replacement, because the bearing is somehow included in a new "hub assembly" unit that cost over $350! Then there's the labor involved to remove and replace the hub assembly, etc.
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Old 03-06-2016, 11:50 AM   #8
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My BMW had one replaced at 120K miles, never towed. I don't think the dolly contributed to the failure.
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Old 03-07-2016, 09:52 AM   #9
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FWIW, I have sold aftermarket auto parts for two decades. If you get more than 75k miles from a hub assembly, you have done well. I would not think anything unusual about changing OE hubs or bearings at that milage..dolly or no dolly.
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Old 03-10-2016, 07:05 AM   #10
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I've had to replace a rear bearing on two different front wheel drive cars at less than 50,000 miles. It just happens.
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