Anyone had wheel bearings replaced?

[Wheatridger]

For several years, my 2017 Energi has had an intermittent squeal from the right rear wheel. It's present about 10-20% of the time, and silent otherwise. The other day, it faded in during a long drive on a fast, straight highway. After several minutes where it was plainly audible inside the car, it faded away. No brake applications were made at this time. It's also happened at parking lot speeds, loud enough to alarm pedestrians. 

 

Twice I've asked Ford shops to "take a look" at this, and they've found no problems. I thought I would just have the bearing replaced at this next oil change, but I got a surprise - a quote of $800, including three hours of labor. It seems that the  C-Max has pressed-in, not bolted-on wheel bearings. Special tools are involved, This is a quirk of the C-Max, I was told. "My F-150 has bolt-on bearings," said my service advisor. Simply diagnosing the bearing would be $230, he added. 

 

If this was my Mercedes or my past VWs, I'd shop among several well-qualified independent specialist shops that would undercut the dealer's price by 30-50%. Any kind of indy Ford shop would specialize in trucks or performance cars, not our rarities. The general all-brand garages might have never even seen a C-Max. 

 

So, your experience? Advice?

 

 

[nogoodbum]

A quick Google/Bing search will reveal that while the actual bearings are pressed into the wheel hub, the wheel hub, it self, is a bolt in replacement part. A new wheel hub will include new bearings & should be replaceable by most qualified mechanics.

[JohnTrigger]

It can be done at home if you have tools and are mechanically inclined, although it’s a good amount of hard work.  I just replaced the rear hub/bearings on my ‘13 CMax SEL with 112K miles on it.   It is one unit as stated above.  You have to buy the correct one (depending on if you have park assist or not as park assist needs to measure forward and back speeds and has a different electrical connection).   Rockauto sells various brands including Motorcraft OEM.  
 

Basically, jack the car, remove wheel, remove brake caliper, remove caliper bracket, remove rotor, remove hub which is held on by 4 x E14 head bolts (speed sensor electrical connection is on back well hidden and hard to reach), Replace. Rear caliper bracket torque is 70 NM, rear caliper pins is 35 NM, and the hub bolts are 110 Newton Meters.  You’ll need 7mm hex socket for the caliper pins, 13 or 14 mm socket (can’t remember) for the caliper bracket, and as stated a E14 socket with various extension bars to reach around the coil spring and get to the hub bolt heads. May as well replace rotors and pads while you’re doing it if they are getting close.  

 

Of course, it’s generally much harder than that because things are likely rusted in place.  You might need to beat the rotor off with a hammer and therefore you’ll ruin it. You will probably need a torch to heat the hub bolts then add lots of penetrating oil to remove those, and you’ll likely need a slide hammer tool that you attach to the wheel studs to slam the hub off with.