2003 Protege Repeated Wheel Bearing Failures

salguod

Mr. T'bird
My daughter's 2003 Protege has had 3 LF wheel bearing replacements by 2 different mechanics since summer of 2019 and it appears to have failed again.

First failure was June 2019, second was December 2019 and the last one was October 2020 (no posts here on that one). The first failure (Video), the third and this one had a rumble sound that goes away on RH turns and gets a bit louder on LH turns. The second (video) was a little different than the other three with a low pitched constant groan that didn't change when turning.

The first two were by the same mechanic, but he refused my calls when it failed again, so I chose another shop. Hearing the history, they changed the bearing and also the hub, but it's still failing again now, about 14 months later. Mechanic error seems unlikely given it's been two completely different shops.

Any insight as to why these are repeatedly failing? I do remember something about a debate about if there should be a seal or not, but I'm not finding it now. No seal listed on any of my paper work, but I can't say for certain it wasn't installed.

I'm tempted to buy a complete steering knuckle from a scrap yard and install that, but I would really like to understand the root of the failure to prevent it.

Any suggestions?
 
What quality of bearing are you using? The cheaper ones typically dont last as long and even less in bad weather environments. Another thing to look at is the hub itself. Is it possible there is damage or excessive wear in the hub where the bearing seats? That might cause the bearing to not seat straight putting stress on it and causing premature failure. Did you supply the replaced hub or was it a new one they purchased? I read a post on here a long time ago that the seal wasnt needed as it actually shortened the life of the bearing by not allowing dirt and debris to escape from behind it and the bearings were better off with out them. Is the c clip being reinstalled? Maybe it wasnt after the 1st bearing and just being copied by the mechanics after? I am with you that a bearing should last much longer than you are experiencing.
 
Not sure, the mechanic in each case selected the bearing. With two different mechanics, it seems likely there were two different bearings.

The latest receipt says "Wheel Bearing 510003", which returns results for both Timken and National Bearing. The hub is listed as "Spindle Hub 63055", which seems to be a PTC (Power Train Components) part number maybe.

And, the most recent replacement included the hub, as noted in the original post.
 
I agree with the above posts.
I used a cheap bearing and it didn't last.

Cheap bearings don't have a proper seal. It's just a dust cap sitting on the bearing.

And get rid of the "oil seal" if you've got one.

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They don't work and Mazda deleted them from later models.

They were supposed to keep water and dirt from getting into the hub, but they ended up leaking and sealing water into the hub where it would get into the bearing and rust it out.
 
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Thanks, I remember the seal debate but couldn't find it. After reading your post, I was able to find the TSB here.

The TSB only applies to certain 2001s and mine is a 2003, but, it does say that the seal was deleted for later models. One curious thing, however, is that the 2002 service manual that's floating around does show the seal. According to the TSB, it shouldn't for a 2002. I'm going to wager a guess that the design changed but the manual wasn't updated.

No seal on my paperwork, but there was a $10 shop supplies line so maybe they absorbed it there? At any rate, I need to go back and get it done again and make sure that they A) Use a Timken or OEM bearing and B) do not install a seal.

Sadly, it's likely been just long enough (14 months) that I'm going to have to pay for it in full again.

Or, I use this as an excuse to buy a press and do it myself. 😁
 
You don't need a press, just a sledge hammer and big socket set.

I posted some pictures of my bearing replacement.


Post in thread 'PCB's Unbuild Thread' PCB's Unbuild Thread
 
The money that you would save on labor would pay for your tools.
And it's always fun to buy tools.
Lol
 
Thanks, I remember the seal debate but couldn't find it. After reading your post, I was able to find the TSB here.

The TSB only applies to certain 2001s and mine is a 2003, but, it does say that the seal was deleted for later models. One curious thing, however, is that the 2002 service manual that's floating around does show the seal. According to the TSB, it shouldn't for a 2002. I'm going to wager a guess that the design changed but the manual wasn't updated.

The Protege5 was only available in 2002 and 2003.
My car is a 2002 but it was built in Sept 2001.

The service manual was probably printed in early 2001.

I don't know if my car ever had the seals or if they were removed if the bearings were replaced before I bought the car?

EDIT: I just checked the TSB and my VIN, and my car was built after they deleted the seal.
 
At any rate, I need to go back and get it done again and make sure that they A) Use a Timken or OEM bearing and B) do not install a seal.
Timken bearings are not cheap. They can cost more than OEM bearings. Unless you are looking for the best of the best for what is a 20 year old rust bucket, it's really not worth the cost.

There are other very good brands that supply front wheel bearings for BJ 323. KOYO and NSK to name two. Japanese made and OEM suppliers to many Japanese car manufacturers. SKF is another reputable bearing manufacturer. I have personally used KOYO and NSK with zero issues. Get quality Japanese made bearings.

List below of most expensive to cheapest prices I could find on the net:
  1. Timken (part #510003) = $78.24 per set
  2. OEM Mazda (part #B45533047D) = $65.88 per set
  3. NSK (part #40BWD06JCA85) = $25.94 per set
  4. KOYO (part #DAC4074W12CS47) = $19.32 per set
 
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Well, I finally went ahead and replaced it myself. A friend from work has a press and offered to press it in and out, so I bought a Timken bearing ($25 on Amazon, OEMs were $50 everywhere) and took him up on it. After getting the knuckle off, I was skeptical that this was going to fix it. The bearing seemed smooth and tight. Got it back from him and I was right, put it back together and no change in the noise.

A grinding that gets louder as speed increases. Not too noticeable until 35 or so. Seems particularly loud at certain speeds - around 40 and around 55. Doesn't change with engine speed, gear shifts or in neutral. Gets slightly louder when going left, pretty much goes away when going right. Acts a lot like my first video, except the noise is not as aggressive and it makes it when driving straight and turning left, but not when turning right.

Seems like it can only be a tire or CV joint at this point. Next step is to swap the LH tires and see if the noise changes.
 
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There is a bearing and seal in there that you can change without buying the whole thing.
 
Boy, I had to dig into the manual to find that. The joint shaft looks to be the intermediate drive shaft between the trans and the RH CV joint. The noise I'm hearing is seems to be on the LH side too and this is on the RH shaft.

I'm not finding it listed at all, at least at Rock Auto or Autozone (searched joint shaft and intermediate shaft), let alone just the bearing. I'll look more tomorrow, it's time to get off the computer for the night, lol.
 
I bought a Timken bearing ($25 on Amazon, OEMs were $50 everywhere) and took him up on it.
You didn't buy a Timken bearing for $25. What you have purchased is the well known counterfeit Timken. These bearings are usually sold on Amazon, Alibaba, AliExpress, eBay, etc. It's been a known problem in the auto and engineering industry for a while now. Fake Timken bearings from China have been around for years. Very difficult for the average person to tell the difference. They don't have the proper Timken barcode, and weighs more than the original Timken, which can be checked on Timken's website.

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For a 2004 Mazda3 joint shaft, which may be the same parts, or it may be completely different, the bearing has an NTN part number of 6206ZZC4. The seals are part numbers G56025744 and G00325742A.

At least that will get you on the right track.
 
Seems unlikely that the intermediate shaft / joint shaft bearing would change based on the car going right or left. Symptoms really point to a wheel bearing. With all the LF failures this car has had, I made the assumption that it was the LF. I'm starting to wonder if it's not the LR. I didn't even check. I'm going to have her bring the car back over this weekend and we'll jack it up and see what I can learn.

I no longer have teh box, so I can't be sure if it's legit or not. Prices for bearings marked Timken seems to be from $25-$40 online. At any rate, it's installed and I'm not pulling it unless it's bad again.

Assuming I find a bad LR bearing, anyone know if this how to for a 5 lug rear disk Protege applies to a 4 lug rear drum car?
 
,.. I'm starting to wonder if it's not the LR. I didn't even check. I'm going to have her bring the car back over this weekend and we'll jack it up and see what I can learn.


I had the same problem with my P5.
I jacked up the front end, started the car, put it in 5th gear and let it idle.
I sat in the car and listened for the rumble. Only one wheel will spin when the front end is lifted up.

Then I did it again and I jammed some wood under the wheel that would spin so that the other wheel would spin and I could tell which wheel was rumbling.

It turned out to be the opposite wheel that I thought.

A bad bearing rumbles the entire car filling the cab with sound and you can't pinpoint which side.


Assuming I find a bad LR bearing, anyone know if this how to for a 5 lug rear disk Protege applies to a 4 lug rear drum car?


I'm 97% sure that the bearing replacement is the same for a Protege5 and a Protege for the front end.

I think that even the rear is the same and it's only brake that is different.

There may be different part numbers for the different Protégés but the procedures should be exactly the same.

This link to my thread should be helpful for some reference pictures,..

 
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