Front wheel bearing

[Enjay]

Just over a year ago, I got the thin metal dust guards around the front brake disks of my Y2K PFL MR2 replaced.  When the garage did it, they said that the bearing on the drivers side was starting to feel a little bit "crunchy" when they turned it by hand while it was off the car.  However, they said that on the car it was fine.  It hasn't caused any problems and the car has gone through 2 MOTs since the "cruchiness" was identified.

However, sooner or later the bearing will need to be replaced.  The problem is, the garage said that they were having difficulty getting a suitable part.  They couldn't find a bearing on its own.  The only thing they could find was a whole hub assembly at an eye-watering price.  So, given that I have manged to source parts online myself in the past (thanks to help on here), they suggested that I see if I can get a bearing for a more reasonable price.  I've had a search myself but, so far, I have found anything conclusive.

So, is it the case that you can only get full hub assemblies, or are separate bearings available?
Where would be the best place to get either the bearing or (if necessary) a complete hub?

Thank you kindly for any help given.

[Hawko]

Depends what you call an eye watering price.  I bought a hub assembly from Autodoc for just over £50 about 6 months ago.  You could try TCB who should be able to supply a Koyo one, considered to be OEM equivalent.

[Carolyn]

Just over a year ago, I got the thin metal dust guards around the front brake disks of my Y2K PFL MR2 replaced.  When the garage did it, they said that the bearing on the drivers side was starting to feel a little bit "crunchy" when they turned it by hand while it was off the car.  However, they said that on the car it was fine.  It hasn't caused any problems and the car has gone through 2 MOTs since the "cruchiness" was identified.

However, sooner or later the bearing will need to be replaced.  The problem is, the garage said that they were having difficulty getting a suitable part.  They couldn't find a bearing on its own.  The only thing they could find was a whole hub assembly at an eye-watering price.  So, given that I have manged to source parts online myself in the past (thanks to help on here), they suggested that I see if I can get a bearing for a more reasonable price.  I've had a search myself but, so far, I have found anything conclusive.

So, is it the case that you can only get full hub assemblies, or are separate bearings available?
Where would be the best place to get either the bearing or (if necessary) a complete hub?

Thank you kindly for any help given.

Replacing the hub is the normal (and easiest) way to replace the bearing.  Hubs need not be expensive.

[Joesson]

Removing the old bearing from the hub is the problem.

[Iain]

Recently replaced both fronts with borg an beck parts from parts in motion


https://www.partsinmotion.co.uk/car-parts/transmission/wheel/borgbeckwheelbearingkitbwk1129-detail

[Joesson]

Borg and Beck is a long established brand. Likely has an Eastern manufacturing base nowadays. I've bought from Parts in Motion shock absorbers and brake hoses.
Shocks right first time and hoses exchanged as my (possible) OCD, didn't like the different swaging on the hoses. No problem with exchange, so all good.

[Enjay]

Thanks for the input.  It's appreciated.

It looks like there are a few options.  I'll check them out.
From  Carolyn and Joesson's comments, it seems like the garage was probably correct about availability - they could probably only get the hub assembly because removing the bearing is probably not recommended.

Depends what you call an eye watering price.  I bought a hub assembly from Autodoc for just over £50...

£50 would be fine and I would have just told them to go ahead and get it done.
The £500 (seriously) they said they'd been quoted by Toyota was not. 0_0  Seems to me like they may have been quoted for much more - like entire strut assembly or something.

I went to the Parts in Motion link and it prompted me to enter my reg number.  When I did that, it correctly identified my car, but said the part was not suitable.  Maybe it's a PFL versus a FL thing?