[RallyRedY2KX]

My 2010 is making a grinding noise from the right front. I have new brakes so I ruled that out. I too it into a parking lot and makes a bunch of S turns. The noise went almost away in the hard turns which leads me to believe wheel bearings. I watched a video on changing the wheel bearings on YouTube. It is a major job. The smart is 8 years old but only has 18K on it. Kinda low for wheel bearings. I guess they are cheap for a reason. Any other ideas?

 

[Miss Mercedes]

My rear bearings started failing at 100k. Thought it was the front but I was wrong. Rears are bolted on, fronts are pressed on.

Dealership will tell you the front bearings cannot be replaced (and thus you have to buy the whole spindle) but that's wrong.

There aren't a whole lot of bits to make noise up front. Here's how to confirm if it's bearing noise:

1. Jack the car up, check for play in the wheels.
2. Slalom at a moderate speed. A failing bearing will get louder under load and the noise will disappear when unloaded. So if the noise is present during a turn in one direction but gone the opposite direction, it could be a bearing.

 

[jimvw57]

replaced the right front wheel bearing, but I cheated and got the spindle bearing, and rotor off Ebay. cheaper than the wheel bearing and having it pressed on. Not terribly hard to install. But then afterwards I had problems with starting the car, shifter type problems unrelated to bearing replacement.

 

[strelnik]

replaced the right front wheel bearing, but I cheated and got the spindle bearing, and rotor off Ebay. cheaper than the wheel bearing and having it pressed on. Not terribly hard to install. But then afterwards I had problems with starting the car, shifter type problems unrelated to bearing replacement.

Any info available for the torque settings on this job, any special tools?

 

[jimvw57]

Evilution - Smart Car Encyclopaedia

Need a few E-torx sockets, a T30 torx, T40 Torx, 16,17, and 18mm wrenches and sockets, and a big hammer.