Kessog

My son just bought an 09 xD with 114k on it. On the highway home I noticed it had a rumble and it pulled a little to the right.
I had the wheels aligned and asked about the rumble.
They said the left wheel bearing was getting noisy.
Has anyone changed theirs or just take it to the stealership? $400-$600+
Change the bearing or whole hub?
Calling the salesman tomorrow to have a little chat.

BasicallyaLotus

This is ancient, but for those looking, I have done a few of these, and havent seen a write-up.

I suggest you remove the knuckle. While this maybe could be done on the car, I would not attempt it unless I had already done it regularly.

a. Loosen axle nut, think its a 36mm, but don't take my word. (Unstake first!, use a new nut if you can.)
b. Break wheel lugs loose a 1/2 turn or so
c. Jack up the car on the side you are working on.
d. Remove lug nuts, wheel, axle nut. Wheel is hubcentric, and a close fit. A swift kick to the tire may be needed if any dirt or corrosion is there, to dislodge it from the rotor face.
e. Prepare. Grab a bungie, coat hanger bent like an s, or some string to hang the caliper. Locate the brake line and undo the bolt attaching it to the strut/knuckle. Shoot some cheap spray paint around strut bolts on both sides.
Also carefully remove your wheel speed sensor (wire coming out of hub, one bolt) and tuck it away.

f. Caliper comes off with 2 bolts on backside. Do not hang it from its brake line, use the bungie/wire/string! As far from the hub as possible, I like putting toward front of car. No need to disconnect. Set your rotors aside.
f2. Inspect your pads, rotors, brake lines. These cars are getting older and brakes are the primary safety item. Check caliper for stuck piston and grease your slide pins if you have any brake noise. I digress.
g. Tie rods ends (steering joints) can be popped out by tapping the nut with a hammer after it is backed off even with end of threads. Once loose, simply unthread nut and lift it out.
h. Ball joint is next. Use your preferred method, there are so many tools that work well. Avoid damage to rubber boot unless you are replacing them. Now is also a good time to check them for play, and replace em, as you have it apart.
(If you are a madman attempting this on the car, you may want to leave this for later, to give yourself leverage)
i. Time to unbolt the strut, hopefully paint is dry, and you now have a rough guide for getting your alignment close, scribe a line or head straight to alignment shop otherwise. Just 2 bolts, and wiggle it free.
Mind the order of your bolts, as you may have an eccentric in one or both for alignment. Tap the axle gently with a small sledge to free it if stuck.

j. With your knuckle facing down, you have access to remove the snap ring. I tap it on either side with a punch after soaking with penetrant, then pry it out. Be gentle, do not snap the ring, or mangle the groove!
k. Press time! Use your press (or floor jack, screw clamp, hammers, etc. depending on poverty/insanity level) to work out the old bearing, pressing the outer race where possible. A cheap adapter kit and a box of old sockets comes in handy here.
(If doing this on car, pull the hub first with a slide hammer before removing strut and bj.) Then press the hub from the inner bearing race. If its fused to hub, cut 2/3 the way thru bearing race with a Dremel/cutoff, finish with a cold chisel, should split clean.
l. Clean up surfaces, inspect new bearing. The dark shield (non metal) side of bearing has magneting stripes encoded on it. That goes toward the inside! Do not demagnetize this or put on backwards or your TCS/ABS light will come on.
Set it up in the press. Only press in by the outer race! Take your time, a large diameter bearing can get sideways quick on a small press. When pressing hub in, support inner bearing race!
m. Installation should be obvious now, but be sure to fit wheel sensor. Torque axle nut when car is on ground, then remember to stake it (bend in tab). ABS/TCS light means your tone-ring on bearing is wrong way, bad, or you need to reposition sensor in hub.
Maybe get the car aligned, you just messed with camber at the very least, toe should be fine.

Typing from memory, if you get stuck, ask away. I highly recommend you use a press. If you are new to wrenching, this may be a large task. I use only Toyota/Denso/Timken/NSK bearings. Had issues with Durago and no names.

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ChazXD

So great write up on the bearing and confirming the xD has magnetic strip for abs on bearing. I just had a notable shop put on a new bearing and my ABS / non slip lights are on.
Do you know if this turns off all ABS or just the one wheel that is not registering. I am assuming they put it on backwards. Reason I ask when I was breaking coming off the freeway,
I felt some shaking like maybe the left front was braking harder than everything else.

Thanks for this article for saving me yet another hour trying to find answer is the ABS reading magnetic bearing or another method!

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BasicallyaLotus

When my tone-ring (magnetic bearing shield) was faulty on my new bearing, it was installed correctly!, but the magnetic stripes were messed up. A bit of magnetic visualization film can help verify before install, and are a couple bucks online.
Cheap insurance. Not as common a piece of kit as it should be for mechanics IMHO. But still, bad mag rings are common, so don't assume incompetence of the garage, however maybe suggest a magnet viewing sheet... I digress.

When the ring was bad, I got ABS and SRS lights. ABS did not work at all. It otherwise drove alright, and I drove it a few months until i checked all other options, and worked up the gumption to do the bearing, again.

A bad sensor cable, a bad sensor, a poorly installed sensor, ABS/SRS fuse, Fusible link (power steering will not work in this case), and ABS module can also be culprits. But I would suspect the bearing if just changed.

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ChazXD

Just left a message with shop about magnetic visualization film. I dropped it off today for tomorrow bearing replace.
The tech said he has never had it happen before, but he did mention that's what it could be. Faulty Bearing.
Again, thanks for detailed easy to understand info and rocket response.

ChazXD

Ended up being retainer C-clip clocking sensor hole. They adjusted the opening in the clip to line up with hole.