Front wheel bearing replacement cost

[RDG496]

Reading what limited info there is on replacing the Front wheel bearing and concluding it CAN be a pig of a job to do Im toying with having a knowledgable garage do the work.
The cost of the bearing varies, but assuming £200 for parts (Bearing and new retaining nut...possibly a little more) what would those that have completed the job think is a fair all in price to have it replaced ?

My mechanic is skilled with 40yrs experience, and i could hire the tools and have him do the work but it does seem it can prove a tricky task maybe best left to a Lancia shop?

I'm not looking for a cheap price more a guide on what would seem reasonable for the work.

Cheers.

[nthomas1]

Hi Robin - I've been wondering the same thing myself.  I've tackled a lot of jobs on my car but I think a wheel bearing change is beyond my skillset. I've read the reports of people using 4 metre scaffold tubes as breaker bars!  So I had a chat with Tanc at Tanc Barratt a couple of weeks ago.  He reckoned around £110 labour per corner, so that's £440 for the complete car, plus materials of course. He cautioned, not surprisingly, that costs could be higher if problems are encountered, for example if damage has been caused during prior repairs.
Cheers, Norm

[RDG496]

Thanks for that, gives me a base to work from.

Cheers

[Parisien]

I remember the wrestling match, thankfully we ran out winners in the end on my B12

P

[lancialulu]

I would advise keeping the hub on the car both front and /or the rear and use the brakes at the rear as well as anything else to lock the hub. On both front and rear there is a large wire circlip which pins the bearing retaining nut.... The nut tool (different for front and back) needs to be held tight the the hub and a long lever as very tight especially if it has not moved in 50 years...

[Scott]

Ant Anstead did the front hubs for a Fulvia on an episode of Wheeler Dealers. Everything came apart like a dream. Stage managed? Oh you cynics... 

[RDG496]

I may just pay up and have it done, had i the space/tools to have a go myself I would do so but I don't. And with the possibility of unforeseen problems it may be one to hand over to someone with experience.

Thanks all.

[davidwheeler]

I have to say I did mine without any great struggles, with the special tools of course.

[fay66]

I have to say I did mine without any great struggles, with the special tools of course.

I had a front replaced about 15 years ago, Omicron wouldn't give a price as it depended how the job went, mine involved a lot of hard work and a gas torch to heat things up, as after 40+ years it didn't want to come off.
All the work was carried out with the hub on the car.
It took a long time and the cost reflected the time involved,  + the cost of the bearing which was over £100 then!
It's an enormous bearing and make a good door stop, so not surprised they last 40 to 50.
years.

Brian 8227