How many miles before front wheel bearing replacement?

[tomrad]

Just wanted to get an idea of how everyone's doing with front wheel bearing life. I replaced my left one two years ago, think it was close to 100k miles on it. The right is original and I'm now at 127k.
I avoid potholes, but every now and then one will get you (usually small, yes, but in the Mirage it sounds big). I am not sure if the average pothole will contribute to shortened wheel bearing life or not.
Thanks!

[Johnny Mullet]

My 2017 has 143,000 miles with all original bearings so far.

[Wallythacker]

I think, with only 45,000 miles on my 2017 my RR bearing is on the way out. I'm pulling all the wheels this spring to check linings and flex lines and bearings. I just hope I can go to May w/o anything going wrong.

[tomrad]

I was worried that hitting a small pothole or two could damage the wheel bearing, but the more I think about it, I kind of doubt it. Figure, the tire would have to compress all the way to the rim, and even then, the spring takes most of the jolt as the car rolls through the hole.
I could be wrong, but I suspect it would take a rim-damaging blow before a bearing would be affected.
There's lots of roads around my area with delamination (top layer of asphalt broken away, down to the previous road surface). Most cars, you would feel just a slight bump. The Mirage.....a bit more than that.

[klroger]

Do you live in an area where they use salt or other de-icing agents??? I think this would be a bigger factor in bearing failure then pot-holes, but yes, a heavy impact on a bearing from a large pothole can contribute to early failure... but I would think normal size ones ( if there are really "normal sized" potholes) should be fine... Just thoughts,...

[Wallythacker]

I was worried that hitting a small pothole or two could damage the wheel bearing, but the more I think about it, I kind of doubt it. Figure, the tire would have to compress all the way to the rim, and even then, the spring takes most of the jolt as the car rolls through the hole.
I could be wrong, but I suspect it would take a rim-damaging blow before a bearing would be affected.
There's lots of roads around my area with delamination (top layer of asphalt broken away, down to the previous road surface). Most cars, you would feel just a slight bump. The Mirage.....a bit more than that.

ya, a bearing is almost zero play, there's really nowhere for the balls or races to go regardless of the hit intensity. Now, things like sand are another story. Even stainless steel like the bearings is no match against the abrasive action.

[ThunderG]

I replaced the right front bearing on my 2015 at 99,000 miles. It was making a little noise but not real bad.
The left side bearing is still quiet at 102,000 miles.

[7milesout]

Tis a good thread. My car is still new-ish (25k miles) so I don't have any value in this thread. But I will say, as big a proponent as I am of Toyota, the 2004 Corolla I owned did have a right rear bearing go bad, and was replaced at 80k miles or so. That's pretty low mileage. The point being, these Mirages are quite a reliable car besides being so inexpensive.

[Ares]

Check my thread.

Cliffs:
Noise started around 85k. Unbearable around 95k. Fronts were replaced. Issue resolved.

Note: I've been running oversized wheels/tires. In fact, I never replaced my OEM tires but they're bald so I probably got 15/20k out of them.

There are pros/cons to changing wheel/tire/suspension geometry but I find the better looks and performance worth every penny.

[tomrad]

I'm feeling the same, after eight years of driving a Mirage, very good car for the money. I also have a few older Fords and a 2008 Tacoma 4x4, automatic 4.0L v6. My first Toyota, and I like it a lot, very nice at over 300k miles. I'd recommend both the Mirage and Tacoma highly.
Kind of thinking the wheel bearings are probably not damaged from use, as much as they wear due to normal circumstances (grease displacement, minor contaminants). Greaseable wheel bearings often needed to be repacked at 100-150k miles (if not sooner), if I recall.