Your Jeep is known for being a rugged and versatile vehicle, but you still expect a smooth ride. If you notice strange grinding, hissing, or whirring sounds coming from the wheels, or if it feels wobbly or shaky, you should get your Jeep to a garage right away. If your Jeep has over 75,000 miles, you could have a bad wheel bearing.
Replacing the wheel bearings on a Jeep Liberty typically costs between $175 and $400. The actual price will vary based on your vehicle’s year, whether it’s the front or rear wheel, and how many need to be replaced. Where you take the vehicle for the work will also impact the price.
Quick Navigation
Cost to Replace Wheel Bearings in a Jeep Liberty
The cost to replace wheel bearings in a Jeep Liberty first depends on which bearing is being replaced, how many in total you’re replacing, and your Jeep’s year. On average, you should plan to spend around $350 on a wheel bearing replacement.
In many cases, it’s not just the bearing alone that will need replacing. You’ll normally need to have the wheel hub assembly replaced as well. If that’s the situation with your vehicle, the cost will increase quite a bit.
Replacing the wheel hub assembly in a Jeep Liberty usually costs between $450 and $700.
If you don’t replace your wheel bearings when they begin to fail, it can cause further (and more costly) damage. For example, uneven tire wear can lead to needing to replace your tire or tires prematurely, which is a big investment for most vehicles.
The typical cost to replace the front wheel bearing in a Jeep Liberty is between $350 and $400. Of course, the actual price will vary depending on how much you pay for labor and your geographic location.
Let’s look at some sample vehicles to see what people have reported paying to have their Jeep Liberty’s front wheel bearings replaced.
Jeep Liberty Front Wheel Bearing Replacement Sample Cost
| Sample Vehicle Year | Sample Location | Sample Price |
| 2008 | Dallas, TX | $363-$443 |
| 2009 | Studio City, CA | $255-$311 |
| 2011 | Los Angeles, CA | $223-$273 |
| 2012 | Las Vegas, NV | $187-$229 |
| 2005 | Hayward, CA | $488-$596 |
| 2005 | Palmdale, CA | $477-$583 |
DIY Cost to Wheel Bearings in Your Jeep Liberty
If you decide to go the DIY route, you can potentially save yourself a lot of money. However, this won’t be an option for everyone. Make sure that you’re comfortable doing the work before you attempt such a job. The last thing that you want is an incorrectly installed wheel component.
To do the job yourself, you’ll only need to purchase the parts and possibly a few tools. Depending on whether you buy just the bearing or the entire hub assembly, you should expect to pay anywhere from $10 to $250 for the parts.
Wheel Bearing and Hub Assembly Parts Cost
| AutoZone | $110 – $275 |
| Advance Auto Parts | $10 – $255 |
| Parts Geek | $12 – $160 |
| Amazon | $40 – $120 |
| eBay | $35 – $125 |
You will need
Jack and jack stands
Impact driver or breaker bar
Brake cleaner
Penetrating fluid (WD-40)
Wire brush
Large hammer
Drivetrain or wheel bearing grease
Torque wrench
C-Clamp
12mm, 19mm, and 21mm sockets
1⅜ (35mm) socket
E14 socket
Diagnosing a Wheel Bearing Failure
Most people won’t need to replace their wheel bearings during the time that they own the vehicle, but if you’re one of those who does, you’ll probably notice some common signs and symptoms indicating this problem.
Tires wear unevenly
Your wheel bearings won’t all fail at the same time. That means that you’ll have uneven wear on the impacted tire compared to the others. You could feel your vehicle pulling to one side or see the uneven tread during a visual inspection.
Unusual noises from wheel area
If your wheel bearing is starting to go bad, you’ll probably notice some unusual sounds, like grinding, whirring, or screeching. This is due to increased friction.
Typically, you’ll hear these sounds coming from a single corner.
Excessive vibration
Another common symptom of a bad wheel bearing is vibration coming from the wheel up through the vehicle and into the steering wheel. The vibration will typically get worse as you increase your speed.
Wheel feels wobbly or has excess play
One easy way to check for this issue is to grab one of the wheels and try to wiggle it. If you feel like there’s play in the wheel, it could be an indicator of a bad wheel bearing.
It may also feel wobbly from a single corner of the vehicle while you’re driving.
How to Save Money on Your Wheel Bearing Replacement
While some people may save some money by going the DIY route, that’s not the best option for most.
Many of the issues that indicate a potential wheel bearing failure could also be symptoms of another problem, so it’s a good idea to have a professional diagnose your vehicle before you start disassembling your wheels.
The best way to save money on a repair like this one is to try to reduce the labor cost. Get multiple quotes to ensure you’re getting a competitive rate. You could also shop around for the parts and try to get a better deal.
At least when you go to the shop, you’ll be prepared with what to expect so that you’ll know if you’re getting a reasonable quote or not.
Remember, a dealership will almost always be far more expensive than a private garage or even a chain auto shop.
Labor is typically anywhere between $80 and $140 per hour, which equates to a pretty significant difference in your total cost depending on which side of the spectrum your mechanic’s rates fall.
Some garages may also offer discounts for AAA members, senior citizens, military service members, first responders, or even students. It never hurts to ask if your shop will honor such discount requests. Additionally, you may be able to save some money by combining multiple services.
For example, if you need new tires or new brakes, you may be able to have both jobs done without paying the full price for labor for each service. Additionally, many shops will waive any diagnostic fees when you allow them to do the repair work.
The Bottom Line
Most people won’t have to worry about replacing the wheel bearings in their Jeep Liberty. However, if you’re one of the unlucky individuals who does experience a failing wheel bearing, it’s important to have it looked at as soon as possible.
If you continue to drive the vehicle until the wheel bearing fails completely, it could create a dangerous situation on the road. In some conditions, your vehicle may be more prone to have problems with the wheel bearings. If you live somewhere very hot, humid, or wet, then you may want to have your wheels and other components checked out more often.
If you do end up having to get your wheel bearings replaced, you should plan to spend around $350. In some cases, the final price is much less, but it really depends on the labor fees where you live and where you take the vehicle for the work.
The best way to avoid this and other costly repairs is to keep up with your vehicle’s maintenance schedule so that you can catch problems early, before they become more severe and more expensive.
Ignoring a problem such as faulty wheel bearings could lead to other issues with your vehicle, such as tire damage, or even an accident. Your rotors or calipers could become damaged, or the excess heat and friction could cause other vehicle components to fail or suffer more wear and tear than they would normally. Addressing these issues early can help prevent potentially dangerous (and expensive) vehicle problems in the long run.
