[Ronnn]

My factory hubs lasted till 87000 before replacement. Took the time to go thru the whole drive train including new rear diff. Now I burn hubs in less the 10000 miles. After changing 3 sets of hubs in 2 1/2 years this is getting old. Tried Tenkin or what ever the cheap good part is. No good . Running raybestus now and the rears are getting loud again. Bought a new set of GM fronts and they made it 8000 miles. I am running hutchkis sport sways and fg2's on stock springs with standard aline in front an updaded alinement in the back. We're masters in the garage but this one has us stumped. Any smart input would be greatly appreciated. 04 CTS Sport

 

[arw1510]

Good question. I've had the rear ones replaced at 80k but no other problems. Could it be related to your aftermarket sways and whatever the fg2 s are?

 

[CadillacAsAlways]

Good question. I've had the rear ones replaced at 80k but no other problems. Could it be related to your aftermarket sways and whatever the fg2 s are?

He probably meant FE2 suspension. Never heard of fg2.

Anyway...I'm a bit confused. Are you saying you're destroying your wheels every few thousand miles??

 

[Bill Martin]

Wheels with different offset tham stock *can* be harder on bearings. I'm at 150000 on a stock 03 and did one of the hubs @ ~130000. No other problems.

 

[Ronnn]

Sorry I should have been a little more specific. I run 17" factory sport wheels with winter force tires in the winter and 18" 07 sport wheels in the summer with summer tires.. For struts I run the GM upgrade strut for the CTS V I believe the refer to them as fg2'S. I installed V springs and then after market springs but the original sport spring gave me what I was looking for with the hoctkis sport bars for the cts. But here's my prob the car has away's been hard on tires{limited slip rear end} and all this was done to the car before 30000 miles. At 87000 the rear end started the death wine so with that many miles I got the upgrade replacement from local caddy dealer and while I was at it one of the rear and one of the front hubs were a bit loose for my taste so I replaced them at the same time now I am locked into this never ending hub replacement. On the last set of fronts I broke down and paid the fat fee for GM's. I think those went 12000- maybe 15000. I read for years this is a prob on these but I'm stumped to fix it and if I take it in to my local caddy guys who are super by the way we all stand there scratching our heads. Just to be clear this car is in perfect condition and drives new. Nothing we can think of was done to start this accept for changing the originals. I read Bill's statement about 150000 on his originals and I wished I would have just left them alone cuz as I said they were by no means shot just two loose ones. Its like I just can't buy a part with a bearing as good as the originals. Has any one had new bearing installed in our old hubs? Thank gents for your help in advance. PS my cars name is Elvis and if I had to put hubs on it every 1000 miles I would never part with him.

 

[CTSCHICK]

Edit* sorry didnt see you already tried Timkens

 

[Ronnn]

Thanks ctschick your right that was the first thing I was told but sorry to say they hold the record for failure in my case. The first one started wining at about 6-7000 mi. This for me is not a huge deal. If I have to put new hubs on each year this car's worth it. We should have traded this one in 07 but we just did not have the heart so we kept him and got a new one and many others have come and gone but we made up our minds we will keep Elvis till he's dust. I should post this car but I never have cuz he has an upgrade that may generate questions I don't want to answer because I live in wisconsin but lets just say my sport button really means sport mode. But thank you for your spot on input timkins are the go to fix for this problem most of the time. We'll get it.

 

[ghettomike]

He probably meant FE2 suspension. Never heard of fg2.

Anyway...I'm a bit confused. Are you saying you're destroying your wheels every few thousand miles??

FG2 is off a CTS-V... i assume its a typo though.

and you should be getting much better mileage out of those hubs, they are probably overtorqued.
im pushing 160,000km on mine.

 

[Bluehaze07]

Also check for a damaged axle or control arm. Also check to make sure the hub is seated to the spindle correctly.

 

[Ronnn]

We are running FG2 struts. V struts fit all CTS's and we install to spec. As I said we have a kick $ss garage and more manuals then I care to say. If you can't find the right tool in my shop you don't need it. My wife and I let our sons and friends use it for there Audi Club. So all the torque specs are dead on. We don't let many people touch our cars because I like to know that the work has been done perfect. All control arms and bushings are good and was the first thing I checked when this started. The car is as new every where so worn or broken parts are not it. I think its cheap bearings even in the ones we got from cadilac. Our friend owns a auto store and they do bearings so I am going to see if he can get a good bearing and rebuild the old ones. But like I said before if we don't get this fixed its not a big deal. thanks guys. If I find we can rebuild these hubs I will post it here for everyone. Thanks guys

 

[Bluehaze07]

We are running FG2 struts. V struts fit all CTS's and we install to spec. As I said we have a kick $ss garage and more manuals then I care to say. If you can't find the right tool in my shop you don't need it. My wife and I let our sons and friends use it for there Audi Club. So all the torque specs are dead on. We don't let many people touch our cars because I like to know that the work has been done perfect. All control arms and bushings are good and was the first thing I checked when this started. The car is as new every where so worn or broken parts are not it. I think its cheap bearings even in the ones we got from cadilac. Our friend owns a auto store and they do bearings so I am going to see if he can get a good bearing and rebuild the old ones. But like I said before if we don't get this fixed its not a big deal. thanks guys. If I find we can rebuild these hubs I will post it here for everyone. Thanks guys

I'm curious what you modded on the cts that gets activated with the spors button. PM me if you want to share.

 

[jran0823]

I did my first wheel bearing at 72,000, and I replaced it with a SKF hub assembly. I now have 112,000 and have not had any issues. When the new hubs were installed were the spindle surfaces cleaned with a die grinder and a sanding disc, I ask because I have seen if the hub is installed on a spindle with any corrosion that it doesn't seat correctly (even if it is torqued) and it causes premature failure. You said you're torquing it when you replace it, by that do you mean the axle nut(for the rear) and spindle bolts or just the axle nut?

 

[concorso]

I should post this car but I never have cuz he has an upgrade that may generate questions I don't want to answer because I live in wisconsin but lets just say my sport button really means sport mode.

Why mention it if youre not going to tell anyone about it? You dont seem like an attention whore.

 

[Ronnn]

My sons know all these fast and furious types and they hooked me up with a crew in chicago Ill. and these guys are serious as a heart attack. Well I got together and told them I wanted more speed but they make nothing accept your basic air intake and louder exhaust for the 3.6. So when we were down there I gave them the car and they installed there favorite go fast thing in my spare tire well and then put a fake sub over it cuz it is well not very legal in wis if you drive it on the road. Now to turn it on and off they hooked it to my sport button using a relay. Now just to be safe lets call what in there a sub[i'm sure you figured it out buy now]. I had my choice of 50 100 150 {lets call them watts}. I did not what to shorten the life of my engine so I shot for the middle and went with 100 watts. This in no way makes it a match for my buds V but it gives him a run for his money for the first 1/8 mile. I almost never use it but I love it and to me this puts the car were I think it should be to be called a sport. I've never had the car on a dino but to us it feels like a strong 350 {watts} and that lands this car more were it belongs. I just wish I did not have to floor it to turn it on but its still fun. I don't mean to act like an attention whore its just that I've had this in for five years and would hate to have to take it out because someone outed me. If there is some way to get private pics to you I will and if you have any questions I will try to answer them but bear in mind this is one of the only things I did not do myself. But it was cheap and I have never had a problem with it and don't want any.

 

[concorso]

My sons know all these fast and furious types and they hooked me up with a crew in chicago Ill. and these guys are serious as a heart attack. Well I got together and told them I wanted more speed but they make nothing accept your basic air intake and louder exhaust for the 3.6. So when we were down there I gave them the car and they installed there favorite go fast thing in my spare tire well and then put a fake sub over it cuz it is well not very legal in wis if you drive it on the road. Now to turn it on and off they hooked it to my sport button using a relay. Now just to be safe lets call what in there a sub[i'm sure you figured it out buy now]. I had my choice of 50 100 150 {lets call them watts}. I did not what to shorten the life of my engine so I shot for the middle and went with 100 watts. This in no way makes it a match for my buds V but it gives him a run for his money for the first 1/8 mile. I almost never use it but I love it and to me this puts the car were I think it should be to be called a sport. I've never had the car on a dino but to us it feels like a strong 350 {watts} and that lands this car more were it belongs. I just wish I did not have to floor it to turn it on but its still fun. I don't mean to act like an attention whore its just that I've had this in for five years and would hate to have to take it out because someone outed me. If there is some way to get private pics to you I will and if you have any questions I will try to answer them but bear in mind this is one of the only things I did not do myself. But it was cheap and I have never had a problem with it and don't want any.

I get it now. It would be cool to see a video of it running at the track. Keeping up with a V for the 1/8 is no small task, but 350 watts would do that! So you can still launch easy and quick, and then engage sport mode...I bet youve got a high 13 second CTS as is.
BTW, how do you like the FG2s? I rode in a V with FG2s, and I decided that theyd be much too stiff for a daily driver in the lighter V6 CTS.

 

[Ronnn]

I never keep up with him but I get him on the start from a stand still but he gains on me from there on and then when we get to about 90 he just seems to have an after burner and pulls away at what I would guess is about a 10 to 15 mph till cut off. The sub is not a cure all because as I pass 125 I have to let elvis go into 6 gear or I hit the rev limiter so my car starts to fall off and he never uses his last gear. We have never tracked him cuz he's more set for street. But as far as the fg2's you found out the same thing I did that with V spring its to much track feel for what we use this car for most of the time. Then I tried eibach and they just felt so cheap I had to go back to the stock sport springs and never fail when someone rides in him they comment on the ride. I got my struts brand new off ebay for a steal back when they were hot and the guy put them up at Xmas and nobody bid but me and the opening bid was 400$. He was pissed and asked if he could bow out and I said NO. I think the going price back then was a grand. But I broke down and sent him 500$. Any way they were a bit harsh for the first 1000 miles or so and then broke in very nice. I think this is the set up gm was looking for for the sport but could not get till they had the FG2's. I put on some cheaper hankook V12 Evos tires this summer and they were killer. But this setup is a bit hard on tires. We burn a set of summer tires in one summer. But the winter force's last three winters. A CTS Sport with snows is unreal in the snow . My son had brand new perelli all seasons on his a6 audi all wheel drive and we went to the twin cities in a snow storm and his car was the best on the road as we came home. When we got there I had just put new winter force's on elvis and we broke him out to compare. In 10 in" of snow even he had to admit I had twice the stopping, tuning and starting out power. Only my f150 gets him and not by much until it gets deep. See a fat ass and limited slip is a good combo.{ Elvis's ass not mine}. As I've said we love that car for no reason I can put my finger on.