Wheel bearing failed?

[josadler7]

Hi
I have a Mk1 Ford Focus which just failed it's MOT on the nearside front wheel bearing. After leaving the garage I checked the wheel (there was no normal wheel bearing failed noise) and it was warm, the brake rotor was very hot (too hot to touch).
I jacked the car and there was no play but the wheel was very hard to turn.
Normally when I've had a bearing go it's been noisy so could it be something else, I'm worried it could be the transmission output shaft bearing.
Thanks in advance.

[deggers316]

the only thing to do is take it to an independent (family run) garage
tell them what you've found, if a wheel bearing has gone it will have a lot of play on it,

[josadler7]

Garage just got back to say the caliper has failed, brake piston not retracting. This makes sense since there is a lot of brake dust on the disk....
Does anyone have an idea how much a new caliper would cost?

[mjwman]

Might be as simple as removing the pads cleaning, pushing in the piston and cleaning again before re assembly. Shouild be DIY able to rule out unecessary expense.
It happens and I have experienced it. Calipers are very reliable and tough.
After checking you will probably want to fit new pads.

[josadler7]

Thank you mjwman, I think the piston has partially seized, it's not retracting and it's damaged so I think a strip, clean and rebuild may only delay the inevitable. I'm inclined to change it - the car ahs 125,000 on the clock and is 9 years old so....

[mjwman]

fair comment

[AlBags]

Those bearings never fail.
It's a sticky caliper for a start.
Check the wheel bearing with the pads backed off (or out)

[chas2008]

dont even think about stripping the caliper, if its seized the damage has been done, exchange calipers are not as expensive as you think from a factor..