MY front wheel bearings

[Cliff R]

I dont mind working on the MY, it is 34 years old after all.
I just struggle with changing the same thing more often than I think is needed.
I have had a noise in the front wheel (think/hope the LH side) which has been getting worse.
I have replaced the front wheel bearings a couple of thousand ks ago and they were replaced only a few thousand ks before this.
Anyway, today I pulled the LH bearing out and one (outer) of them just seems tight even after degreasing.
I pulled out my second had bearings and cleaned these up till I found one that seems OK and have put this in.
I have been buying my bearing kits from REPCO for the last few years as they seem to keep them in stock.
I have also been using basic off the shelf HT bearing grease (nothing special).
Is anyone else experiencing wheel bearing issues with after market bearing brands and is there a preferred HT bearing grease that prolongs the bearings life.
While I had the LH side off I also swapped out the drive shaft with a used spare as it had started clicking so I guess if I have fixed the noise, it was either the drive shaft or the bearing but I wasn't going to change just the bearing and have to pull it back apart again to change the drive later.
I just would like to fit a decent bearing kit with decent grease and not have to change it all back out again before it should be worked on.

[steptoe]

there have been a few times over the last decade where have had failures too soon after and discussion leads to blame not the product but the cleanliness of the fixer - did you was the bearings out in solvent or petrol? Aha, you didn't clean the new bearings ? You are supposed to wash the protective storage lube off and out as some anti rust lubes react with the grease you used. What grease did you use they then ask.Two types of wheel bearing grease and if you mix them is a no no - more repel each other stuff .

No one wants to accept that you did just what you been doing OK for years and now something fails. Someone else said not to wash in petrol coz it can leave same sort of repelling waxes behind.

I started to wash out in wax n grease remover before using trusted wheel bearing grease by Timken no problems since

[Bantum]

What wheels are you running Cliff ?

With a larger offset than original, they may also be adding extra load onto your bearings for which it was not design for ...

Ciao, Bantum ...

[Cliff R]

I cleaned the bearings out with degrease and gave them a blow dry with compressed air before greasing as from memory, the manufacturers protectant wast allowing the bearings to spin freely.
I don't mix grease for the reasons stated, ie, mixing brands/types ends in tears.
As far as rims go, I am running factory 13's L series sunnies which I kept off my L series sportswagon when I sold it.
L series have a slightly different offset to MY's nothing major.
Haven't driven the car much today but from a short drive this morning the noise seems to be gone so hopefully all is now good.
Castrol HTB grease is the same tub of grease I have been using for years.
Anyone have a different preference of gearing grease ?