Wheels

There is a number of things to consider with bad tire wear, but once they are bald, it is too late to read the wear patterns. The wheels were either tipped in or out on top too much, (camber), or they were steering toward or away from the center of the car, (total toe). Toe always affects both tires equally on that axle. Camber only affects that tire, but it can be off for both wheels. Incorrect camber causes accelerated wear on the inner or the outer edge of that tire, depending on which way the wheel is leaning. Incorrect total toe causes a feather-edge pattern where you will feel a raised edge on each block of rubber tread, and a scrubbed-off edge on the other side. The sharp, high edge is easy to feel when you run your hands over the tread one way, and you will not feel that edge when running your hand the other way.

Regardless if camber is in specs or not, unequal camber on both sides will cause a pull toward the side with the wheel that is tipped out on top the furthest. While total toe can be perfectly in specs, if it is unequal on both sides, the steering wheel will be off-center.

Wheel bearings become noisy and sound like the buzz of an airplane engine long before they become sloppy. In over thirty five years as a suspension and alignment specialist, I have only seen one wheel bearing bad enough to allow the wheel to tip back and forth on top. That car owner refused to believe that was a problem, along with the horrendous clunking noises and poor handling. I find it hard to believe all your tire wear was caused by the wheel bearings, especially if they were not making noise recently. Regardless, the only way to know is to have the car aligned so you know exactly what you have.

If the old tires were worn evenly all the way across the tread, it is also possible they just wore out. You would know that after the alignment. The printout will show the "before" readings, meaning before anything was adjusted, and the "after" readings, showing the final settings. Alignments are always preceded with a thorough inspection of the steering and suspension systems. No conscientious mechanic will take your money for an alignment if there are still worn parts that prevent the wheels from being held firmly in proper alignment.