Also, by replacing a bad bearing early on, you can also save yourself a lot of money by avoiding possible major repairs.

Wheel bearing noise coincides with the rotation of the tires. The sound typically increases with vehicle speed as well. In some instances, the noise may also change when you turn the steering wheel in one direction or the other.

You might have seen a vehicle pulling trailer that has had the bearings neglected to the point that the wheel gets hot enough to set the tire on fire – it can happen on your vehicle in extreme cases, but it’s rare.

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This paragraph doesn’t make sense: Older rear wheel drive vehicles had cone type wheel bearings on the front wheels that could be removed, inspected, and packed with grease, and reinstalled with new seals. Some rear wheel drive vehicles have wheel bearings of this type on the rear. In other words, if a vehicle has cone-type bearings that can be removed, inspected, and repacked, it will always be on the NON-driving wheels – the ones that don’t propel the vehicle.

A worn-out wheel bearing may also make a high-pitched squealing sound while you’re driving. If you are able to observe these symptoms, have your vehicle checked right away. Even if your wheel bearings are not the culprit—there’s definitely something wrong with your vehicle.

Wheel bearings are made of high-grade steel, and the inner and outer races (called the cone and cup) as well as the rollers or balls are all heat-treated to harden their outer surfaces. This improves wear resistance and the bearing’s ability to handle loads. Most wheel bearings are capable of lasting upward of 200,000 miles under normal driving conditions. Premature bearing failure can occur if outside contaminants such as water, dirt or road salt get past the bearing seals and enter the bearing. This can lead to corrosion and wear, and ultimately bearing failure. Grease leaks also can kill a bearing very quickly. The loss of lubricant can lead to spalling, flaking, pitting, cracking or even bearing seizure. Q. How can you tell if a wheel bearing is failing? A. Grease streaking radiating outward from the hub is a sure sign the seal that protects the bearing is leaking. The bearing is doomed and will need to be replaced soon. Any noise (squealing, chirping, squeaking, whining, humming, rumbling, etc.) from the vicinity of the hub is another clue to a failing bearing. The sound may come and go at various speeds, or be heard all the time. Any visible looseness in a wheel is a sure sign of wheel bearing trouble. Such a vehicle may be unsafe to drive, and repairs should be made without delay. If a wheel wobbles when it rotates, the cause could be a loose wheel bearing, a bent spindle or a bent wheel. Further investigation is needed to determine the exact cause. On most vehicles with sealed bearing assemblies, the amount of play allowed is typically no more than .003 to .004 inches. More than .005 inches of play is too much and usually indicates a bad bearing. On older rear-wheel drive cars and trucks with serviceable wheel bearings, up .010 in. of play may be allowed depending on the application.

How to tell which wheelbearingis bad while driving

Remember, the wheel bearing not only allows the wheel/tire assembly to rotate along with the hub the wheel is bolted to, the bearing also carries the weight of the vehicle and maintains the spinning wheel’s axis by keeping it in a straight line. A failed wheel bearing won’t usually allow the wheel to come off completely unless the bearing has become so hot that the axle or spindle is glowing red. Not only can this cause a fire in the wheel well area, the wheel and hub can separate from the vehicle and… well, finish the thought. Granted, this is a very extreme case of a wheel bearing failure, but wheel bearings that have lost their grease can get extremely hot.

The wheel bearing on a wheel usually consists of a pair bearing assemblies running side by side on the shaft or spindle – this keeps the spindle running straight, while a single row of balls or rollers might allow the wheel to wobble. Exceptions would be the non-tapered roller bearings on rear wheel drive vehicles, which will have only one bearing assembly at the wheel end of the axle, but the inboard end of the axle on those units is splined to the differential assembly, which is spinning in its own set of tapered roller bearings.

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In cases like that, or when you just decide to keep driving until the failure is complete, the bearing itself will decide for you when it must be changed, and it can do so in very unpleasant ways and never at a good time. In other words, there are instances, when left unattended to, a faulty wheel bearing can create hazardous conditions, such as the following:

One tricky thing about wheel bearing noise is that a bad tire can make almost exactly the same noise as a bad bearing; you don’t want to replace a wheel bearing for a noise concern when all you need is a new tire.

A. Grease streaking radiating outward from the hub is a sure sign the seal that protects the bearing is leaking. The bearing is doomed and will need to be replaced soon.

Wheel bearings are in a hostile environment and are working very hard, but wheel bearings are very tough – they’re designed for the work they do. But product variability is a real thing, and again, some bearings fail while others never do.

Loose wheel bearings can throw your car’s alignment off, leading to abnormal tire wear. There are, of course, many other problems that can create the same, undesirable results.  So, you’ll want to diagnose the issue thoroughly before condemning one or more of the wheel bearings

Average life of wheel bearings

Double row ball bearings have round steel balls between the inner and outer race. Like roller bearings, the balls are held in place by a steel cage. Ball bearings are less expensive to manufacture than tapered bearings, and produce less friction, which helps improve fuel economy. However, ball bearings don’t handle severe side loads as well as tapered bearings. As such, they may not stand up well to severe side loading created by hard cornering or racing.

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A faulty wheel hub and bearing assembly can also cause a vibration felt in the steering wheel. Often, the sensation will change with vehicle speed or while the vehicle is cornering.

Premature bearing failure can occur if outside contaminants such as water, dirt or road salt get past the bearing seals and enter the bearing. This can lead to corrosion and wear, and ultimately bearing failure. Grease leaks also can kill a bearing very quickly. The loss of lubricant can lead to spalling, flaking, pitting, cracking or even bearing seizure.

Front wheelbearingnoise symptoms

Pro Tip: If a noise happens after the tires are rotated on a front wheel drive vehicle, it may be due to the wear pattern on the tires, so be aware of that, too.

A. Many different types. Most wheel bearings on late-model vehicles are part of a sealed hub assembly or cartridge. Sealed hub assemblies may be used on front-wheel drive (FWD) as well as rear-wheel drive (RWD) cars and trucks. Press-fit cartridge style wheel bearings are often used in the knuckles of FWD cars. Bolt-on hub assemblies, where the wheel bearings are sealed inside the hub, also are commonly used both front and rear on many vehicles. Sealed cartridges or hub assemblies do not require periodic maintenance or adjustments. However, they should be inspected when rotating tires, doing a brake job or other suspension-related repairs to make sure they are in good condition. Related Articles - AISIN Talks Tires, Mergers and Streamlining Operations - Yokohama Tire Becomes a Lifetime UAF Trustee - US Motor Works Releases New Fuel Pump Modules A sealed hub assembly or bearing cartridge typically contains two sets of bearings: an inner set and an outer set. They may be ball bearings or tapered roller bearings. Tapered bearings have cylindrical rollers between the inner and outer race. The rollers are held in place by a steel or phenolic cage. The rollers are larger on one end than the other and rotate in a cone-shaped path. This allows the bearing to handle sideways loads and well as vertical loads. The larger surface area of tapered bearings allows them to support greater loads than ball bearings, which is why tapered bearings are often used in larger, heavier vehicles. Double row ball bearings have round steel balls between the inner and outer race. Like roller bearings, the balls are held in place by a steel cage. Ball bearings are less expensive to manufacture than tapered bearings, and produce less friction, which helps improve fuel economy. However, ball bearings don’t handle severe side loads as well as tapered bearings. As such, they may not stand up well to severe side loading created by hard cornering or racing. Wheel bearings are made of high-grade steel, and the inner and outer races (called the cone and cup) as well as the rollers or balls are all heat-treated to harden their outer surfaces. This improves wear resistance and the bearing’s ability to handle loads. Most wheel bearings are capable of lasting upward of 200,000 miles under normal driving conditions. Premature bearing failure can occur if outside contaminants such as water, dirt or road salt get past the bearing seals and enter the bearing. This can lead to corrosion and wear, and ultimately bearing failure. Grease leaks also can kill a bearing very quickly. The loss of lubricant can lead to spalling, flaking, pitting, cracking or even bearing seizure. Q. How can you tell if a wheel bearing is failing? A. Grease streaking radiating outward from the hub is a sure sign the seal that protects the bearing is leaking. The bearing is doomed and will need to be replaced soon. Any noise (squealing, chirping, squeaking, whining, humming, rumbling, etc.) from the vicinity of the hub is another clue to a failing bearing. The sound may come and go at various speeds, or be heard all the time. Any visible looseness in a wheel is a sure sign of wheel bearing trouble. Such a vehicle may be unsafe to drive, and repairs should be made without delay. If a wheel wobbles when it rotates, the cause could be a loose wheel bearing, a bent spindle or a bent wheel. Further investigation is needed to determine the exact cause. On most vehicles with sealed bearing assemblies, the amount of play allowed is typically no more than .003 to .004 inches. More than .005 inches of play is too much and usually indicates a bad bearing. On older rear-wheel drive cars and trucks with serviceable wheel bearings, up .010 in. of play may be allowed depending on the application.

If the seal that is part of the bearing fails, moisture and dirt can enter the bearing’s grease, compromising the grease’s ability to keep the load bearing elements (balls and races) lubricated. But there are times when a bearing destroys itself even though the grease is not compromised. Tiny particles of metal can begin to flake off of the races, and when this happens, those particles mix with the grease so that it becomes a grinding compound of sorts, creating a “snowball” effect whereby more metal flakes off and enters the grease charge and the bearing gets noisier with time.

Wheelbearingreplacement cost

Mechanics will find a safe, empty, smooth paved road, then listen carefully to the noise while swerving gently from side to side – typically when you swerve to the right, you’re increasing the load on the left side bearings, and vice versa. And again, while this is a good practice, it’s easy to be fooled into replacing the wrong bearing, even using this method – that’s why some tire shops replace bearings in pairs. If you use this method and believe the noise is tire related, you can move the front tires to the rear and see if the noise changes.

By now, you may have an idea of how important wheel bearings are. Thankfully, there are signs that can indicate that your wheel bearings are going bad.

Ball bearing carproblems

On most vehicles with sealed bearing assemblies, the amount of play allowed is typically no more than .003 to .004 inches. More than .005 inches of play is too much and usually indicates a bad bearing. On older rear-wheel drive cars and trucks with serviceable wheel bearings, up .010 in. of play may be allowed depending on the application.

It’s worth noting that tire noise will usually change depending on the road surface. Wheel bearing noise, on the other hand, is consistent regardless of road surface and acceleration.

It’s this abnormal sound that’s the most obvious sign something is wrong with your wheel bearings. Of course, because other issues, such as cupped tires, can mimic a bad wheel bearing, you’ll want to diagnose the sound properly.

Wheel bearings support the weight of the vehicle and allow the wheel/tire assembly to rotate when you’re traveling down the road. All four of your car’s wheels have wheel bearings and they are designed to last the life of the vehicle. In fact, many vehicles will travel hundreds of thousands of miles/kilometers and never need a wheel bearing replacement, but others may need one or more wheel bearings replaced over their lifetime.

Any visible looseness in a wheel is a sure sign of wheel bearing trouble. Such a vehicle may be unsafe to drive, and repairs should be made without delay. If a wheel wobbles when it rotates, the cause could be a loose wheel bearing, a bent spindle or a bent wheel. Further investigation is needed to determine the exact cause.

Another tricky element of wheel bearing noise is the need to pinpoint which wheel bearing is making the noise. Sometimes even professional mechanics will struggle with this, and there are special listening devices shops use to pinpoint which bearing is making the noise. Some tire shops will replace both front bearings if there is a bearing noise coming from the front of the vehicle; not a bad practice, actually.

A faulty wheel bearing can cause your vehicle to pull to one side during braking. This symptom can also be related to faulty brake components.

Once again, there are other issues besides a bad wheel bearing that can cause steering wheel vibrations. A thorough diagnosis is needed to verify the cause of the concern.

Can your car still run with a faulty bearing? The technical answer might be yes; some wheel bearings might continue to operate normally despite the vehicle being driven with one or more noisy bearings for a very long time. The problem is that since the noise begins gradually and slowly gets worse, you might not even notice the noise if your vehicle is noisy in other ways.

Since the wheel bearings keep the wheel and hub assembly spinning on an axis, if the wheel bearing is compromised to the point that it can no longer maintain that axis, driving with a faulty bearing can be extremely dangerous—especially at high speeds. Think about a wheel that starts wobbling because the bearing decided to completely come apart while you’re in freeway traffic. This can happen without warning if you’ve become accustomed to the bearing’s noise as it continues to warn you by getting louder.

Is your ABS light on, and you do not know what is causing it? A faulty wheel bearing can be a possibility. On some vehicles, the ABS sensor or encoder ring is integrated into the wheel hub and bearing assembly. As such, a failure of the wheel bearing can trigger the ABS light.

Car Ballbearings cost

There are different kinds of wheel bearings depending on the year model and the design of the vehicle. Older rear wheel drive vehicles had cone type wheel bearings on the front wheels that could be removed, inspected, and packed with grease, and reinstalled with new seals. Some front-wheel drive vehicles have wheel bearings of this type on the rear. In other words, if a vehicle has cone-type bearings that can be removed, inspected, and repacked, it will always be on the NON-driving wheels – the ones that don’t propel the vehicle. Trailer wheels often have bearings of this type.

Note by Richard McCuistian, ASE-certified mechanic: I have personally seen a Crown Victoria that was making a noise I would have sworn was coming from the left rear axle bearing, but after removing and inspecting that bearing (which is difficult on a rear wheel drive vehicle), I discovered that the noise was actually originating from the left front tire. And I had nearly 40 years of automotive experience at the time.

Thank for pointing out that typo. The paragraph was supposed to read: Some front-wheel drive vehicles have wheel bearings of this type on the rear. We have updated the article.

Richard McCuistian has worked for nearly 50 years in the automotive field as a professional technician, an instructor, and a freelance automotive writer for Motor Age, ACtion magazine, Power Stroke Registry, and others. Richard is ASE certified for more than 30 years in 10 categories, including L1 Advanced Engine Performance and Light Vehicle Diesel.

Ball bearing carreplacement

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Any noise (squealing, chirping, squeaking, whining, humming, rumbling, etc.) from the vicinity of the hub is another clue to a failing bearing. The sound may come and go at various speeds, or be heard all the time.

Some may say that you can drive for up to a thousand miles with a failed wheel bearing—but the thing is, this is an arbitrary claim. There’s really no telling how long you can safely drive your vehicle in this state. It would depend on the severity of the damage to your wheel bearing, present road conditions, and other factors. So, it’s best not to push your luck.

I have personally seen a Crown Victoria that was making a noise I would have sworn was coming from the left rear axle bearing, but after removing and inspecting that bearing (which is difficult on a rear wheel drive vehicle), I discovered that the noise was actually originating from the left front tire. And I had nearly 40 years of automotive experience at the time.

The older style cone shaped bearings have a series of tapered rollers in a cage with a window for each roller to keep them evenly spaced while they ride between inner and outer races. But most modern sealed bearings have steel balls with inside and outside races.

A sealed hub assembly or bearing cartridge typically contains two sets of bearings: an inner set and an outer set. They may be ball bearings or tapered roller bearings. Tapered bearings have cylindrical rollers between the inner and outer race. The rollers are held in place by a steel or phenolic cage. The rollers are larger on one end than the other and rotate in a cone-shaped path. This allows the bearing to handle sideways loads and well as vertical loads. The larger surface area of tapered bearings allows them to support greater loads than ball bearings, which is why tapered bearings are often used in larger, heavier vehicles.

The CarParts.com Research Team is composed of experienced automotive and tech writers working with (ASE)-certified automobile technicians and automotive journalists to bring up-to-date, helpful information to car owners in the US. Guided by CarParts.com's thorough editorial process, our team strives to produce guides and resources DIYers and casual car owners can trust.

Pro Tips are nuggets of information direct from ASE-certified automobile technicians working with CarParts.com, which may include unique, personal insights based on their years of experience working in the automotive industry. These can help you make more informed decisions about your car.

It is designed to meet evolving commercial vehicle fleet requirements with increased efficiency and enhanced overall productivity, Dana said.

If your wheel bearing goes out while you’re on the road, it’s not advisable to keep driving. However, if there’s absolutely no alternative, make sure to maintain a slow and steady pace—do not accelerate or turn suddenly.

Ball bearing carsymptoms

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A bad wheel bearing can cause the brake rotor to wobble, which shoves the caliper piston back into its bore so that when you apply the brakes, you have unexpected pedal travel as a result – making it harder to stop or causing the vehicle to pull unexpectedly to one side – never a good thing in traffic.

Wheel bearing failure is a potentially dangerous situation at any time, so have your vehicle towed to the nearest mechanic and have your faulty wheel bearings replaced right away. Vehicle safety should always come first.

Modern vehicles have sealed wheel bearings that cannot be disassembled without destroying the wheel bearing assembly in the process, and on vehicles with bearings like those, you only know a bearing is bad when it begins to make noise. That’s the earliest indication of a bad wheel bearing, and front wheel bearings (both on front wheel drive as well as rear wheel drive vehicles) are the most prone to fail on modern vehicles.

In the event that this happens under weather conditions that make the road slippery, immediately maneuver your vehicle to the nearest safe spot off the road.

When you’re driving with the music cranked up, you may not notice the different sounds that your vehicle makes. But the moment you turn the radio off and notice a growling, humming, or rumbling noise coming from your wheel bearing, you’ll know there’s a problem.