The camshaft controls the valves, which let fuel and air in and out, while the camshaft moves the pistons up and down in synch with the valves.

Absolutely not. It’s crucial to get bad wheel bearings diagnosed and replaced ASAP. If not, you could lose a wheel or get in an accident.

While you might be relying on your mileage or calendar to let you know when to replace your cambelt, there’s always the chance that it might need swapping out earlier than recommended. Here’s the symptoms of a failing cambelt you should watch out for.

Read on to learn the most common bad wheel bearing symptoms, based on my experience (50 years in the industry) and that of Joe Simes, a National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) certified and Toyota master technician. But first, a little background.

It’s important to keep an eye on your cambelt and to get it replaced at the right intervals (or sooner if necessary) because a snapped cambelt can be very dangerous. If your belt or timing chain snaps while you’re actually driving, you might not be able to steer or brake, which is very dangerous indeed.

You can tell from your vehicle’s handbook whether the engine has a belt or a chain, although some makes typically use one or the other so you may know from this.

Timing chains usually last longer than belts as they’re made of metal, although wet belts tend to last longer than dry belts, which can dry and fracture over time.

A cambelt is, as you might imagine, a strip (or belt) that’s made of tough composite materials like polyurethane and Kevlar so that it can withstand the stresses placed on it. The cambelt has teeth on it so that it can keep the camshaft and crankshaft in time with each other.

On many vehicles, the ABS sensor is built into the wheel bearing, or it’s externally mounted adjacent to the spinning part of the bearing where the sensor measures vehicle speed. Damaged from a wobbly wheel bearing, the sensor will send erratic readings to the vehicle’s computer, illuminating the ABS light.

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If your car won’t start and it’s not a battery or other easily identifiable issue, it could be that your cambelt is snapped. If the belt is broken, the camshaft can’t rotate and so your car simply will not start.

NOTE: Whether you DIY or your mechanic replaces the bearing, always install a new axle hub nut. Most hub nuts are prevailing torque fasteners, used on critical components (like securing axle shafts to hub bearings) where a loose nut could lead to disastrous consequences.

Joe Simes is an ASE and Toyota master technician. After 20 years in the industry, Simes recently became a Pennsylvania Department of Education certified automotive technology instructor at North Montco Technical Career Center in Lansdale, Pennsylvania.

You should always check out odd noises from your engine, of course. If you notice a rubbing, rasping sound from the engine, specifically the belt cover area, then you may well need to replace your cambelt. Turn off the engine and head to AutoAdvisor to find a trustworthy local mechanic.

With a failing belt or chain, your pistons could end up repeatedly hitting the cylinder valves, which can cause serious engine damage.

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How to get even better performance from your Banner battery. Winter Battery Care : Keep it active  Inactive batteries start to discharge in a process during which lead sulphate forms of the battery plates. This obstructs the current flow. A device like the Banner Accucharger keeps the battery in shape and prevents sulphation. This is an important part […]

Your costs will vary according to the make and model of your car and also with the cost of labour. You can expect to pay between £400 and £500, although prices can range from £250 to £1,000.

But sealed wheel bearings are non-serviceable and should never be repaired, only replaced. Even if a pro suggests repairing a bearing, don’t let them. Trying to reuse a damaged wheel bearing can result in an accident and severe injury.

The valves and pistons must act in synch, as if the timing is even slightly off, the valves and pistons could incur damage, which can be very expensive.

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You can service or replace tapered wheel bearings yourself. Never reuse any wheel bearing that’s loose, worn, noisy or shows any signs of wear.

A common reason for a cambelt failing or snapping is the deterioration of the auxiliary belt. If this belt starts to shred, fibres from it can become trapped under the cambelt, as they both run from the crankshaft. If this happens, the cambelt can start to jump or become detached altogether.

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The average cost to replace a sealed wheel hub bearing is $350 per wheel. However, depending on the make and model, shop labor rate, the cost of the bearing itself and any additional damage, the total could exceed $1,000.

The primary role of your cambelt or timing belt is to control the timings of the engine’s internal combustion components. The cambelt controls the timings and sequences of the opening and closing of the valves and cylinders. The cambelt keeps the crankshaft and camshaft rotating in synch in order to maintain this sequence.

Your cambelt is designed to be replaced, as it can’t work forever, which is why your manufacturer will have a recommended changing schedule. Cambelts can be hard to reach, so it’s always best to have a trained mechanic do the work. Checking over your cambelt should also be part of your annual or interim service, too.

According to Simes, a failing wheel bearing will likely produce a soft, faint vibration that’s felt before it’s heard. There may also be a vague rhythmic humming or droning sound that increases over time and with speed.

There’s no hard and fast rule about how often you need to change your cambelt. A lot of this decision depends on what the make and model of your car is, as well as how many miles you do each year. You will need to replace your cambelt a few times over the life of your car, though.

If your engine sustains damage due to a faulty cambelt or timing chain, then you could face a large repair bill or have to replace your car entirely if the repairs cost more than the car’s actually worth. If you hear any strange noises coming from your engine, pull over safely and let AutoAdvisor help you.

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A bad wheel bearing can cause a tire/wheel to move or glide unevenly or sluggishly. It can also cause your brakes to drag, pulling your vehicle to one side when you try to stop.

Timing chains are also located inside the engine, where they’re lubricated by engine oil, as opposed to cambelts, which sit outside the engine. Some cars now use so-called wet-belts made from composites, which run inside the engine and are lubricated by oil.

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A timing chain performs the same role as a cambelt or timing belt, but it’s made from metal instead of Kevlar or similar.

Unlike unbalanced tires, shaking caused by a bad wheel bearing should be obvious from the side of the car where the bearing is failing.

Simply stated, wheel bearings allow cars and trucks to run smoother and more efficiently by reducing friction and supporting vehicle weight. When they start to fail, you can usually tell.

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Depending on the vehicle, you can save hundreds in labor replacing wheel bearings yourself. Most auto parts stores will lend you the specialty tools and equipment needed to replace a wheel bearing.

Your cambelt is an essential component of your vehicle’s engine and it’s important to understand what it is and what it does within your car, as well as what to do when it starts to fail or breaks.

Most manufacturers recommend that drivers replace cambelts after a certain number of miles or years, although these limits vary widely, so always check your handbook. Some cars will need a new cambelt or timing belt after 40,000 miles while others can go for 100,000 miles.

You’ll hear clicking, cracking, grinding, snapping, or whining noises coming from your wheels or tires. They’ll increase when accelerating or turning.

When you get your quote from AutoAdvisor, you can be sure that it’ll include the cost of the belt or chain, as well as labour and tensioners, so you’ll know what you’ll be paying from the very start. You’ll also, as we only work with approved partner garages, know that you and your car will be in safe hands.

The cage and rollers are held together inside a hardened metal ring called a “race.” The seal keeps grease in and damaging water and debris out. Wheel bearings are installed inside, and secured to, the suspension, either by press fit, bolts or a snap-ring. Once mounted, the wheel bearing rides on the axle shaft, allowing the tire/wheel to spin effortlessly.

On modern front- and four-wheel drive cars, wheel bearings are a set of permanently sealed, precisely machined steel ball or straight roller bearings. The balls, or rollers, are encased in a “cage” that supports the bearings, allowing them to rotate freely.

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Friction from a failing wheel bearing produces heat. After driving, without touching the tires or wheels, carefully walk around your vehicle and use a non-touch thermometer to measure if one is hotter than the others.

MAHLE presented a world first at the IAA Transportation 2024 in Hanover New component for fuel cell and electric vehicles halves fan noise on average Bionic fan is based upon an AI-optimized design found in nature: the wings of an owl, one of the quietest birds 10 percent higher efficiency and 10 percent less weight […]

Buying an accident free car & avoiding a badly repaired one People take pride in their cars and want to keep them scratch, dent and of course accident free. However, as we all know accidents happen. The problem is that many cars have had accident damage. This including body panel repairs without the new owner […]