Wheel bearings play an important role within the drivetrain of any vehicle, as they provide the first connection between the moving and static areas of the car. A bearing – in its simplest form – is a friction reduction device placed within something like a wheel to aid the efficiency of rotation. This is achieved as rolling produces much less friction force than sliding.

Wheel bearingreplacement cost

Wheel bearings are generally made from hardened steel, so they can withstand a serious amount of rotational abuse. But apply heat (through lack of lubrication) or dirt and water (broken seal) and all hell can break loose (this is yet another reason to avoid driving through deep water). Hitting one too many potholes or taking speed bumps too quickly can also exert excessive force on your bearings, shortening their useful life.

I feel dumb because I cant figure out how the bearings work with the rotating axle and how it doesnt just spin and the wheel not move.

There’s a decent chance that at some point, you’ve had your car back from an MOT test and found a patch of orange on the results that says something along the lines of ‘play in offside front wheel bearing.’ It sounds scary - after all, in order of everything you want to function correctly on your car, the wheels are pretty far up the list.

That might be the best way to describe a wheel bearing - a key component to safe and efficient driving. A bad wheel bearing, however, can really impact your driving - and your safety. And it's a big part of why a faulty wheel bearing should be immediately serviced.

How long willa wheel bearinglast after it starts making noise

To replace a wheel bearing properly, it has to be popped out of the hub assembly, preferably using a hydraulic press. Problems can arise with the re-installation of the new bearing, as the alignment must be accurate to avoid the bearing wearing out rapidly and causing further pain.

If left to wear down further, a wheel bearing could seize and lock the axle, causing all sorts of additional damage to the drivetrain. Worst-case scenario, the wheel may come off the car altogether, so it’s best to get the car looked at as soon as possible if you suspect a dodge bearing. However, considering the forces that a drivetrain has to counteract during its lifetime of usage, it is impressive how long wheel bearings can last if inserted properly and looked after - depending on the car, original bearings can generally last for comfortably over 100,000 miles.

Like all mechanical parts on a car that rotates, rub and roll, they tend to wear out eventually. There are several signs of a knackered wheel bearing. The most common is a constant drone, hum or growl from the affected wheel, which will get more noticeable as speed increases or the car turns. You may also notice less responsive steering or speed-dependent wheel wobble. On more modern cars, which often have anti-lock brake sensors integrated into the hub assembly, you might get an ABS warning light on the dash.

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Driving on a bad wheel bearingwhiledriving

Because of their long lifespan, failure is usually caused by the typical everyday wear and tear from driving your vehicle over time.

In this post, we'll help you understand the importance of wheel bearings, how to identify wheel bearing problems, and how any of our local GreatWater-affiliated shops can help maintain and replace these key components so you can hit the road with confidence again.

How long can you driveon a bad wheel bearing

As long as you catch a wheel bearing issue early, though, it shouldn’t be a massively expensive or time-consuming fix, and if you’re decent with a spanner, it’s potentially something you can sort yourself. Here’s what a wheel bearing is, why it’s important, and how to tell if there’s something wrong with one.

Most online parts stores will now sell the entire hub assembly with the wheel bearing pressed into it, saving the hassle and potential scope for mistakes within the specific bearing assembly. It goes without saying, but you should also make sure that, if possible, you or the garage is using an original manufacturer part or one of reasonably similar quality - this is one area you really don’t want to skimp on.

If any of the signs and symptoms we mentioned above sound familiar, then it's important to have your wheel bearings inspected. While you could possibly do this yourself at home with the help of a carjack, it's probably best to just leave it to the pros by scheduling an appointment at any of our local service centers for a thorough assessment.

Wheel bearings should last tens of thousands of miles, but many mechanics will simply hammer the bearing back into the hub assembly instead of precisely aligning it and using the aforementioned press. This will inevitably lead to the bearing not rotating in the perpendicular fashion that it was designed for, accelerating wear and damage to the part. It’s important, therefore, if you’re not 100 per cent confident in your own ability, to ensure you’re using a trusted, professional garage.

Frontwheel bearingnoise symptoms

A car’s wheel bearing does this by using small metal balls or cylindrical rollers that roll between two smooth rings of metal. Helped along by grease, the bearing rotates in tandem with the wheel’s rotation, the rolling motion of the balls or rollers allowing the wheel hub to rotate as freely as possible. It also helps absorb some of the forces exerted on the car’s wheel during acceleration, braking and cornering.

The most common mechanical failure is due to a seal leak, which allows the lubricating grease to exit the bearing, and water and grit managing to worm its way in. This all amounts to the degradation of the balls and the outer and inner housing of the bearing, often creating that gritty, skimming sound as the wheel is rotating. Looking inside a worn-out bearing, there will often be small specs of metal that have broken off from inside the bearing itself and are grinding their way around the racers, causing more damage. If you have had a minor shunt, it’s always worth having the hub assembly checked over afterwards.

Wheel bearings may sound complex, but their function is fairly simple. At the very basic level, wheel bearings are metal rings that connect the wheel and the axle. Within the metal ring is a series of ball bearings or tapered bearings, which help the wheel rotate efficiently and effectively, aiding in acceleration, braking, cornering, steering, and more vital driving functions.

Hey, i have driven a car to the limit where humming sound is so loud inside that you can’t even hear a Radio. They can last a long time before they go, even if they are shot.Also had an situation where from the moment bearing started to hum, till it disintegrated it self, it lasted about 2 km…. I guess it depends on how good brand you use and how lucky you are.

Most quality wheel bearings can last anywhere from 100,000 to 150,000 miles before replacement is necessary. However, once it’s time for your vehicle’s wheel bearings to be replaced it’s important to do so quickly to keep your vehicle running smoothly and safely.Â

How unbearable, those bearings look like Lindor balls all melted up. I’m losing my bearings, I think it’s hazelnut Lindors, but i’m not sure if it’s Dark chocolate or not, or milk chocolate bearing a dark top layer. Bare with me here……….., cuz i don’t really care, I’ll eat them both.

What happens if you keepdriving on a bad wheel bearing

Driving on a bad wheel bearingreddit

The wheel bearing is housed within the hub assembly, providing the static connection with the hub carrier through an outer ring or ‘racer’. On driven wheels, the driveshaft travels from the transmission and passes through the centre of the wheel bearing through the inner ring, creating the rotational partnership. Ball-type bearings are generally used on the driven wheels of a vehicle, while tapered roller bearings, with cylindrical rollers arranged around an inner ring, are predominantly used on the non-driven wheels.

Which means, that a few months prior, I’ve just hit 210 KPH with broken wheel bearings in what’s essentially a 20 years old coffin on wheels. Yay.

Last year I was driving from Townsville to Brisbane. And about 800km in the wheel bearing on the rear right wheel went which shook the wheel completely off. I was only a learner at the time so it was the scariest thing that had happened to me while driving. The worst part was the car had just been serviced for the trip and the bearings had been replaced.

When you visit any of our locally run service centers for wheel bearing replacement, you can rest assured that the job will be done right - that’s why each GreatWater-affiliated shop offers an industry-leading 3 Year/36,000 Mile Nationwide Warranty. But you can count on more than just premium service when you bring your vehicle to any of our partner locations, expect a first-rate customer experience as well. Â

However, it is worth noting that the conditions you drive in can impact how quickly your bearings will need to be replaced. For instance, if you regularly drive in muddy or wet conditions, water and other contaminants could wear away at bearings faster than normal.

Just a few months ago I’ve had the rear wheel bearings of my E36 replaced. When the mechanic popped them out, he said that the rear right bearing was shot beyond recognition and it was a miracle that it didn’t break.

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Temporary fix forbad wheel bearing

For more information on the importance of a wheel bearing and how to know when it might be time to replace one or more of your vehicle's bearings, contact or visit your nearest GreatWater service center today.Â

Although it can be a labour-intensive job if one were to fail, the shift to selling entire hub assemblies should make a bad wheel bearing fixable from home, with a decent tool kit and a bit of know-how. So do not fret the next time that horrid whir begins to creep into the cabin, as a fix may be only a ratchet spanner away.

While you may not be able to immediately visually identify a faulty wheel bearing based on its tough-to-access location between the wheel and the axle, you can listen and feel for signs of an issue.

They never seize immediately. No need to fear. I have a comparison to make. My Skoda had 5 out of 4 changed in its 175 000 km lifetime. Only one bearing failure might have been caused by an accident. My E46 has had the originals for 245 000 km and 13 years. And none of them seems to be on their way out.

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We don't take shortcuts when it comes to our work, and we won't mislead you or sugarcoat anything either. As a result, we've turned one-time customers into life-long ones. Doing right by our customers is the best and only way we work - regardless of the type of vehicle issue you're experiencing. Contact us today to schedule an appointment to address any wheel-bearing, or any other repair or maintenance.