It all boils down to basic physics. Balls generate less friction when they roll across a surface (as evidenced when you give a book and a ball a push on the same surface – the ball will definitely go farther because there is less friction). In a fidget spinner, you hold the center ball bearing between your fingers to keep it still, and then you spin the outer ring (called a bearing race) either by flicking your wrist or the little protruding knobs.

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Another thing to consider is service records. Whenever buying a used car that is equipped with a timing belt, always ask about timing belt service. When was the last time it was performed, if ever? Does the owner have documentation in the form of receipts or invoice? Has the vehicle been to the dealer? Keep in mind, calling the dealer and asking for service records may lead to clues on when the belt was last changed, or if it was at all. Finally, when in doubt, change the belt!

Most timing belt covers are plastic and have one or several inspection plugs, or ports, where you can quickly remove and look at a small portion of the timing belt. One of the first things to inspect is cracks on the belt. Rubber as you know will crack and chip as it gets older, and any evidence of cracks on the belt should immediately raise a red flag for a belt change.

Wheel bearings connect your vehicle’s wheels to the axle and reduce friction when the wheel turns so that you can drive smoothly. Your vehicle’s entire weight rests on the wheel bearings, so it’s safe to say that they take a lot of abuse – especially if you are prone to hitting potholes and curbs.

Engine failure, especially out of the blue, can be scary. It can put a wrench in your plans if driving somewhere important and depending on the problem, can be expensive to fix. Thankfully, there are lots of warning signs that can signal you when your engine is about to fail.

Labor on most timing belts is between 3-5 hours, putting your total cost between $400 -1,000. Remember, do not opt for a “just the belt” replacement. While the cost is cheaper, the chances of further failure increase significantly. If the water pump is being done at the same time, the labor should be minimal, and less than 1 hour, as the work to expose the water pump and remove the timing belt is being done anyway.

The timing belt (or chain) is located toward the front of the motor beneath the timing cover. The belt is made with high-quality rubber and reinforced with nylon chords. This belt is under precise tension, and as the engine’s crank turns, it then turns the camshafts (and many times, the water pump) to keep everything in perfect timing.

How hard is a timing belt change

In most cases, a timing belt kit will consist of the belt itself, 2-3 idler pulleys, and a tensioner. When the job is done, all these components will be changed out. In most cases, a timing belt kit will run between $100 -350.

Wheel bearings come in two basic configurations: angular and conrad. The angular type has ball bearings nestled between an angular holding piece and another piece – all situated inside of a collar. As a general rule, angular wheel bearings can handle bigger thrusts or shocks than conrad-styles because the bearings function on an angle. The conrad type has an inner circle with ball bearings sitting in between an outer circle, so it handles situations better than those that only have vertical shocks. Both types are sealed to maintain lubrication and keep out dust and other debris.

Additionally, your steering wheel may also vibrate, which is always unnerving. Damaged wheel bearings can also mess with your braking system, making it imperative that you take your vehicle into a mechanic when you first suspect a problem.

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Have you noticed an increase in flat tires during the frigid winter months? There’s a reason for it. Keep reading for some simple explanations as to why tires seem to go flat when temperatures drop.

The timing belt is so crucial to your engine's operation that its failure is often catastrophic - meaning, not only does your vehicle suddenly not run, the internal engine is likely damaged. It is one of those parts that as much as the replacement is painful as routine maintenance, choosing not to perform this maintenance will absolutely lead to a catastrophic failure, and an even bigger bill. Below is what you need to know about a timing belt, its function, and how to make sure you stay on top of its replacement.

The outer tie rod ends are one of the more important parts of your vehicle’s steering system. While you may not choose to replace the outer tie rod ends yourself, it is good to be able to recognize what they are and see if they need replacing.

Another thing to consider is that miles are only a general indicator, older, low mileage vehicles should always be considered for a timing belt change because usage is not the only thing that degrades the rubber – time will as well. For example, you own a 2016 vehicle with 60,000 miles on it, and its timing belt recommendation is 70,000 miles. At this point, it is time to start planning your timing belt service. In contrast, you own a 2001 vehicle that has been minimally driven, only has 40,000 miles, but there is no evidence of a timing belt ever being replaced. Because this belt is over 20 years old, it is prime for replacement. Either way, this is one maintenance item you absolutely want to plan for, and do not want to neglect.

Discover why your car's serpentine belt makes noise and how to fix it. Learn about common causes, diagnostics, and solutions at AutoZone.

If you suspect your vehicle is up for a new timing belt, come see the folks at AutoZone for all the parts, tools and advice you’ll need. If you need additional help with the job, check out our list of Preferred Shops in your area that can help you get the job done quickly!

There are a lot of moving parts in between you at the wheel bearings, so it isn’t easy to replace yourself. Unless you have a lift and a lot of know-how, you’re probably best off taking it to a mechanic. If you suspect that wheel bearings may be a problem for you, bring your vehicle into our Bountiful tire shop or any of our shops along the Wasatch Front to have one of our skilled mechanics take a look.

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Is your car making a squealing noise? It might be a noisy idler pulley. Explore symptoms, causes, and solutions to address this common issue.

As mentioned above, the way sound travels can make it difficult to pinpoint which wheel has a damaged bearing, so many technicians will suggest replacing multiple wheel bearings at once. This may seem like an unnecessary expense, but it is a way to ensure that the technician is completely correcting the problem.

Advice, how-to guides, and car care information featured on AutoZone.com and AutoZone Advice & How-To’s are presented as helpful resources for general maintenance and automotive repairs from a general perspective only and should be used at your own risk. Information is accurate and true to the best of AutoZone’s knowledge, however, there may be omissions, errors or mistakes.

Another sign of a damaged wheel bearing is feeling like your wheels have a mind of their own. Your vehicle shouldn’t pull one way over another, and they shouldn’t feel wobbly at all, so if you feel like you’re fighting to keep your wheels on center, the wheel bearing could be the issue. This looseness can also cause uneven wear on your tires, which any of our Utah tire stores can help diagnose.

If a timing belt is not set up properly, “jumps time”, or worse yet – breaks, that functioning will cause the valves to be open at the wrong time. Because most engines are made with zero clearance between the piston top and the valves, this then causes in many cases the piston to collide with one or more valves in the cylinder head, causing bent valves and major damage.

Invest in high-quality aftermarket parts if you need to replace the wheel bearing. Poor quality wheel bearings are likely to break or negatively impact your wheels, brakes, or general drivability. Wheel bearings work well for an average of 100,000 miles.

The wheel bearings in your car work a lot in the same way. Sure, they’re not quite as fun to play with, but they serve a valuable function keeping your vehicle safe and on the road.

Since wheel bearings are not something people talk about very much, it can be hard to diagnose them as the cause of your vehicle’s problems. Not only that, but given the location of the wheel bearings, sometimes the grinding noise can travel and sound like it’s coming out of the engine. Additionally, once your vehicle is up on a lift, the damaged part of the wheel bearing will often move to the top, so you don’t hear the noise unless you make it do several fast rotations.

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Learn about car belts, discover wear signs, and decide between DIY or professional replacement. Find top-quality replacements at AutoZone.

Unfortunately, timing belts rarely give any warning of impending doom. While there are other things that can speed up a timing belt’s decay, like oil or antifreeze leaking into the timing belt area (and often seen as an oil leak or water pump leak), in most cases, the belt is simply old, brittle, and breaks.

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A timing belt service is more than just the belt itself. While traditionally, everyone thinks of this change as “just the belt,” it is not. A timing belt is tensioned and held in the proper track by a series of tensioners and idler pulleys, all of which have bearings and the ability to fail. Likewise, many vehicles have a water pump that is driven by the timing belt. In these cases, it makes complete sense to change the water pump with a new unit at the same time, since the labor to expose the pump is being completed anyway.

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If you have heard of the term “Timing Chain” before, both a timing belt and chain perform the same duty. Their job is to keep the mechanical timing of the engine – the intake and exhaust valves opening and closing at the exact precise time needed. Today’s engines are composed of multiple valves per cylinder, sometimes as many as 5 – and doing this properly requires exact precision between the moving pistons and the opening of the valves.

Do you remember a few years ago when “fidget spinners” were all the rage? Those neat little toys seemed to spin endlessly and effortlessly between your fingers, making them fun to move around and do tricks with. You may not realize it, but fidget spinners and the wheel bearings in your car have a lot in common.

The tiny little balls in between the center bearing and the outer bearing race reduce a lot of the friction that would normally be generated with that kind of motion, so the fidget spinner spins on and on and on…and on (much to every parent and elementary teacher’s chagrin).

When your vehicle is functioning properly, it’s easy to forget how dangerous driving can be. However, it only takes a moment for an important component to malfunction. Suddenly your car has your full attention. One of the worst situations to find yourself in as a driver is to press the brake pedal only to realize that it is not working.

As stated before, timing belts are composed of rubber, no different than a regular drive serpentine belt. Over years and constant heat cycling, the rubber begins to degrade, to the point where the belt finally fails. In most cases, a faulty timing belt will provide no warning of an impending break. You will be driving along, when suddenly the car dies.

There is nothing worse than paying for a timing belt service, declining the water pump replacement for an additional $100, only to find out 6 months later that the water pump is leaking, and now everything must be replaced again.

Below is what you need to know about a timing belt, its function, and how to make sure you stay on top of its replacement.

Your car is what gets you where you need to go on time and in one piece, so when it starts making strange noises or pulling from side to side, it can feel very unsafe. Your vehicle’s wheel bearings play a pretty significant role in how your car functions, so it’s worth knowing what they are and how they work.

If you begin to notice some electrical problems in your vehicle, such as the dome light failing to turn on when you open the doors or the radio shutting off, you may need to check the fuses.

If you decide to do the job yourself, make sure you follow each step of removal and reassembly perfectly, and research as much as possible on the job. Many timing belt jobs require the camshafts to be held in place by a special tool – do not let this scare you. While these tools are readily available, many of them are vehicle specific, so there can be a multitude of them. Many other tricks are shown online on how to keep the camshafts properly in place when installing the new belt, and many more do not require any tools for this at all.

Remember that once the new belt is in place and properly tensioned, always rotate the engine slowly by hand, checking and double-checking the belt alignment and make sure everything looks proper. If any resistance is encountered, stop! Recheck the alignment.

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Because of severity of a belt breaking, every vehicle equipped with a timing belt will have a manufacturers recommendation on when to change the timing belt. These intervals are usually somewhere between 70,000 miles and 90,000. You can find recommendations specific to your vehicle by checking with the owner’s manual that came with your car or researching online.

The timing belt is so crucial to your engine's operation that its failure is often catastrophic - meaning, not only does your vehicle suddenly not run, the internal engine is likely damaged. It is one of those parts that as much as the replacement is painful as routine maintenance, choosing not to perform this maintenance will absolutely lead to a catastrophic failure, and an even bigger bill.

Like those at any of our Utah auto repair shops, seasoned mechanics know to look for several different indicators that wheel bearings are the issue. One tell-tale sign is a whirring or grinding noise coming from the wheel area. That grinding sound comes when the ball bearings move over tiny pits or divots in the bearing race. The baffling part of listening for this sound is that sometimes you can only hear it at certain speeds or in particular conditions. One thing to note, though, is if it sounds like a “click” instead of a “whirr,” it’s likely a problem with something other than the wheel bearing.

Remember, if your timing belt breaks, the damage is much, much worse. At this point, the cylinder head must be removed, valves replaced, or new remanufactured heads installed. This takes that timing belt job from $400 -1,000 and just raised it to $3,000 -5,000. In many cases, repairing a timing belt breakage is so expensive it is more than the value of the vehicle.

Your car battery starts your engine and your engine helps the alternator recharge your battery. There's more to it than that though. Learn how it works.

Be sure to consult your owner’s manual, a repair guide, an AutoZoner at a store near you, or a licensed, professional mechanic for vehicle-specific repair information. Refer to the service manual for specific diagnostic, repair and tool information for your particular vehicle. Always chock your wheels prior to lifting a vehicle. Always disconnect the negative battery cable before servicing an electrical application on the vehicle to protect its electrical circuits in the event that a wire is accidentally pierced or grounded. Use caution when working with automotive batteries. Sulfuric acid is caustic and can burn clothing and skin or cause blindness. Always wear gloves and safety glasses and other personal protection equipment, and work in a well-ventilated area. Should electrolyte get on your body or clothing, neutralize it immediately with a solution of baking soda and water. Do not wear ties or loose clothing when working on your vehicle.