Bad wheel bearings soundwhile driving

CC: Related Articles - The core of electric vehicle drive units   - Electric vehicle radiator and cooling systems  - Inside Chrysler EHPS Systems The BCA Hub video series brings together the latest video tech tips on wheel hubs, bearings and seals, featuring the experts you trust. Brought to you by BCA Bearings by NTN. Learn more at bcabearings.com. The classic symptom of a bad wheel bearing is typically a cyclical chirping, squealing or growling noise that changes proportional to vehicle speed. The sound may disappear at some speeds, or occur only at certain speeds. The noise may get worse when turning, or it may disappear momentarily. So, it’s challenging to make a diagnosis based on noise alone. Components like tires, CB joints and brakes can mimic wheel bearing noise. This is why interviewing the customer, going for a test drive and performing a rigorous visual inspection are critical to resolving the customer complaint. Could the noise be in the tires? Tire noise is always proportional to vehicle speed. The noise generated by a tire can be caused by uneven tread patterns, tire construction and even wheel imbalance. This is typically due to missing tire rotations, or, in some rare cases, a shifted belt or a damaged construction. Visually inspect the tire and run your hands over the tire’s tread to detect uneven blocks or feathering of the inner or outer shoulders of the tire. Spin the wheel and look for excessive radial run out with your eye if possible. The tire and wheel assembly can have balance issues that can cause noise proportional to vehicle speed. If you see a wheel that is missing a wheel weight, it could a static or dynamic balance issue. Your best bet might be to use a balancer and see how bad the imbalance is. Also, on a balancer, you can measure rim run out. If the wheel assembly has a high spot as the area comes in contact with the road, it will produce a noise proportional to vehicle speed. What about the brakes? A caliper that is sticking, or a brake pad that is loose and dragging, may make a metallic scraping noise as it rubs against the brake rotor or dust shield. The frequency of the noise will also change proportional to vehicle speed, but will often go away or change when the brakes are lightly applied. Noise that occurs only when the driver is braking likely is a brake problem such as worn pads and not a bad wheel bearing. What about a CV joint? A popping or clicking noise when turning is a classic symptom of a bad outer CV joint. The noise will also increase as the steering angle is increased. Also, note the condition of a CV joint boot. If it is torn or leaking, the boot should be replaced regardless of the state of the joint. If the CV joint is noisy, it will need to be replaced. What about play in the bearing and flange? Raise the vehicle so the wheel is off the ground and then grab at the 12 and six o’clock positions and rock the tire back and forth. As a rule, you should not feel any play or looseness if the vehicle has a sealed wheel bearing cartridge or hubs with a sealed wheel bearing assembly. A little play is normal on older vehicles with serviceable wheel bearings, but a lot of play is not. Refer to the vehicles service specifications for the maximum amount of acceptable play. Wheel bearing play can be measured with a dial indicator by placing the dial indicator against the wheel flange and rocking it back-and-forth and in-and-out by hand. As a rule, you should see no more than five thousandths of an inch of run out if the bearings are good. What about the road surface? Bearing noise should never be intermittent, but the noise can change due to the harmonics and how the driver hears the road noise due to the road surface. This is why the customer interview is so important. Ask the customer: What does the noise sound like? When does the noise occur? What speed does the noise occur? And, does the noise change when breaking or turning? You should not interrupt the customer or try to diagnose the problem noise during the interview. Always take notes. If you just write on the repair order “Customer states they hear wheel bearing noise,” or “Check for wheel bearing noise,” you’re probably not going to get a proper diagnosis, and this will typically lead to an unhappy customer and an even unhappier technician. I’m Andrew Markel. Thank you very much. This video is sponsored by BCA Bearings by NTN.

Bad wheelbearing symptoms

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Bad wheel bearings soundwhen accelerating

Q:  “When should I replace my wheel bearings?”A:  Eventually, all wheel bearings wear out and will need to be replaced. Assuming normal service under typical driving conditions, the newer, “hub-assembly” style bearings found on most modern vehicles should last around 100,000 miles when maintained properly. The older style bearings might last just as long but it’s a good idea to start having them checked regularly once they reach about 60,000 miles. In performance applications or on modified cars, as is the case with this Porsche 944 Turbo pictured here, you can expect the “life-span of the wheel bearings” to be significantly shorter. The wheel bearings on the drive wheels weren’t meant to be able to handle the throughput of increased horsepower that heavily modified cars achieve over the factory stock configuration. Furthermore, the wider wheels and tires that are often fitted to modified cars in order to accommodate that increased power and transfer it to the road are also extremely hard on the wheel bearings.Q:  “How Do You Know if Your Wheel Bearings are Bad?” / “Signs and Symptoms of Wheel Bearing Failure” A:  When they initially begin to fail, wheel bearings first begin to get loose. This allows the wheels to “wobble” slightly as they roll down the road, which leads to “uneven tire wear”. This looseness, or “bearing play” is usually too subtle to be felt through the steering wheel, at least at first. As the wear increases, the bearing’s ability to mitigate or limit friction becomes increasingly compromised and heat generated from that increased friction will begin to build up.  It is at this point when the decline in bearing integrity speeds up dramatically, and when the first noticeable signs of “wheel bearing failure” become apparent to the driver. When the heat becomes great enough, the grease lubricating the bearing will burn away, further increasing friction and heat. At this point the driver can usually feel “grinding” and some “pull in the steering wheel”, but by far the most common symptom is the “howling noise” coming from the bearing as the car is driven (sometimes described as a “whining noise”). The faster the speed, the louder it gets. After all of the bearing grease is lost, the friction of metal on metal will rapidly build up heat, eventually reaching the point of being hot enough to even soften the steel. Once the wheel bearings have worn to this state, it is critical to have the issue addressed by a qualified auto shop. (We could probably recommend one…)

The BCA Hub video series brings together the latest video tech tips on wheel hubs, bearings and seals, featuring the experts you trust. Brought to you by BCA Bearings by NTN. Learn more at bcabearings.com.

Frontwheelbearing noise symptoms

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What about a CV joint? A popping or clicking noise when turning is a classic symptom of a bad outer CV joint. The noise will also increase as the steering angle is increased. Also, note the condition of a CV joint boot. If it is torn or leaking, the boot should be replaced regardless of the state of the joint. If the CV joint is noisy, it will need to be replaced. What about play in the bearing and flange? Raise the vehicle so the wheel is off the ground and then grab at the 12 and six o’clock positions and rock the tire back and forth. As a rule, you should not feel any play or looseness if the vehicle has a sealed wheel bearing cartridge or hubs with a sealed wheel bearing assembly. A little play is normal on older vehicles with serviceable wheel bearings, but a lot of play is not. Refer to the vehicles service specifications for the maximum amount of acceptable play. Wheel bearing play can be measured with a dial indicator by placing the dial indicator against the wheel flange and rocking it back-and-forth and in-and-out by hand. As a rule, you should see no more than five thousandths of an inch of run out if the bearings are good. What about the road surface? Bearing noise should never be intermittent, but the noise can change due to the harmonics and how the driver hears the road noise due to the road surface. This is why the customer interview is so important. Ask the customer: What does the noise sound like? When does the noise occur? What speed does the noise occur? And, does the noise change when breaking or turning? You should not interrupt the customer or try to diagnose the problem noise during the interview. Always take notes. If you just write on the repair order “Customer states they hear wheel bearing noise,” or “Check for wheel bearing noise,” you’re probably not going to get a proper diagnosis, and this will typically lead to an unhappy customer and an even unhappier technician. I’m Andrew Markel. Thank you very much. This video is sponsored by BCA Bearings by NTN.

Fifth Gear Automotive specializes in auto service and auto repair. We service all makes and models – both domestic and import – with locations in Lewisville and Argyle, Texas.

Bad wheel bearings soundat low speeds

Q:  “What happens if I don’t replace my wheel bearings?” A:  If left unattended to, catastrophic axle failure is possible at this stage, which is exactly as bad as it sounds as it can often result in separation of the wheel from the car. In other words, the wheel can literally come off while driving down the road. It’s rare, but it is an eventuality that can and does occur in instances of extreme long-term neglect. If you think you might be in need of a wheel bearing replacement, or simply just want to have yours checked out by a certified auto mechanic, give us a call today at 972-317-4005!

Could the noise be in the tires? Tire noise is always proportional to vehicle speed. The noise generated by a tire can be caused by uneven tread patterns, tire construction and even wheel imbalance. This is typically due to missing tire rotations, or, in some rare cases, a shifted belt or a damaged construction. Visually inspect the tire and run your hands over the tire’s tread to detect uneven blocks or feathering of the inner or outer shoulders of the tire. Spin the wheel and look for excessive radial run out with your eye if possible. The tire and wheel assembly can have balance issues that can cause noise proportional to vehicle speed. If you see a wheel that is missing a wheel weight, it could a static or dynamic balance issue. Your best bet might be to use a balancer and see how bad the imbalance is. Also, on a balancer, you can measure rim run out. If the wheel assembly has a high spot as the area comes in contact with the road, it will produce a noise proportional to vehicle speed. What about the brakes? A caliper that is sticking, or a brake pad that is loose and dragging, may make a metallic scraping noise as it rubs against the brake rotor or dust shield. The frequency of the noise will also change proportional to vehicle speed, but will often go away or change when the brakes are lightly applied. Noise that occurs only when the driver is braking likely is a brake problem such as worn pads and not a bad wheel bearing. What about a CV joint? A popping or clicking noise when turning is a classic symptom of a bad outer CV joint. The noise will also increase as the steering angle is increased. Also, note the condition of a CV joint boot. If it is torn or leaking, the boot should be replaced regardless of the state of the joint. If the CV joint is noisy, it will need to be replaced. What about play in the bearing and flange? Raise the vehicle so the wheel is off the ground and then grab at the 12 and six o’clock positions and rock the tire back and forth. As a rule, you should not feel any play or looseness if the vehicle has a sealed wheel bearing cartridge or hubs with a sealed wheel bearing assembly. A little play is normal on older vehicles with serviceable wheel bearings, but a lot of play is not. Refer to the vehicles service specifications for the maximum amount of acceptable play. Wheel bearing play can be measured with a dial indicator by placing the dial indicator against the wheel flange and rocking it back-and-forth and in-and-out by hand. As a rule, you should see no more than five thousandths of an inch of run out if the bearings are good. What about the road surface? Bearing noise should never be intermittent, but the noise can change due to the harmonics and how the driver hears the road noise due to the road surface. This is why the customer interview is so important. Ask the customer: What does the noise sound like? When does the noise occur? What speed does the noise occur? And, does the noise change when breaking or turning? You should not interrupt the customer or try to diagnose the problem noise during the interview. Always take notes. If you just write on the repair order “Customer states they hear wheel bearing noise,” or “Check for wheel bearing noise,” you’re probably not going to get a proper diagnosis, and this will typically lead to an unhappy customer and an even unhappier technician. I’m Andrew Markel. Thank you very much. This video is sponsored by BCA Bearings by NTN.

The tire and wheel assembly can have balance issues that can cause noise proportional to vehicle speed. If you see a wheel that is missing a wheel weight, it could a static or dynamic balance issue. Your best bet might be to use a balancer and see how bad the imbalance is. Also, on a balancer, you can measure rim run out. If the wheel assembly has a high spot as the area comes in contact with the road, it will produce a noise proportional to vehicle speed.

Bad wheelbearing humming noise

Wheelbearing replacement cost

What about the road surface? Bearing noise should never be intermittent, but the noise can change due to the harmonics and how the driver hears the road noise due to the road surface. This is why the customer interview is so important. Ask the customer: What does the noise sound like? When does the noise occur? What speed does the noise occur? And, does the noise change when breaking or turning? You should not interrupt the customer or try to diagnose the problem noise during the interview. Always take notes. If you just write on the repair order “Customer states they hear wheel bearing noise,” or “Check for wheel bearing noise,” you’re probably not going to get a proper diagnosis, and this will typically lead to an unhappy customer and an even unhappier technician. I’m Andrew Markel. Thank you very much. This video is sponsored by BCA Bearings by NTN.

What about play in the bearing and flange? Raise the vehicle so the wheel is off the ground and then grab at the 12 and six o’clock positions and rock the tire back and forth. As a rule, you should not feel any play or looseness if the vehicle has a sealed wheel bearing cartridge or hubs with a sealed wheel bearing assembly. A little play is normal on older vehicles with serviceable wheel bearings, but a lot of play is not. Refer to the vehicles service specifications for the maximum amount of acceptable play. Wheel bearing play can be measured with a dial indicator by placing the dial indicator against the wheel flange and rocking it back-and-forth and in-and-out by hand. As a rule, you should see no more than five thousandths of an inch of run out if the bearings are good.

What about the brakes? A caliper that is sticking, or a brake pad that is loose and dragging, may make a metallic scraping noise as it rubs against the brake rotor or dust shield. The frequency of the noise will also change proportional to vehicle speed, but will often go away or change when the brakes are lightly applied. Noise that occurs only when the driver is braking likely is a brake problem such as worn pads and not a bad wheel bearing.

The classic symptom of a bad wheel bearing is typically a cyclical chirping, squealing or growling noise that changes proportional to vehicle speed. The sound may disappear at some speeds, or occur only at certain speeds. The noise may get worse when turning, or it may disappear momentarily. So, it’s challenging to make a diagnosis based on noise alone. Components like tires, CB joints and brakes can mimic wheel bearing noise. This is why interviewing the customer, going for a test drive and performing a rigorous visual inspection are critical to resolving the customer complaint.

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Fifth Gear Automotive specializes in auto service and auto repair. We service all makes and models – both domestic and imported.