You've probably never thought about how your tires work. They sit under your car and assist go you where you need to go. Merely, there are many components to a car cycle and one of the extremely important ones is the bike bearing. Wheel bearing failure can cause serious problems for you and your auto so it is benign to know what a wheel bearing is and what pitfalls to avoid in order to foreclose cycle bearing failure.

What is a Cycle Bearing?

A wheel bearing is a set of steel balls connected by a metal ring. It sits tightly in the middle of the hub. Cycle bearings require grease to lubricate them, with a seal keeping the grease in the begetting. The seal likewise acts as a barrier against dirt and droppings that can cause corrosion. The seal is essential to the durability of the bike bearing.

Cycle bearings allow the wheel to spin quickly without likewise much friction. They also acquit the weight of the car, which can be over 4,000 pounds.

A good bike bearing made of high quality steel should last 100,000 miles or more, if you accept care of it and your motorcar in general.

Reasons for Wheel Bearing Failure, Northwest Auto Center of Houston

v Mutual Reasons for Wheel Bearing Failure

1. Driving Through Deep Water

While the seal is in that location to act as a bulwark against clay, debris, and water, it cannot withstand large quantities of water putting pressure on information technology. Driving in water that is hub deep or higher may permit water into the wheel bearing. This will contaminate the lubricant, causing potential wheel bearing failure. This is why the passenger side wheel bearings tend to habiliment out more rapidly, since they spend more time in standing water in the gutter, when parked. If you have driven through flooded roads or puddles, y'all should take your bicycle bearings checked immediately.

2. Poor Route Conditions

If you lot consistently bulldoze on bumpy roads, dirt roads, salty roads, or roads with potholes this will take a cost on your wheel bearings. The wheel bearings are carrying your entire motorcar while ensuring your wheels go along to spin equally needed. We put a lot of strain on them just from daily driving. When bumps occur we are putting extra strain on them.

The other danger is common salt and dirt on the road. Common salt will wear out your seals, assuasive clay to sneak into your bicycle bearing. These contaminants can compromise the lubricant, which is necessary to prevent likewise much friction. Over time this volition cause wheel bearing failure. If you consistently drive in poor route weather condition you will need to have your wheel bearings checked sooner than the average vehicle.

3. Unbalanced Tires

You should exist getting your tires balanced on a regular basis for many reasons. One of those reasons is to protect your wheel bearings. If your tires are not counterbalanced yous volition be putting uneven strain on certain tires, causing those wheel bearings to work much harder, and wear out faster.

4. Overweight Loads

If y'all booty heavy loads your wheel bearings will vesture out more chop-chop. An oftentimes forgotten wheel bearing is on trailers. So don't forget to take those cycle bearings checked along with your vehicle. If your vehicle is consistently weighed downward, you lot volition demand to replace your wheel bearings more often.

5. Improper Installation

Unfortunately, another common cause of wheel bearing failure is improper installation. This tin can occur if a mechanic is negligent or doesn't install the bicycle bearings according to manufacturer guidelines. They may also use poor quality wheel bearings. Using a depression quality wheel bearing volition cause premature wear and possible failure because they will mix hard and soft metallic, causing spalling to occur. Spalling is when the bearing wears down enough to the soft metal underneath, which will peel off in flakes.

If you recently had your bike bearings installed or repaired and you lot are still experiencing issues, take information technology dorsum to your mechanic immediately. In social club to avoid this inconvenient and unsafe situation, it is important to detect a reliable mechanic that you trust to do a proficient job in the first place.

Signs of Cycle Bearing Failure

The well-nigh mutual and easiest sign of wheel bearing failure is the noise it will make. If you hear a growling, rumbling, humming, screeching, or squealing noise that gets louder or goes away every bit you lot change driving speed, you lot should take information technology to your mechanic to have your wheel bearings checked.

If you lot get your tires rotated regularly but at that place is still a significantly uneven tread on them you should take your wheel bearings and shocks/struts checked.

If your wheel bearing fails, it can crusade the wheel to stop while you are driving or maybe even to fall off. At the very to the lowest degree, before a wheel falls off, a failed wheel begetting can/will cause pregnant damage to your vehicle, so it'south very important to proceed an eye on these and go along them maintained. If you suspect a wheel bearing failure do not proceed to bulldoze on it. Take information technology to your mechanic immediately. And don't hesitate to consult your mechanic if y'all take whatever questions about your bicycle bearings at all. They are happy to help and want to keep you safe.

Experience free to contact u.s. at Northwest Auto Center, with any/all questions! We're always willing to help. Our phone number is (281) 894-8880.