Brake & Wheel Bearing Service
Although wheel and drivetrain bearings generally last the life of the vehicle, they occasionally fail due to extreme loading, lack of lubrication, dirt and moisture contamination, and, of course, ordinary wear and tear. When discussing bearing wear, it’s important to understand that the function of the modern bearing is to maintain a perfect alignment and near-zero clearance between rotating parts.
Tech Tip: FAQs on Wheel Bearing Installation
Here are the top frequently asked questions about bearing installation from SKF.
Tech Feature: Wheel Bearing Service on Hybrid Vehicles
Most hybrid vehicles on the market today share wheel bearing components with their non-hybrid counterparts. There is no need to turn away these vehicles for wheel bearing replacement. As these vehicles increase in age, failures of the wheel bearings are inevitable. The main trend for some makes of hybrids, such as Toyota, is a shift to wheel bearing hub units from cartridge-type bearings.
Tech Tip: Cartridge Wheel Bearing Replacement
While wheel bearing noise is one of the toughest problems for the customer to describe, it’s not unusual for it to come on so gradually that the customer may not even notice it until you mention it after an unrelated road test. Many times, the customer complaint will send you down the wrong path if you let it. We’ve heard complaints from exhaust leaks, to tire balance, to “it just doesn’t sound right,” that have ended up being bad wheel bearings.
Tech Tip: SKF Offers Part Numbers for Honda Front Wheel Bearing with Integrated ABS Tone Ring
SKF provides part numbers and technical information for double-row angular contact front wheel bearings with a split inner ring. The part numbers noted in this tech tip pertain to specific Honda applications. The distinctive feature of these wheel bearings is that one of the two seals on the bearing has a built-in magnetic impulse wheel.
Tech Tip: Drivetrain Noises and Wheel Bearing Replacement
One of the toughest challenges we face as import specialist techs is noise complaints. These aren’t necessarily difficult from the technical or nuts and bolts perspective as much as from the diagnostic process.
Hyundai: Drivetrain Noises & Wheel Bearing Replacement
One of the toughest challenges we face as import specialist techs is noise complaints. These aren’t necessarily difficult from the technical or nuts and bolts perspective as much as from the diagnostic process. The first challenge is to pin down the noise that has the customer concerned. We’ve all listened to our customers struggle with
Tech Tip: How Can You Tell if a Wheel Bearing is Going Bad?
The classic symptom of a wheel bearing that is failing is cyclic noise. Most often a bad bearing will produce a chirping sound or a growl that changes in proportion to vehicle speed. If a bad bearing is suspected, the wheel bearings should be inspected to see if there is any play. On late-model vehicles with sealed wheel bearings or bearing cartridges, there should usually be little or ….
Tech Tip: Diagnosing Ford Explorer Rear Wheel Bearing Noise
Some 2002-2005 Ford Explorer Mercury Mountaineer and 2003-2005 Lincoln Aviator vehicles may exhibit a noise from the rear wheel hub bearings. Previous service procedures required replacement of the wheel hub bearing assembly. This new service procedure allows replacement of just the wheel bearing to repair the noise condition. To replace the rear hub bearing and wheel bearing retainer ring, refer to the following manufacturer’s Service Procedure ….
Tech Tip: Properly Clean the Wheel Bearing, Hub and Wheel During Rotor Service
With pedal pulsation complaints becoming a key concern for motorists, it’s important that technicians are as thorough as possible when diagnosing the root cause of the problem. Most technicians are familiar with the role that rotor runout plays in pedal pulsation, yet the hub and wheel bearing can also play a key role in prevention ….