How to Tell If Your Wheel Bearings Are About to Fail
A typical car or truck has thousands of individual components. Each one has its part to play, of course, but some are crucial to everyday operation, and despite their diminutive size, these pieces can be much more important than others. This is undoubtedly the case when it comes to your wheel bearings, and you need to make sure that they are in good condition at all times from a safety point of view. How do they work, why do they come under so much pressure, and what should you be doing?
What's a Bearing?
A wheel bearing is a self-contained and rather small component. Sitting within the hub, the bearing is basically a metal casing filled with steel balls and a tremendous amount of grease. The wheel and tyre combination fits on top of this hub, and the bearing allows it to spin while the hub itself remains static.
What Do Wheel Bearings Do?
For your car to move at all, it must rely on its wheels and tyres. These components turn and propel your static vehicle from point to point, but something has to act as the intermediary between the moving wheel and the static hub. This is the job of the wheel bearing, and it is specially engineered so that it can cope with the friction and allow everything to work as it should.
It's not difficult to imagine the amount of pressure that each of these bearings has to deal with. Consequently, you can easily understand how they break down with time and will need to be replaced. Your job as the driver of the vehicle is to be on the lookout for any problems, and to take action as when they arise.
How Do You Know Your Bearing Might Fail?
You can tell if a bearing is beginning to fail by listening and feeling. When a bearing is bad, the vehicle may pull to one side, which means that the steering wheel may tug in one direction or another based on which bearing is bad. You may also feel some vibration as the car is moving along and, crucially, you may notice a strange grating or grinding noise as the wheel revolves. Finally, have a look at your tyres often. If you can see an abnormal amount of wear in one place, then this may also be a sign that the wheel bearing is bad.
Don't delay if you suspect an issue with your wheel bearings. Take the car into a mechanic as soon as possible for them to affect a car repair.
