WHEEL BEARING Q&A: What, When & Why
How much load can a wheel bearing carry? On a typical passenger vehicle weighing around 3,400 pounds, each pair of front-wheel bearings, as well as the rear-wheel or axle bearings, support around 850 pounds, depending on the weight balance and driveline configuration. If it’s a 6,000-pound SUV, each bearing might carry about 1,500 pounds. This
2010 FAG Hub and Wheel Bearing Catalog Now Available
More than 90 new part numbers have been added to the premium-quality line that includes a full range of components from tapered bearings to fully-integrated hub units.
Honda Front Wheel Bearings With Integrated ABS Tone Ring
This tech tip provides part numbers and technical information for SKF double-row, angular-contact front wheel bearings with a split inner ring. The part numbers noted pertain to specific Honda applications.
Tech Feature: Servicing Worn Wheel Bearings
When a wheel bearing goes out on a vehicle, it may or may not give much warning. Typical clues include noise from the vicinity of the wheel, possibly some steering wander or looseness in the steering, and/or some abnormal tread wear on the front tires. Also, an ABS light could illuminate.
Tech Tip: Diagnosing a Noisy Wheel Bearing
The classic symptom of a bad wheel bearing is typically a cyclic chirping, squealing or growling noise that changes in proportion to vehicle speed. The sound may disappear at some speeds or only occur at certain speeds. The noise may get worse when turning, or it may disappear momentarily. So it’s difficult to make a diagnosis based on noise alone.
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.