Wheel Bearing Replacement

Wheel Bearings 101

Wheel bearings are a crucial part of your vehicle's wheel assembly. They connect the wheel to the axle, and if that's not important, we don't know what is. Composed of a set of steel balls held together by a metal ring, the wheel bearings help the wheels turn smoothly with minimal friction. They also perform a safety function by supporting the wheel shaft despite load forces applied to them from both parallel and perpendicular directions. Wheel bearings are long-lasting and don't require a lot of maintenance, however, they eventually wear out. And when they do, unless you replace them, they can cause big problems such as having the wheel fall off or suddenly stop turning.

Why Do Wheel Bearings Wear Out?

Wheel bearings generally last from anywhere between 85,000 and 100,00 miles. However, in addition, to wear and tear, any of the following can cause them to fail.

• Impact: driving through deep potholes, failing to slow down at speed bumps, or hitting or bouncing off a curb.
• Contaminants: deep water, mud, dust, road salt, and anything that can compromise the seals, pollute the lubricating grease, and cause the bearings to wear away.
• Inferior quality: bearings made of low-quality materials.
• Car modifications that don't meet manufacturer specifications.
• Faulty installation.

Warning Signs that Your Bearings Are Failing

Your senses can tell you when your wheel bearings are starting to wear out. If you hear grinding or grating, especially when you accelerate, that's a sign. If you feel that the steering seems a little loose and responds with less precision or responsiveness than usual, or the car pulls to one side, that's another sign. And if you look at the tires, you may see uneven tire wear. Since these may also mean your vehicle needs a tire rotation or wheel alignment, you should take it to Feldman Chevy of Highland, not far from Waterford, and let one of their GM certified technicians diagnose the problem.

Stay or Go

On average, it takes about two hours for a wheel bearing replacement but can take longer if the job involves removing a steering knuckle to get to the bearing. If you have to get to work in Milford or Howell, you may want to leave the vehicle with us. If this is the case, the service manager can provide you with a loaner car or arrange to have the car picked up and delivered back to your home or place of employment. But if you stay and wait in our comfortable wi-fi-enabled customer lounge stocked with complimentary coffee and snacks, you can pass the time catching up on your email or watching the flat-screen TV.

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