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You already know that automobiles cannot function safely or reliably without healthy, sturdy wheels. What you may not know is that every one of your wheels has a wheel bearing. Wheel bearings are crucial for your wheels and their assemblies to work synchronically during your drive. Wheel bearings are usually prone to abuse, which is why it's necessary to know their warning symptoms.
What is a Wheel Bearing?
To understand how the wheel bearings can go wrong, you'll need to understand better how it works. A set of wheel bearings are steel ball-like pieces held together by a metal ring called a race. A hub is a metal lump that you can find at the center of your wheels. And the bearings are tucked inside this hub, helping lessen the rolling friction of your wheels.
What Are the Symptoms of Bad Wheel Bearings?
Ball bearings are one of the most preferred types of wheel bearings used today. The other type of bearings is called tapered roller bearings, which are predominately intended for trucks. Regardless of what kind of vehicle you own, the warning signs of wheel bearings are similar.
- Sounds!The most common and easily identifiable indication of a bad wheel bearing is unusual sounds. If you notice a grating noise originating from your wheel or tire, it is most likely due to a bad wheel bearing. The noise will erupt into a louder sound when you accelerate.
- Looseness. Another revealing sign of bad wheel bearings is a "loose" or unstable car. Looseness can be challenging to communicate through words, but it relates to the responsiveness of your vehicle. If your car's movements feel laggy or delayed, it may be attributed to worn wheel bearings that have loosened in your wheels' assembly.
- Uneven wear. It never hurts to pay extra attention to your tires. If you have astonishingly uneven wear on your tires, you may want to have the wheel bearings inspected by a professional.
Wheel bearings don't usually go bad that often, but you'll need to have them repaired as soon as they are worn. They may be small, but they play a massive part in your vehicle's driveability. Our mechanics at George's Complete Auto Care can take care of them for you so that you can feel safe on your ride. Please give us a call or visit our shop in Cape Coral, FL, today!