Wheel bearings are one of the most commonly replaced parts on a car. They can wear out as early as 50,000 miles or last for more than 100,000 miles. Check them at least once a year. If you notice any unusual noises when you’re driving, they could need attention soon.
The first thing to do is jack up the car and put it on stands so that both sides are supported by jack stands. Then remove the wheels and set them aside. Put a jack under the car just behind each wheel well and raise it so that only one side of the car is off the ground. Make sure that your jack does not touch anything else under there like exhaust pipes or other parts, or you could damage them.
Pop the hood and lift the vehicle up on jack stands.
The wheel bearing is a critical component of your vehicle’s suspension system. It allows the wheel to rotate freely on the axle and provides a more comfortable ride by isolating the chassis from road noise and vibration. If a wheel bearing goes bad, you’ll notice that your car pulls to one side when you drive it.
The first step in checking your wheel bearings is to jack up the vehicle so that all four wheels are off the ground. Then place jack stands under each corner of the vehicle and block each wheel at least 6 inches from the ground with wood blocks or ramps.
Lift up on each corner of your car, one at time, until you see that all four wheels are suspended off of their axles slightly (by about 6 inches). You should be able to see where each axle meets its respective hub. This is where you will be inspecting for damage or cracks in the rubber boot surrounding each bearing race. Don‘t worry if they look like they should be replaced; many times they can be repaired by replacing worn-out seals instead of entire bearings or races.
Block the tires and make sure you have a functioning e-brake.
To check your wheel bearings, jack up one end of the car and then block up all four wheels so they don’t turn while you’re working on them. If you don’t have chocks or blocks handy, just make sure there is nothing nearby that could move if your car starts rolling down hill!
Once your wheels are blocked off, crawl underneath the vehicle with a flashlight and look for grease around each hub cap (where it meets the axle). If there is no grease present, then this means that your bearings need replacing because they have failed completely and are now dry (no grease).
Remove the wheel bearing or hub cap as needed.
A wheel bearing is a round metal ring that rides between the brake rotor (or disc) and hub, on which the wheels are mounted. You can check for signs of wear by pushing down on the brake rotor with your hand or a pry bar. If there’s a gap between it and the hub, it’s time to replace the wheel bearing.
If you need to remove your wheel bearings, use a hammer to tap out the old ones and then install new ones in their place, lining up their outer edges with those of the hub before tapping them into place with a hammer.
The process is similar for checking or replacing hub caps—but instead of using a hammer, you’ll be using an impact wrench (if your car has lug nuts) or an open-end wrench (if it doesn’t).
Install the breaker bar on to the axle nut and holds pressure against it.
To install the axle nut, you will need a breaker bar (also called an impact wrench) and a torque wrench.
The axle nut is located on the end of the axle and held in place by two cotter pins. Remove the cotter pins using needle-nose pliers and then remove the axle nut using a socket wrench. If you don’t have access to a socket wrench, use an adjustable wrench instead.
Insert your breaker bar into the socket and then tighten it down until it begins to rotate freely. To check whether or not your bearings are wearing out, rotate the wheel back and forth while watching for any movement or wobble in its rotation. If you notice any movement or wobble, this means that you should replace your wheel bearings soon.
With your fingers on the wheel, try to rock it side to side.
If you can easily rock the wheel, there’s a problem with your wheel bearings. This is a common problem with older cars, but it can happen on newer vehicles as well.
The biggest sign that something’s wrong is if you hear a clicking noise when you drive slowly or stop at a stoplight. It could be any number of things, but it’s usually caused by a bad wheel bearing.
You can also check your bearings yourself by trying to move them side to side with your hand. If they move freely in either direction, it means they need to be replaced.
Checking your car’s wheel bearings regularly can prevent dangerous malfunctions from occuring.
The wheel bearings are a crucial part of your car’s suspension system. They help to reduce the energy that would otherwise be lost as a result of friction between the wheels and hub, and they also allow you to steer your vehicle smoothly.
If you notice that your car’s steering is becoming difficult to control, or if there is any unusual noise coming from the front end during normal driving conditions, it may be time to take a closer look at your wheel bearings.
A wheel bearing is a part of your vehicle’s steering mechanism, and it is designed to make the steering process a little less troublesome. As a result, this allows the vehicle’s wheels to spin without resistance. However, there comes a time when you need to actually check the wheel bearings on your car in order to know for sure whether or not it needs repair.