How to Diagnose a Bad Wheel Bearing Noise: While driving, do you hear growling, howling, or sometimes squealing that increases with the vehicle’s speed? If yes, then know that most of the time, it’s the damaged wheel bearing making noise. “Wheel Bearing – What is it?” – If you have the same question in mind, let’s learn about it first. Then, you can understand and put into practice the ways to diagnose the bad wheel bearing noise.
Introduction to Wheel Bearing
Wheel bearings are steel balls held together by a metal ring called a race. The job of these balls is to reduce friction while the wheel is turning. Used in all vehicles, from bicycles to airplanes, these car components are equipped with a metal axle shaft inside the hub. This hub is located at the center of the wheel, which facilitates bolting the tire onto the wheel. And the bearings are mounted in the hub from the back of the wheel.
What Causes a Bad Wheel Bearing Noise?
In every vehicle, wheel bearings accompany the wheel and also constantly move. While driving, the wheels touch the road, so there can be a wide range of reasons why wheel bearings produce a bad sound. Here are 5 common reasons for bad wheel bearing noises.
1. Driving on Rough Roads
While you are driving your car, the wheel bearing of your car will receive all the pressure from the wheel and tire. Therefore, if you drive over a pothole or a bumpy curb, there will be more pressure on your wheel bearing, which will damage it very easily.
While driving, hitting something is a risk you cannot avoid, leading to increased force on the wheel bearing balls. This will cause small imperfections in the wheel bearings. Driving a car with these faulty bearings for a long time will lead to more heat and wear. Debris will be created due to the wear and will then contaminate the wheel bearing lubricant, causing the wheel bearing to fail more quickly.
2. Poorly Installed
Even if you have replaced your wheel bearings with new ones, you still hear a bad wheel bearing noise. The only conclusion is that the wheel bearings are making bad noises because they were poorly installed (without following the manufacturer’s recommendations).
3. Driving on Flooded Streets
Another reason that causes bad wheel bearing noise is driving on a flooded street. If you drive your vehicle on a street flooded with water, your wheel bearings will be exposed to moisture. The moisture mixes with the lubricant, making the lubricant ineffective, damaging the wheel bearings. In this case, you cannot maintain or repair a modern-style wheel bearing. According to automotive experts, the only solution to water damage is to replace the wheel bearing.
4. Wheel Area Accident
Wheel bearings are connected to the wheel, so if the wheel area is damaged, the wheel bearing will be damaged and then cause bad wheel bearing noise.
5. Bad Shock and Unbalanced Tires
The wheel system can operate stably depending on its wheel bearing, lower joint, lower arm, tire, and shock absorber. If you drive your car with unbalanced tires, some of these other parts will break and cause bad wheel bearing symptoms.
How to Diagnose a Bad Wheel Bearing Noise
Before taking the car to the nearest mechanic shop, let’s learn the three different methods to check the wheel bearing and see if it is faulty.
1. Check the Wheel Bearing by Listening to It
To hear the wheel bearing noise, you need to drive your car at a speed above 30 mph. And, at that time, you will notice that the faster you drive, the noise from the faulty or damaged wheel bearing increases.
Here, it is essential to note that this noise may seem to come from the tires or the window, but in reality, the source of the problem lies in the wheel bearing. The biggest difference one can notice is that the car with good wheel bearings does not produce a howling or squealing noise like the one with bad bearings.
Furthermore, to find out which side of the wheel bearing is damaged, gently turn the vehicle. For example, if the car after turning left produces a bit less noise, it means the problem is with the bearings on the right side, and vice versa.
2. Physically Diagnose the Wheel Bearing by Shaking the Tires
For this step, you need to lift the front of the car by safely supporting it on a jack stand; with the rear tires blocked. This last action is necessary to prevent the vehicle from rolling back. Let’s now start by diagnosing the front wheel bearing and make sure it is the source of the problem.
First, grab the tire at both ends in the three o’clock and nine o’clock positions and shake it back and forth. If, while shaking the wheel, you hear some noise, it indicates a bad wheel bearing. Then, to ensure it is the bad wheel bearing noise and not a malfunction of the wheel itself, repeat the same process by holding the tire in the twelve o’clock and six o’clock positions. During this diagnostic procedure, also check the components behind the steering wheel. As this would ensure that the problem is not from any other part but only from the wheel bearing.
Tip: Before grabbing the tire in the six o’clock and twelve o’clock positions, make sure the vehicle is stable.
3. Use a Scanner to Diagnose the Problem
Before proceeding, it is important to note that not all vehicles are equipped with scanners. Therefore, cars equipped with ABS sensors can actually use this technology. Usually, newer cars have this technology.
For this, you need a device such as an OBD2 scanner (a kind of Bluetooth device), providing all information related to the vehicle’s configuration and the current status of its components. To check the condition of the wheel bearing, connect the device to the tablet/computer. Then enter the specific code for the wheel bearing on the tablet screen and confirm its status.
Therefore, here are the three simple methods that can help check the bad wheel bearing noise. And later, it can help you follow the corresponding maintenance tips.
Wrap Up
Bad wheel bearing noise is a common problem that can significantly impact a vehicle’s safety and performance. It is crucial to promptly identify and address wheel bearing issues to ensure the vehicle’s continued operation and avoid potential accidents or further damage. We hope the article will be helpful to you.