Wheel Bearings in Massillon, OH

Wheel bearings perform two very important jobs in a vehicle’s suspension. The wheel bearing allows the wheels to rotate with minimal function, and they also support the vehicle’s weight. To be able to do both of these jobs, the bearings must be in near perfect condition. The seals must also be leak free to keep the lubricant inside the bearings and contaminants out.

The first symptom of wheel bearing trouble is noise. There is usually a rumbling, growling, chirping or cyclic noise of some kind that will come from the vicinity of the wheels. This is a good indication that trouble is now brewing and therefore immediate attention is needed. If you ignore a noisy wheel bearing it could suddenly fail. This could be fatal as the vehicle could lose a wheel while driving.

Once a seal starts to leak, the bearings are in trouble. A damaged grease seal can allow grease to leak out of the bearings, therefore dirt and water can then enter the bearing cavity. If the seals on sealed bearing assemblies fail, the seals cannot be replaced separately, the entire hub assembly needs to be replaced. Yet, in some older vehicles, a bad seal can be replaced with a new one to extend the life of the bearings.

Water is the worst thing for bearings as it causes it to rust and it contaminates the grease. The majority of vehicles’ wheel bearings seals are not designed to keep out water that is exerting pressure against the seal. Therefore any vehicle that has been driven through hub-deep water should have its wheel bearing cleaned and repacked with fresh grease. Obviously with sealed wheel bearing assemblies, this won’t be possible, so the only thing to do is check for noise and play. Visit Discount Tire Outlet to have your Wheel Bearings repaired or checked today!