Sealed Hub Bearing Assemblies Make Bearing Inspections Complicated

Cleaning, inspecting and packing wheel bearings were once a common practice when performing brake service. These types of bearings, commonly known as tapered bearings, were exposed when disassembled for easy inspection and service. Today’s technology uses wheel bearing hub assemblies that are sealed, making inspection more difficult. These assemblies not only include the wheel bearing, they also contain electronic sensors for ABS and traction stability systems. Current hub bearing inspections may involve:

Current hub bearing inspections may involve:

• Line Graph Comparison
• Scan Tool Diagnostics
• Chassis Hearing Device
• Dial Indicator to Determine Lateral Movement
• Series of Road Test
• Removal for a Hands-On Inspection

While problems with wheel bearings used to only result in noise or vibrations, failures in today’s hub bearing assemblies can result in additional symptoms. On the dashboard, a malfunctioning indicator lamp (MIL) may illuminate, indicating a malfunction of an electronic component related to the hub bearing.

Symptoms of a failure may include: 

• The Antilock Brake System
• Vehicle Dynamic Control
• Traction Control System
• A Transmission-related symptom

When performing a diagnosis, the auto technician must be conscious of how a defective bearing can affect other systems. The last thing you want to do is replace a transmission when the performance symptom was due to a defective wheel speed sensor.

Pinpointing bearing noises can also be a challenge, since some noises may only be present when turning. Also, road surface conditions and worn or damaged tires can create similar symptoms as defective bearings.

If you want your repair to be successful, you must first know why the bearing failure occurred.

After all, bearings fail for many reasons:

• Inadequate Lubrication
• Faulty Installation
• Exposure to Excessive Weathering
• Driving Conditions / Habits
• Product Quality

These are all reasons why it is important to have a trusted repair facility or technician diagnosis your wheel bearings. We partner with more than 12,000 trusted repair facilities, from independents to large multi-bay specialty shops and tire centers. High-quality OEM parts, personalized local service, and familiar faces that say, “We’re in this together,” make Mighty the dependable partner to the thousands of owners, corporations, and professional automotive repair shops we serve across the United States.

To learn more about Mighty, visit us at http://ww.mightyautoparts.com today!

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