In order to test and diagnose wheel bearing problems, the first step is to lift the vehicle. Check out our video on how to lift and support a vehicle if you are unfamiliar with how to do this. Once the wheel is raised off the ground and the vehicle is supported by jack stands, first attempt to spin the wheel. If the wheel is on a driven axle, it may also be necessary to put the vehicle in neutral to allow it to spin. This may allow you to hear the noise or feel roughness from the wheel bearing and determine whether it is excessively worn. You can also grasp the wheel at the top and bottom of the tire and attempt to move it in and out. There should be little to no play, and any noteworthy looseness or movement could indicate a wheel bearing failure.
Wheel bearings have one of the most important jobs of any part of your vehicle - they keep the wheels turning. While that may seem like a relatively simple responsibility, wheel bearings have to be strong enough to stand up to the constant motion and weight of the vehicle. Though they will not last forever, wheel bearings can often stay in service for 85,000 to 100,000 miles with regular maintenance as needed. Depending on the type of vehicle you drive, the wheel bearings may need to be greased periodically or may be sealed and unserviceable, often installed as part of a hub assembly. Once they begin to fail, you will likely notice noise and driveability changes, and it’s important that these issues be addressed promptly to limit the risk of an accident or more extensive damage. Throughout this article, we’ll discuss symptoms of bad wheel bearings, how to test the bearings on your vehicle at home, and the best practices when replacing wheel bearings yourself.
Regardless of whether your vehicle is equipped with hub or wheel bearings, when they begin to wear out, the symptoms will be largely the same.
Grinding, Squealing, Humming, or Clicking Noises
When the grease inside the wheel bearings leaks or dries out, it can reduce the amount of lubrication inside the bearing and allow direct metal-on-metal contact to occur. This quickly leads to high temperatures and can result in bearing or spindle damage, as well as a variety of noises. Whether your vehicle seems to be humming, clicking, growling, grinding, or squealing, wheel bearing noise will generally always increase and decrease with the speed of the vehicle. This can help rule out brake grinding or squealing since these noises will usually occur any time the vehicle is in motion and not just when stopping. In some cases, other parts like CV axles or driveshaft U-joints could cause humming or clicking noises while the vehicle is in motion, so it will be necessary to determine if the source of the noise is being caused by bad wheel bearings.
ABS (Anti-Lock Brake System) Warning Light or Failure
Vehicles equipped with Anti-Lock Braking Systems (ABS) utilize a geared ring and sensor built into the hub assembly to determine the speed of each wheel. When wheel bearings fail, it may cause excessive wobbling or play that can cause an ABS error code and turn on the ABS warning light. Though this could also indicate a problem with the sensor or damage to the ring or other parts of the system, if this occurs with other wheel bearing failure symptoms, it can help narrow down the problem.
Wheel Wobble And/Or Steering Wheel Vibration
Wheel wobble occurs when the hub or wheel bearing becomes excessively loose and can be diagnosed by lifting the vehicle and attempting to move the tire and wheel. Spinning the wheel may be enough to hear grinding or scraping noises, or it may be necessary to push and pull the wheel toward and away from the car to observe any play that may be present. When wheel bearings are new, little if any play at the wheel end will be observed, but if the wheel can be rocked, tilted, or if it wobbles during this test, this indicates worn bearings, and the wheel bearing or hub assembly may need to be replaced. This can also cause the steering wheel to vibrate due to excessive movement of the wheels, especially when driving on uneven roads, at higher speeds, or when the wheels are being turned. This could also be related to a failure in the suspension or steering systems, so always inspect your vehicle thoroughly to determine the source of the looseness.
Loose Steering or Pulling to One Side
Similarly, bad wheel bearings may also cause the steering wheel to feel harder to control or lack the precision you’re accustomed to. You may also notice that your vehicle pulls to one side, and this may intensify when the brakes are engaged. These issues can also be attributed to poor alignment or other factors in your suspension system, including damaged ball joints or tie rod ends, worn rack and pinion units, damaged steering column U-joints or couplers, or seized or sticking brake calipers. It is important to check not only the wheel bearings, but also the condition of the suspension bushings and joints and your braking system, to determine where this problem may be originating.
Excessive Tire Wear
Tire wear can be caused by the wheels moving more than they should or not tracking properly. Inspect the tires for signs of wear on the inner and outer edges. Even if you find excessive tire wear, this may not be a sure sign of a failing wheel bearing. Poor alignment, failing tie rods, damaged steering linkages or racks, and other factors could cause the tires to wear unevenly. It may be necessary to conduct further testing to be certain that the wheel bearing is the source of your problem. On modern vehicles, it’s nearly impossible to accurately check alignment without specialty equipment. In these circumstances, it may be best to find a local shop that performs alignments and can help diagnose what may be causing your tires to wear unevenly.
Replacing a wheel or hub bearing yourself is a moderately challenging task, but most people with some DIY experience can complete this repair successfully. If you decide to take on a wheel bearing replacement, it is important to have a service manual for your specific vehicle on hand and to be certain of the tools you will need to do the job right. Knowing whether you are dealing with a traditional roller-style wheel bearing or a press-in style sealed hub bearing will also help you determine which specialty tools may be necessary to have on hand.
Wheel Bearing Replacement Tools
- Specialty Tools to Replace Wheel Bearings (And Races)
- Brass Drift Punch or Bearing Race Driver (Available to Rent)
- Emery Cloth for polishing spindles
- Wheel Bearing Grease
- Bearing Packer (Optional)
- Specialty Tools to Replace Hub Bearings
- Hub Puller and CV Axle Socket (Available to Rent)
- Shop Press (Call your local repair or machine shops to see if they can press your bearings out)
- Snap Ring Pliers
- Ball Joint and/or Tie Rod Separator Tools (Available to Rent)
Wheel Bearing Replacement Procedures
To replace roller-style wheel bearings, the first step is to remove the hub. This will involve disassembly of the brakes as well, but once this is done, you can remove the dust cap and the cotter pin to access the spindle nut. This can be removed with the appropriate socket, and the hub (and in some cases, the rotor) will slide off the spindle.
Once removed, clean the spindle and inspect for any gouging or damage. If necessary, use a fine emery cloth to smooth any burrs and prepare it for bearing reinstallation.
There will be two bearings inside the hub assembly–one on each end. In most cases, a wheel seal will hold the interior bearing in place, and the wheel seal should be removed to get the bearing out. The outer bearing can often be removed without any further disassembly.
In order to replace the bearing races, the old ones will have to be driven out. Using a brass drift punch, start driving in one spot on the race and work your way around. If it seems to bind in certain places, it may be necessary to focus your efforts there before continuing to work around the race. The bearing race is machined to be very tight, so it is important to drive it out slowly and exercise patience.
Once the bearing race has been removed, you can use your emery cloth on the seating surface (if necessary) and prepare to drive in the new race. A bearing race driver is very useful for this and can be rented from O’Reilly Auto Parts as part of our Loaner Tool Program if you do not have access to one. Your brass punch can also be used to drive the race in, but be very careful to ensure that it drives in straight and does not cock or bind to avoid marring the bearing seating surface.
After the bearing race(s) has been installed in the hub, you can pack your bearings. This can be done by placing wheel bearing grease in your palm and “scooping” with the bearing until grease is forced all the way through to the other end. Bearing packers can also be used to do this job more easily and with less cleanup.
Once they are greased, you can install the interior bearing and drive the new wheel seal into place. Then, reinstall your hub and seat the outer bearing, and reinstall the retainer nut as well as any retaining washers or other parts that had been removed during disassembly. At this point, there will usually be a pre-load specification in your service manual that requires you to torque the nut to specification before reinstalling the nut retainer and cotter pin. Fill the inside of the dust cap with grease and drive it back on to ensure the bearings have the grease they need to continue to operate smoothly and ensure a long-lasting repair.
Hub Bearing Replacement Procedures
Replacing a hub bearing is significantly different from replacing a wheel bearing. Hub bearings are usually sealed bearings, so no grease is necessary, but they may also require a shop press to be serviced properly. Consult your service manual, or find the right repair manual for your vehicle for manufacturer-recommended procedures before attempting to replace the hub bearings on your vehicle.
Disassemble the brakes and remove them to expose the hub. Depending on the design of your vehicle, you may be attempting to remove the hub assembly or may have to remove the entire spindle or knuckle. This may require the use of a tie rod or ball joint separator, which can be rented from your local O’Reilly Auto Parts as part our Loaner Tool Program. If the hub has a CV axle installed, remove the CV axle nut using a breaker bar or impact gun. It may also be necessary to use a hub puller to press the CV axle splines out of the hub.
Once this is done and the hub is off the vehicle, remove the snap ring or circlip using the appropriate snap ring pliers. This ring or clip acts as a retainer for the hub and will need to be removed before the hub can be pressed out.
Using a shop press, if one is available to you, press out the hub and the old bearing. Then reverse the procedure to press in the new bearing and the hub, and reinstall the snap ring. If you don’t have access to a press, many repair or machine shops can press out the old bearing and reinstall the new bearing and hub, typically for very little money compared to the labor costs of having a shop perform the complete job. You can then reassemble the vehicle by reinstalling the hub assembly or knuckle, ensuring that all the hardware that was removed is torqued to specification.
It is absolutely an option for most with some DIY experience to replace their own wheel bearings, but keep in mind that specialized equipment may be necessary and vehicle-specific service procedures and specifications should be observed. Wheel bearings keep your wheels turning and are also under a lot of stress because they support the weight of the vehicle. If you’re ready to take on this repair, shop our selection of wheel bearings, and check out our Loaner Tool program for all the specialty tools you may need for your repair. As always, if you’re not comfortable tackling this repair yourself, we’d be happy to help you find a repair shop near you that can perform a wheel bearing replacement.