Bearings can come in various designs. While early designers were only meant to be serviceable, newer varieties are integral or bolt-in designs. Neither option requires regular maintenance, but when they start to fail, it’s important to understand the signs and determine why.
Symptoms
When you have a stuffy nose or sneeze a lot, your allergies are usually to blame. Your body gives you signs that something is wrong, and so does your car or truck. In most cases, the front wheel bearing provides a sign using a roaring noise that tends to increase as you increase speed. It usually starts at about 15 mph and goes through 50mph. Some people prefer to ignore the sound or drive faster, so they don’t hear it. However, as the front wheel bearing gets worse, it will make the noise no matter what speed you go.
It can also be tough to determine which of the bearings are going bad. Technicians may have to use ultrasound or remote microphones to determine which one is failing. However, you can still do this step yourself if you have someone else drive and listen carefully.
Pressed-In/Bolt-In
Bolt-in bearings are usually easier to replace than pressed-in bearings. If you plan on changing them yourself, it may be easier if you have the bolt-in variety. Likewise, you may need specialty equipment to replace the bearings, as well.
Failure Causes
It’s also necessary to determine why they fail to see if it can be prevented. During the manufacturing process, the bearings are sealed and lubricated using petroleum-based lubricants. Because the lubricant generates pressure, engineers of bearings create the seal to allow the pressure to escape, meaning they aren’t water-tight. If moisture gets into the bearings, the lubricant can emulsify, and failure will follow, though it can still take months or years to start noticing the signs.