What Are Bad Wheel Bearing Symptoms?

As you know very well that a bad Wheel Bearing sound indicates something is not good and restricts your car to have a smooth and safe functioning. But what you may not know about this Wheel Bearing is that its complexity is not as simple as other components. With a large complexity and minor detailing, this Bearings gets listed among those components which need periodic checks. 

Bad Wheel Bearing noise hints it’s not completely fit into your wheel design where it holds many several other integrated components. 

Why is it CRITICAL? 

Well, it’s been said that Wheel Bearings sometimes act critical for your wheels to work and function together. This specifically happens due to the tire, hub, and assemblies.

That’s why we need to know every sign that indicates the wheel bearing failure to figure the measures that need to be taken.

So, Let’s Get Started and uncover these symptoms to perform wheel bearing noise diagnosis and make things fix as you had earlier. Starting With the most significant question- 

How To Tell If Wheel Bearing Is Bad or How To Check Wheel Bearing Not Good?

It’s not limited to one single hint, a bad Wheel Bearings can hint you in many ways that the most common ones we are going to list down below. 

If you think Ball Bearing needs much attention and care that clear ways to choose a Cylindrical Bearing then, Hold On! You are not aware of many facts. 

Choosing a bearing that suits your vehicle consideration is the most important thing. But whatever your bearing type, a time comes when it needs a replacement or maintenance. 

Note- A cylindrical bearing or a roller bearing is mainly used for large size vehicles with large weight carrying capacities like trucks and trolleys. 

Bad Wheel Bearing Symptoms- 

Among a wide range of minor symptoms, the most common one which you can easily identify is the audible one.  

In this, you will notice that there’s a  grinding or we can say a grating noise continuously coming from your wheel. The cause of this may vary other than a bad ball bearing is very rare. 

So, if you notice any such sound coming from the wheel then it’s likely it’s due to a bad wheel bearing. 

Note- Surety comes on this when the noise gets louder and louder after you accelerate your vehicle. 

Other Symptoms which says your Wheel Bearings are not in a good condition are- 

• Looseness- Where you will notice EXCESSIVE play in the steering wheel. 

• Steering wheel vibration starts to change with speed. 

•  ABS Malfunctioning. 

If you think this might not affect your wheel or get back to normal after some time then probably you are inviting an accident. Just have a look on- 

What Can Happen If You Have A Bad Wheel Bearing? 

A bad Wheel Bearing can lead to many crucial situations as it increases friction in the wheel. And a sudden stop at 100km/hr can bring you out from the car without even using the door. This is confirmed by professional auto mechanics, where they say if a situation comes when your wheel bearing goes bad it will lead to heavy friction on the wheel. This friction will eventually ignite the wobbling wheel. After knowing all this there might be a question striking up in your mind as- 

How Long Will A Wheel Bearing Last After It Starts Making Noise?

Not always but it’s been observed that most of the wheel bearings companies claim their product average lifespan of 136,000 to 160,000 km. But in case it goes bad nothing can be said with assurance. 

Even we will not recommend you to look for a long run and get it fixed ASAP. 

We think after going through all these important notes and measures you must be now thinking to replace your damaged Ball Bearing. 

But, how will I know that the replacing one is a good or a bad ball bearing. We can help you here with clearing all your doubts regarding which bearing to choose, starting with- 

What Is A Wheel Bearing?

A clear sound wheel bearing is among the most crucial parts of the wheel assembly. Its role is to connect the wheel alloy from the axle. 

Structure wise It comes with a set of steel balls called the “ball bearings” or the other one as tapers “tapered bearings” inside a metal ring to hold together and all the ring surfaces to roll upon each other. 

While driving if you feel that your tie rods are not in a good condition then this is- 

How To Tell If Tie Rods Are Bad While Driving?

Tie rods are not in good condition and can be easily figured out with 6 simple signs. These are- 

• When You Recently Hit A Pothole Or Any Such Obtrusive While Driving. 

• Uncommon Tire Wear. 

• Improper Vehicle Alignment. 

• Steering Goes Unresponsive. 

• Some Shaking Or Clunking Noise Start Coming Out. 

• When A Car Is Jacked Up You Will Find The Wheel A Bit Loose And Hanging. 

These were all about bad or broken tie rods, but what if in the case of ball joints. For this have a go through at- 

How To Tell If Ball Joints Are Bad While Driving? 

Bad ball joints can be easily figured out while driving. When your ball joints go bad you feel a vibration in your steering wheel while driving down a level road with no sharp turns. 

In some cases, the situation goes worse and your vehicle will start taking sharp drifts when going over bumps. These are the most common signs during ball joint wears. 

FAQ

How do I know if my wheel bearings are going bad?  

There are many signs that say your wheel bearings are going bad. Some of the most common signs are-   

• Grating Grinding Noise. 

• Looseness In Steering.

• Steering Wheel Vibration. 

• ABS Malfunctioning. 

How long can you drive with a bad wheel bearing? 

There is no such fixed mark that says how long you can drive when your ball bearings are not in a good condition. But probably with slow driving, you can touch the mark of 10-100Km but it’s never recommended to drive with bad ball bearings. 

How Can You Tell The Difference Between Bad CV Joints And Bad Wheel Bearings?

It’s quite simple to distinguish between a bad ball bearing and a bad CV joint. The difference comes with the noise produced in both cases. 

• Bad Ball Bearing- So far observed it will create a constant rumbling noise. And the noise increases when your vehicle is rolling. 

• Axle CV Joint- In a bad axle CV joint you will observe a clicking sound especially when you turn your vehicle in the left or right direction. 

Final Words 

Ball Bearings may be a small part of a vehicle but are among the most important parts. Proper maintenance and replacement while damaged is necessary. We hope our guide must have helped you with all that you should know about these Ball Bearings, CV Joints, and Tie Rods. If we left out with something just let us know in the comments.