Questions You Should Ask Before Buying Rear Wheel Bearings

Each wheel is equipped with a wheel bearing, a set of steel balls or rollers held by a cage in a ring of metal called a race. As the wheels spin, they create friction and heat. Wheel bearings help to reduce the friction, heat and protect the wheels and tires. The wheel bearing lies inside of the hub assembly. The hub is what holds the lug nuts that are used to secure the tires to the wheels.

Have a look at the types of car rear wheel bearings: 

1. Ball Bearings - The ball bearing is the most common type of wheel bearing, as well as the most adaptable. Both radial and thrust loads can be absorbed by ball bearings. The amount of weight placed on a wheel is referred to as radial load. Cornering pressure is the thrust load. Ball bearings can be used in a wide range of applications, from roller skate wheels to automotive tires.

2. Roller Bearings - Wheel bearings with roller bearings are also widespread, but they lack the adaptability of ball bearings. They can take a lot of radial load, but they can't take a lot of thrusts. This leaves them practically useless in wheels that must corner at even moderate speeds.

3. Tapered Roller Bearings - Tapered roller bearings are the most common type of bearing found in ordinary vehicles, trucks, and wheels. When the thrust force is at its highest during cornering, the cone shape helps to reduce friction. This is made possible by tapered roller bearings, which prevent shifting parts from grinding.

Here are the essential features of car rear wheel bearing:

• Bearings reduce friction
• Wheel bearings support the weight of the vehicle
• Wheel bearings withstand the lateral forces at corners
• Bearings are sealed tightly to prevent dust and water contamination
• They are durable and are made using high-quality steel

Want to know the working of car rear wheel bearings? In that case, all you have to do is keep on reading further:

Taper roller bearings are mostly used on the rear side of the car. These bearings are fitted in the brake drum. This drum is then fitted on the rear hub. They can freely roll across the mating surfaces of the shaft and hub preventing friction, heat, metal to metal grinding, and wear. The tapered bearings are held together typically by an inner race that has a tapered surface for the bearings to roll against, and a flat inner radial surface to slide over a shaft. The outer race is the opposite, with the inner surface being tapered, and the outer surface being flat. The tapered angle of the bearings allows the assembly to handle radial and axial loads.

The Ultimate Wheel Bearings Buying Guide for you.

Here are the common car rear wheel bearing problems:

• Contamination of the bearing by dust and water can cause damage.
• If the seals are damaged, the grease may be lost.
• It will create noise if the rear wheel bearing is damaged.
• When the vehicle is in motion, over tight bearings can generate noise, such as snapping, clicking, or popping noises, grinding noises, knocking or clunking noises, wheel vibration and wobbling, Shudder, shimmy, or vibration at a constant speed.
• Some of the issues include abnormal side pull when the brakes are applied.

You might have faulty rear wheel bearings if you have recently noticed any unexpected noises or other strange issues with your automobile’s wheels. Some of the most typical symptoms of failing rear wheel bearings are listed below.

1.    Tires that are completely worn out

Extreme wear on your vehicle's tires is a common indicator of defective wheel bearings. If you find out that your car tires look to be overly worn, take your automobile to a repair to rule out the possibility that your rear wheel bearings are faulty.

2.    Braking issues

Another symptom of poor rear wheel bearings is braking issues. When you try to brake, these issues usually present themselves by pulling your car to one side.

3.    Strange noises

The most prevalent indicator of failing rear wheel bearings is unusual noises. Scraping or grinding noises indicate a damaged wheel bearing. As your vehicle's speed rises, these noises become increasingly louder.

4.    Problems with the steering wheel

If there are some issues with the steering wheel, then it might show some issues with the car wheel bearing. If your vehicle's steering wheel is prone to wandering, then you should take it to a mechanic to have the issue diagnosed, since your wheel bearings could be the source of the problem.

5.    Loose wheels

If you find out that your automobile’s wheels appear to be loose, then possibly the bad wheel bearings are to blame. Get your loose wheels examined by a mechanic as soon as possible, regardless of the cause.

Several skilled auto mechanics have a goal of opening their car repair shop in their career. But let’s face it; if you want to put up an efficient and profit-making shop, then you might need much more than mechanical skills. There are several tools that you might need to perform the car repairs quickly as well as reliably. Auto repair equipment that you will need to repair your Rear Wheel Bearings may include:

• Hydraulic Jack
• Plier
• Screwdriver
• Wrench
• Jack Stand

If you know which car parts brand suits the best for your Rear Wheel Bearings, then it would save a lot of your decision-making time. What we believe is that picking a particular brand would always help reduce the clutter, and would make it easier for the customers to find what they are looking for. That’s why we have listed out some top brands for Rear Wheel Bearings below:-

• SKF Rear Wheel Bearings
• Mevotech Rear Wheel Bearings
• World parts Hub Assemblies Rear Wheel Bearings
• Transit Warehouse Rear Wheel Bearings
• BCA Bearing Rear Wheel Bearings
• Moog Rear Wheel Bearings
• Dorman (OE Solutions) Rear Wheel Bearings
• Raybestos Rear Wheel Bearings
• Auto Extra Rear Wheel Bearings

If you are like most of us, then you won’t know much about the related components of car Rear Wheel Bearings. Fear not! Here is a quick and easy guide to explain the related parts of the Rear Wheel Bearings.

• Wheel
• Brake Assembly
• Wheel Drum
• Hub Nut
• Rear Strut
• Rear Shock Absorber
• Suspension And Lower Arm

There are a lot of factors that should be considered when you are thinking of replacing Rear Wheel Bearings. First, decide if you require some related parts of Rear Wheel Bearings or whole Rear Wheel Bearings. Then after that, the next step is to decide what type of make and the type of Rear Wheel Bearings you are dealing with, and then from where will you get a brand new one. Just keep in mind that brand new Rear Wheel Bearings which would come from a warehouse would cost much more than the one you will get in a junkyard. After that, the next point which should be considered is where you are going to get it replaced and how quickly it needs to be done. For replacing rear wheel bearings, labor would cost about $80 to $150, depending on the type of vehicle. Aftermarket rear wheel bearings can cost you around  $3 to $300. It largely depends upon compatibility and quantity. You can always purchase aftermarket parts individually or even in sets. But keep in mind that when you are dealing with a failing wheel bearing, then you need to replace both sides. To remove the rear wheel bearings, other related parts have to be removed first which may take about 1 to 2 hours depending on the type of vehicle. 

Keen to know about the procedure of changing the Rear Wheel Bearings? Well, we have simplified the entire procedure for you:

Step 1

Park the vehicle on a flat surface. Use wheel chocks to secure wheels whose bearings you are not replacing. 

Step 2

Loosen the bolts securing the wheel and lift the car with a jack. Once the car is raised, position a jack stand under the car for stability. 

Step 3

Remove the bolts that secure the wheel and remove the wheel. Remove the car's rear brake drum assembly by removing the dust cover, cotter pin, and castle nut from the shaft. 

Step 4

You will find two taper roller bearings fitted in the brake drum; both will be of different sizes. It will also have an oil seal fitted at the end of the drum. Remove the oil seal and the bearing. 

Step 5

Take a new bearing to apply grease to it and reverse the process as removed. It is always necessary to replace the vehicle's rear-wheel seal with a new one whenever the rear bearing is removed.