BCA strives to bring useful, educational content to Auto Techs, Counterpeople and DIYers. Our video library includes brief tech tip videos, recorded webinars and other educational content about wheel hubs, bearings and seals.
In my case I hear this woo wooo wooo wooo sound when driving. Changes the frequency with speed. No vibrations on steering wheel. No grinding or wining sound. The sound is more pronounced at speeds around 20mph, 40mph and then 60. I dont see any visual anomalies on tires. What is funny is when having winter tires, there was no sound or maybe just a little. Winter tires are 18inch, summer are 20inch. So this season when changing back to summer tires the sound is louder again. I make around 5000 miles on each every season. So summer tires are about 30000 miles old.
Yeah, generally when you hear about a "woo, woo, woo" sound, along with the other details you provided, it is a tire issue. Tire noise can often be mistaken for a wheel bearing issue, so you need to investigate both to make sure you diagnose the issue properly.
*That's a true example of 'greedy engineering': (if the inaccessible $20-$30 internal speed sensor fails, an entire new ($$$) unit assembly must be installed!). Um... huh?!* _The German auto makers (MB, VW, Audi, Porsche, etc) spawned this evil way of 'creating more opportunities to dishonestly acquire additional profit, while also alienating a measurable portion of their (now former & once fiercely loyal) customer base._ _It's also quite sad that a lot of the other U.S.A./Euro/Asian auto makers have chosen to follow the Germans' evil path to this decision to go after these 'dirty profits'._
My tire rubs when I’m going straight and turning left but when I turn right the rubbing goes away. I had the tire rods replaced and tires aligned and it’s still rubbing badly and idk why. The place that did the alignment for me said that the wheel bearings are going to need to be replaced soon but I’m not sure if that will cause the crazy amount of rubbing I’m hearing. Any ideas?
A wheel bearing should not cause the intermittent tire rubbing you describe. If the tire rub was not present prior to the recent tire-rod replacement, that could be the issue. Sometimes a part or the fastening hardware can be installed improperly and cause an issue like this. Might be worth taking it back to the shop for an inspection, or getting another opinion from a different shop.
Ok but it's going to cost me $140 to get a rear wheel speed sensor harness from Dodge, and it costs me like $5, and 20 minutes to patch it so I can have cruise control again
Yes, our BCA WE60551 is a direct OE replacement part. This part is made by NTN in Japan on the same line that made the original OE parts for the 350Z/G35.
@@BCABearingsThanks! Somebody said that Schaeffer is OE parts? i was surprised. Is there NTN bearing drive in period or does cold weather affect bearing behaviance. I noticed that after 3 month of driving now bearing rolls freely, until then it was stuck? can you explain me please? I noticed same with Timken- in box was NTN? it was replaced around year ago, my bill says country of origin China?
During initial use, it is normal to feel resistance or grittiness as the wheel bearings rotate. This tightness is the result of tight manufacturing tolerances and the premium grease and seals that we use in our bearings. The premium grease used in BCA’s bearings contains performance enhancing additives, which are crystalline in structure, and can cause a rough feeling and rotational resistance when the bearing is new. The crystalline structure of the grease will breakdown into finer elements when driving a vehicle, so the rough initial rotation will smooth out.
@@BCABearings how long this resistance take place? BCA made in china looked more quality product cause resistance stopped in 2 weeks. japan product continued 3 month.
It is surprising how many people disregard axle nut torque specs. Our top causes of warranty claims are installation errors, and over/under torqueing the axle nut is chief among those. We often hear from people that they can achieve the proper torque using their impact gun alone, so we constantly need to tell folks to use a torque wrench and follow the manufacturer specs. We can't say it enough.
My wife hit a curb going about 20mph. The wheel bent slightly. Checked the alignment which is ok but now i hear a hum on the freeway. No vibration and drives straight. Is it the bearing?
Good question. That could definitely be a failing wheel bearing. An impact like that can damage the steel components inside the bearing, which can cause flaking of the steel. The flaked steel contaminates the grease and makes it abrasive, which causes friction. A humming noise coming from the bearing is a good indication of that damage. However, damage to a wheel or tire could also mimic that noise. Under these circumstances, it would be advisable to replace a damaged wheel and/or tire, and then to diagnose the wheel bearing. If you have already replaced the wheel/tire and had your alignment checked, the wheel bearing would be the next most likely suspect. Here is our video about isolating noises that can mimic wheel bearing damage that might be helpful: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-C3thvtXIa2Q.html
I could have had a medical emergency sufficient in severity to cause my death, thereby avoiding wasting my precious time trying to figure out why the wife's car will not shift into overdrive. Oh yeah, it must be her constant cackling, whining and blader leakage that keeps me motivated.
And you then don't tell us what 'The Right Wheel Bearing Grease?' is ffs! Personally I'd use one that's heavy with Teflon; or if not lithium; or then even multipurpose; in order of preference.
At first it seemed like noise coming under the engine bay because I don’t have any covers for the bottom of the engine. In addition, now, a few thousand miles later it’s only when I make a slow turn to the left, but not to the right, and it sounds like possibly a bearing (left?). It doesn’t matter if I press the brake pedal.
Thanks for checking out our video! Unfortunately, BCA parts are only catalogued for vehicles in the North American market, so we do not have access to a torque spec for that vehicle.
However: our eNiro 2020 did 18k before the NSR bearing went then the OSR went to 19k before it also died. Made by FAG so they should last forever. They differ from the other Niro wheel bearings, they use 3 threaded holes in the bearing flange, and the others have 4 threaded holes in them. The part number is 52730k4000. The same bearings for the electric Kona too. So I bought 2 new genuine Kia bearings (hub units). Made by Fag again. They lasted a couple of miles before failure. Pretty dischuffed about the whole Kia experience so far. As for pattern parts, they are pretty thin on the ground at the moment. Also, some of the pattern companies use Fag bearings too, so I'm really excited about that!
It's a solid technique to break the corrosive bond between the hub and the knuckle. It wont work in every situation, but it's a good tip to keep in mind. Thanks for checking it out!
Great content once again Andrew! When doing some diagnostic work and checking runouts on my 2014 Charger R/T Plus, 100th Year Anniversary Edition, I tracked some vibration down to a front hub bearing that I'd replaced 6-months prior. The lateral runout at the bearing hub/flange was 0.007" (TIR). The Mopar specification from AllData was 0.0008 at the brake rotor! That was an eye opener for me, and I then realized that the tolerances are very strict for these modern cars with 20-inch wheels. Keep up the good work.
Thank you for your question. There is not a single torque value for hub nuts. The torque spec is determined by the manufacturer of the vehicle, and it is different for every vehicle. You need to have the correct information for the specific vehicle you are working on to ensure proper and safe installation.
BCA Bearings' Tapered Roller Bearings are available in North America in auto parts stores and online. NTN Tapered Roller Bearings are available globally. You can check out how to buy them in your region by searching our NTN global website here: www.ntnglobal.com/en/corporate/abroad_network/index.html
I always use the stuff in the 1lb can that says wheel bearing grease. It has moly in it and it's very dark, almost black colored. Hard to get off your hands but it really sticks around in those bearings and stands up to hard work.
This is very true. This video is meant to show a technique that could be used to break the hub assembly loose with the knuckle still installed on the vehicle.
Although I could distinctly hear the left front wheel bearing of a 05 Toyota Sienna XLE, I purchased two wheel bearings because the supplier gave a discount for the pair, I hypothesizing the right front would soon be failing as well. After replacing the left front, I took it on a test drive, a test drive in which I immediately heard the right front bearing, the sound previously masked by the failing left front. It was one of the scenarios I hypothesized, the reason why I decided to do a test drive before replacing the pair.
Good strategy. Sometimes you don't realize something needs to be addressed until you fix something else first. Every situation is different. Thanks for sharing your experience!
I have one little bump last night and I had to drive my car at 16 mph any higher the car wobbles out of control it made a loud sound like I was driving it with no wheel or something I hit the stripped Street about to be repaved how they cut it and then they scrape all the gravel off of it there's no warning that the street is about to change or anyting some are shallow some are very deep the one I hit last night with medium the front of the car didn't find soon at the back wheels hit going down inside the unpaved street maybe a 2in drop and then rough unpaved Road I was done it started wobbling immediately like a real was hitting something I remember my mechanic telling me I was going to need a wheel hub for that side I vaguely remember does that sound like that's what it is rear passenger wheel car not drivable after one little bump
Sorry to hear this! I hit one of those stripped spots in the pavement before. Cost me a wheel and two tires. The road crews should really be required to put warning signs up for those spots where they strip the tops layers off. These spots are very hard to see, especially at night, and some of them are definitely deep enough to cause major damage, or even an accident. While this type of impact can cause damage to wheel bearings, it is likely that it would also damage the wheel and tire, and possibly even suspension components. The wobbling you describe sounds like it may be a damaged wheel/tire or a wheel balance issue caused by the impact.
If bearing in worn out, does it cause the front tire to pull to a direction? I had my alignment done by small shop, then the car was pulling to the right. The guy said it's because my right bearing is not good
Good question! It would be rare for a failed wheel bearing to cause your car to pull to the right without first exhibiting other noticeable signs of failure, like noise and vibration. It would be far more common for a car to pull to one side because of an issue with the tires, brakes, worn suspension components, or a poor alignment. Suspension parts are generally inspected when doing an alignment, but uneven wear on the tires could be overlooked and might be more noticeable after an getting an alignment. We strongly recommend having a trusted auto repair shop diagnose the cause, as it could be a safety issue.
@@NariTheMan So did you find out what the problem ended up being with your car? Mine is pulling to the side and I figure it's either the alignment or the bearing...
Yeah, rust and corrosion can make wheel bearing replacement a pain! Not only can they cause extra wear on parts, but they can make loosening fasteners and removing parts a huge challenge. Corrosion between a steel wheel hub assembly and an aluminum knuckle is one the most frustrating issues technicians in the rust belt run into.
On a recent video done by an amateur of axle nut torquing, several professionals chimed into the comments section to say they NEVER use a torque wrench for axle nuts. Instead they use power tools. I was a little surprised, at first I thought it was a joke. The flat rate landscape is full of guys who spend their whole day trying to beat standard shop times.
Yeah, we have heard and seen it all. One of the top comebacks we see with wheel bearings is over/under-torqued axle nuts. A lot of wheel bearings rely on proper axle nut torque to set the preload on the bearing. Too much or too little preload will dramatically reduce the life of the bearing. There are certain wheel hub assemblies that have the bearing preload set at the factory, and the axle nut serves only to retain the axle shaft in the hub. In those cases, the axle nut torque isn’t going to throw off the bearing preload, but the spec should still be followed to ensure proper seating and retention of the axle shaft. Either way, proper axle nut torque is critical to the reliability and safety of a vehicle. We always tell techs and DIYers to trust the spec and use a torque wrench. Thanks for commenting!
Yeah, many modern hub assemblies no longer rely on the axle nut to set the bearing pre-load. These designs limit installation error caused by setting the incorrect preload, but the torque spec is still important to follow.
Ha! I wish it was always that easy. Just the other day myself and 3 other guys spent hours using everything from sledge hammers and torches to pry bars and air hammers trying to remove a hub assembly from my subaru. Ended up beating on the thing so badly that the hub seperated. I had to remove the knuckle and bring it to my buddies shop to press it out. It took so much force that the press was visibly deflecting and the remainder of the hub shot out and took a chip out of the concrete floor. Needless to say I never-seized the shit out of the new one before installing it.
Wow I do not miss working on my cars when I lived in Ohio. Changed my hub assembly in my Sentra yesterday and they just fell off after removing the bolts holding them on. Perks of living in a tropical state with no snow/salted roads. I feel for you.
Too bad none was put on at the factory, I miss the old tapered bearings you could take apart and clean occasionally and repack the area with fresh grease
Hi I attemtempted to torque an axle nut recently which is 148ft lbs. and the nut became so tight before the wrench clicked that it seemed that it would have been wrong to try to make the wrench click; should I apply more force when that happens or should I leave it at that torque?
Good Question, Carl! We have been in this situation, where you keep tightening and waiting for the torque wrench to indicate the correct torque, and it feels like it should be tight enough. Our advice is to always trust the torque spec! If you are using a properly calibrated torque wrench with the correct range/capacity, you should keep tightening the fastener until you reach the spec’d torque. If you are unsure, it doesn’t hurt to stop and double-check the spec and make sure your torque wrench is set correctly. But if everything is correct, trust the spec.
I have had a few so bad it takes 2 techs and 2 air hammers Oh and don't use a chisel it will just cut off the end where the bolt holes are. Use a blunt punch.
Look for "GC-LB" rated grease. "G" denotes the wheel bearing application, "C" is highest quality rating. "L" denotes chassis application, "B" is best rating.
