How to Change The Wheel Bearing The Easiest Way Possible

Do you want to replace the wheel bearings of your vehicle or just want some basic tips for maintenance? Then we are here to let you know about how to change the wheel bearing easily. 

A wheel bearing is an essential part of your vehicle, and you need to know the specific process to change it as well as maintain it. Basically, you need to follow some necessary steps and use proper materials to change the wheel bearings of your vehicle. 

Now, you might think that it’s a complicated job, but really it’s not. If you have some basic idea about mechanical tools, you can easily change or replace the wheel bearings at home without the help of a mechanic.

How To Change The Wheel Bearing

It is a common question of vehicle users how to change the wheel bearing. One needs to know what is the necessary time to change the wheel bearings. Wheel bearings are one of the vital parts of a vehicle’s materials. Bearings are situated in the wheel’s hub, and these help the vehicle’s wheel to spin comfortably when you move the vehicle. If you hear any noise while driving, then it will be time to change the wheel bearings. 

You can change or replace the previous wheel bearings on your own to save money. If you do not want to go to a professional mechanic, you should use caution to change the bearings. In spite of being small, the wheel bearings are very important. If you want to change the wheel bearings at home, you may need some specific and great working mechanic tools. Besides, you need to follow some steps to change the bearings. There are various types of vehicles, and the most common three types of bearings are there. 

Before starting to change the bearings, you will need to know about the type of your vehicle’s wheel bearings. Moreover, you can replace the bearings if you have a basic idea about repairing skills. Nowadays, it is not necessary to be experienced and more skilled to do any mechanical stuff. People can cope with modern technology and also enjoy learning about new things.

 If you are new at changing wheel bearings, you can get help from the internet and tutorials. When you have all the materials to change and replace the wheel bearings, you are ready to follow the specified steps. You need to know about the bad effects of driving with a bad bearing. If the bearings break while driving, the wheel can jam, and you may lose control of the car, which can be dangerous. 

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Things You Will Need to Change Wheel Bearing

If you are going to change and replace the wheel bearings, you will need some essential materials to do so. Besides, you should have basic knowledge about materialistic skills. On the other hand, the users need to know the specific requirements to change and replace the wheel bearings. Usually, the users do not understand how to change the wheel bearing without going to the mechanics.

 The people who want to change their bearing on their own should use caution. While starting the changing and replacement work, one should have an idea about his vehicle’s bearing type. The materials you will need should be perfect for your working skills. Such materials are- floor jacks, hand gloves, glasses for safety, grease for bearing, pliers, screwdrivers, wheel chock to protect other wheels, diagonal cutters, and a wire hanger, etc. 

You need to use the materials according to the specific step. All the materials are going to help you to change the bearings with proper safety. Proper things ensure the perfect result for the users. All you need to do is to collect the guaranteed materials for the replacement. You should park your car or other vehicles on a plain road or surface to do the whole task comfortably. Then you need to use a wheel chock while replacing the bearings. It is very important to loosen the nuts, and you should use a hack while doing this. 

Some of the materials are for removing the wheel. You should choose the best and suitable one for your wheel. You will also need to clean the dust and remove the rotor while changing the wheel bearings with the materials. You also need to disassemble the assembly of the hub to change and replace the bearing. If you can be able to choose the proper materials, you will also be able to follow all the necessary steps to change the wheel bearings. 

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Steps You Need To Follow

Generally, people get confused about how they can change the wheel bearing of the vehicle step by step. They feel that it is very hard to change the wheel bearings. You may also think about how to change the wheel bearing at home. There are some easy and important steps to change the wheel bearings that you need to follow. You also need some specific materials to work, and if you are not a very skilled person in choosing and using the materials, you can get help from the internet. 

1. Preparing The Vehicle 

First of all, you need to put chocks behind the wheels, and you should put the vehicle in a plain place. Then it is time to loosen the lug nuts while removing the tire, but you cannot totally remove them. Now you need to lift up the car or the exact vehicle using a safety jack for the security of your vehicle. Then you will be able to remove the tire with proper safety. Then, you need to remove the lug nuts, and then you should remove the tire to keep it aside. 

2. Installing The New Wheel Bearings

The other part is to install the new wheel bearings. The removal of the bracket and caliper is also important. The users should remove the caliper with the help of a screwdriver. Then you can remove the wheel bearing that is the outer part.

In this step on how to change the wheel bearing,  you need to clean the dust for exposing the cotter pin. The next step is to remove the inner wheel bearing and the rotor. Besides, rubbing the bearing grease is also imported into the casing. It will be easy to install the new one after the previous steps. Just install a cotton pin and try to unbolt the hub while replacing it. Then the removal of the spindle can be an optional part for you.

3. Reassembly Of Previous Assemble 

When you completely remove the spindle, reassembly is necessary. The first step would be to  After finishing the new bearing installation; you can place the rotor and caliper back on your vehicle by using useful materials. The next step is to install the tire by replacing the wheel. You need to tighten the lug nuts and use a floor jack to support the vehicle. If the tire does not touch the floor, you can lower the vehicle using a safety jack in slow motion. Then you will need to complete the installation process. You can use other materials such as torque wrench in order to tighten the lug nuts. Now you can lower your vehicle to remove the floor jack. 

After following all the steps, you can successfully change the wheel bearing of the vehicle. You should perform a driving test to check whether the repair is perfect. If any problem arises, make a call to a mechanic to fix it. 

It’s very much an obvious mistake when you cut steel with a plasma cutter. Want the expert guidance you can find here.

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

When does a wheel bearing need to be replaced? 

Actually, there is no specific lifespan of a wheel bearing as the experts or the user manuals (of manufacturers) don’t suggest replacing the wheel bearing after any specific period or mileage.  Again, in some vehicles, bearings remain in good condition for a lifetime. So, it’s highly recommended not to replace the wheel bearings before they get damaged or worn out.  

What are the symptoms of a bad wheel bearing? 

The most obvious symptom of a bad wheel bearing is the humming or squeaking noises coming out of it. When an internal part of a bearing is worn out, it creates a humming sound while driving. And based on the car’s speed, this noise can get louder or quieter at times. On the other hand, squeaking noises may rise from a loose wheel bearing. Both of the symptoms are categorized as the major issues of wheel bearings. 

What causes a wheel bearing to go bad? 

There are a lot of things that cause wheel bearings to go bad. Some of the most common contributors include:

1. Wear & Tear:  A simple wear and tear can contribute a lot to deteriorate the condition of wheel bearings. 
2. Moisture & Corrosion: Due to the corrosion or constant contact with the moisture, the bearings of the vehicles lose their ability to serve for a long time.  
3. Accidents: Wheel bearings also go bad because of any severe accident. 

Reference 

Now, as you want through a few tips on how to change the wheel bearing, you should not stop there at any cost. Rather, it’s recommended that you read a few more articles to educate yourself better on this topic. It’ll really come in handy in the long run, and you’ll be surprised by the results.

Clean & Inspect Bearings

If you are a vehicle user, then you must know about the maintenance and inspection of bearings. Maintenance is very important for the bearings for their productivity. If you maintain the wheel bearings in a proper way, they will give you a better service when you drive the vehicle. People become confused about how to change the wheel bearing, and also, they face problems with the maintenance of the bearings. 

Basically, more or less, everything should have a maintenance process to ensure getting the best result from that. Like this, you also should maintain the wheel bearings. You need to handle it with care and avoid overheating. Besides, avoiding corrosion and checking the housing is also important. Before starting the process of inspection, you should check the bearings and start the cleaning process. 

If your bearing is dirty, you can follow two cleaning methods. They are: finish cleaning and rough cleaning. You should use brushes while removing dirt and grease in rough cleaning. Besides, one should handle the bearings with proper care and pay attention to cleaning oil to prevent damages. When you are following the finished cleaning process, you should rotate the bearings to clean carefully and use cleaning oil. Basically, one can use kerosene to clean bearings.

Besides, it is important to keep the oil clean for the betterment. You should apply anti-corrosion oil when the cleaning is done. Moreover, you should know when it is necessary to inspect the wheel bearings. You need to check whether it is adjusted and inspected. There are some warning signs that you need to notice during driving. Such as increasing fuel costs, smoking wheel, vibration or noise of the wheel and the lock-up, etc. You need to maintain the wheel bearings on a regular basis.

If you notice any issue regarding the bearings, try to fix it as soon as possible. Otherwise, it will cost more than before. Proper cleaning and inspection can prevent unexpected road accidents. If you want to drive with proper safety, you should think about proper maintenance of your vehicle’s wheel bearings. There are various types of vehicles and wheel bearings, but only some of them are the best, and you need to choose the suitable bearing for your vehicle while replacing it. 

Conclusion

In the article above, we have tried to give you a clear idea about how to change the wheel bearing. This is really important to know how to replace the wheel bearings at home. People get confused while trying to change the wheel bearings, and they think this is a hard process to follow. 

But if you properly follow the steps and use proper materials, you can successfully change the wheel bearings of your vehicle. Besides, you should think about the cleaning and inspection process. We hope our article will help you to ensure getting the perfect result after following the steps.