What Are the Effects of Bad Car Bearings?
2 Answers
The effects of bad car bearings include: 1. Abnormal friction between the brake drum and brake pads, significantly increasing driving resistance, causing poor rolling, and leading to a decrease in power; 2. Affecting comfort, causing the vehicle to pull to one side and increasing tire noise; 3. Damaging the suspension, causing wheel mechanism failure and potential wheel detachment, leading to steering system malfunction. Methods to detect damaged car bearings are: 1. A buzzing sound during driving with increased noise; 2. Placing the left hand on the shock absorber spring and rotating the tire with the right hand—if the left hand senses significant vibration, the front wheel bearing is damaged; 3. Generating high heat, making the bearing feel hot to the touch; 4. Steering wheel vibration during driving. Causes of car bearing damage include: 1. Improper assembly and adjustment, with axial clearance being too tight; 2. Poor lubrication, causing dry friction between the roller and raceway, leading to bearing sintering; 3. Quality issues with the bearing itself; 4. Unclean installation or foreign matter in the lubricant; 5. Poor shape of the bearing housing.
I've been driving cars for many years and have encountered situations where the bearings failed, and the impact was quite significant. The most obvious issue was the increased noise—you could hear a humming or grinding sound, especially when accelerating or turning, and it felt like the whole car was vibrating. This isn't just annoying; it also raises safety concerns, such as unstable steering and poorer handling. If the wheels wobble too much at high speeds, it could easily lead to loss of control or an accident. Over time, it can also affect other components, like accelerating wear on the suspension and braking systems, leading to higher repair costs. Last time, because I didn’t fix it promptly, I ended up spending hundreds more to replace the wheel. So, I advise fellow drivers to get their cars checked by a professional as soon as they hear any unusual noises—don’t procrastinate and turn a small issue into a big problem. During regular maintenance, just have the mechanic take a quick look at the bearing condition to prevent issues before they arise.
