What are the symptoms of a bad wheel bearing?

[AthenaAnn]

If a wheel bearing is damaged, there will be significant noise while driving, and it will generate excessive heat, becoming hot to the touch. The reasons include: 1. Improper assembly or adjustment—all bearing products have specified clearance requirements, but excessive tightness is often overlooked; 2. Poor lubrication—if only a thin layer of grease is manually applied to the bearing surface, dry friction between the rollers and raceway may occur after 3,000 to 5,000 km of driving, leading to bearing seizure; 3. Quality issues with the bearing itself—bearings are complex assemblies, and their lifespan is affected by factors such as material selection for components, heat treatment specifications, precision in cold processing, assembly adjustments, etc. While a shorter lifespan for a small number of bearings is understandable, some manufacturers fail to meet technical standards due to poor management, resulting in substandard products being released.