Phoenix Wheel Bearing Repair
Imagine you’re driving down the 10 freeway, following all traffic laws, making every effort to drive as safely as possible, when suddenly you hear a wobbling sound coming from one of your wheels. This can be very scary when you’re traveling at high speeds with no safe space to pull over. While this scenario is a bit dramatic this can be one of the signs of bad wheel bearings.
To understand why this problem can be so serious, first we must know what are the wheel bearing. A wheel bearing is a set of steel balls held together by a metal ring called a race. They help your vehicle’s wheels spin fast with as little friction as possible. On most vehicles, the wheel bearing ride on a metal axle shaft and fits securely inside a hub, which is the part that holds the lug bolts used to bolt each wheel to your vehicle.
When the seal on your wheel bearing gets damaged, it will start to make a noise. This noise will start out very faint and become louder over time. It may sound like your tires are louder than normal, like when driving over a rough surface. If you notice that it is louder when you’re turning, it may mean that the wheel bearing on only one side is damaged.
Most wheel bearings are made of hardened steel, and are very durable. Your Bearings two worst enemies are heat and water (Something we all know about in Phoenix). These can destroy a wheel bearing, especially once the seal is broken. Seals protect the bearings from water and debris and seal in the high-temperature grease that lubricates the bearing, but a wheel bearing will start to degrade quickly once this seal is broken and begin to make noise.
Luckily, wheel bearings don’t normally fail immediately, and usually once you notice a sound there’s still time to safely to drive your vehicle to Perez Auto Repair to get inspected or replaced. However, if neglected for too long, a wheel bearing can fail completely and lock up the wheel it serves, leading to loss of control, or a worst case scenario of your wheel breaking off. At Perez Auto Repair one of our ASE Certified mechanics can inspect your wheels and determine if it’s your bearing or any other issues with your suspension and happily give you an estimate for any parts and repair. Plus we offer a 2 year, 24,000 mile warranty on all parts and repairs.
Always keep your vehicle in good condition and ensure the safety of yourself, your loved ones, and those around you! If you believe your vehicle’s bearings need service or are not sure and would like to have your car diagnosed, contact Perez Auto Repair online via phone 602-269-3576 or stop into our facility located at 429 S. 35th Ave, Phoenix, AZ 85009.