Wheel Bearing replacement & repair made easy

A wheel bearing enables the wheel (and with it the wheel hub) to rotate smoothly on a wheels' upright by reducing the friction between the moving and non-moving parts of the wheel hub. The bearings are usually made up out of roll or ball bearings in which the outer part of the wheel hub can turn. Each wheel is fitted with a set of bearings, most cars have two sets of bearings, one for the inner part of the wheel hub and one for the outer part.

Over time, a damaged wheel bearing can affect your car’s steering, as the weight of the bearings, or any defects in the race can cause your wheels to not sit level with the road. This can lead to uneven and premature tyre wear, and your car behaving unpredictably when turning corners.

Once the problem has been diagnosed, a wheel bearing replacement should be carried out as soon as possible.

Unless you are a qualified mechanic with the required skills, training and equipment to do the job, we strongly recommend a wheel bearing replacement is only carried out by a professional mechanic.

Having a front or rear wheel bearing replaced isn’t a huge job but also not a quick job because there are quite a few parts to remove to get access to your wheel bearing. The job is also more involved because of the way most front wheel drive and four-wheel drive cars are set up.

ClickMechanic can help get you a vetted and local mechanic to carry out the work. Just enter your postcode and your car's registration number at the top of this page and select the work needed to get an instant fixed price up front.

• When the car vibrates whilst driving.
• When a wheel does not move (bearing has seized).
• When there is a thudding or clunking noise coming from underneath the car.
• When there is a squeaking noise coming from underneath the car.

A front wheel bearing replacement on average takes just over 1 hour, but can take anywhere from under 1 hours to 2 hours. A rear wheel bearing replacement takes on average under 1 hour, but can range from under 1 hour to 2 hours. Ultimately, the time that the job will take will depend on a number of factors, like your vehicle's make and model, year, as well as other factors. Select your car at the top of this page for information on job time and cost for your vehicle through ClickMechanic.

It is advisable not to drive the car when noticing a shudder through the steering wheel or if you feel the wheels shaking. Addressing issues with the wheel bearings timely and professionally is key to prevent further, more expensive, damage.

A typical wheel bearing will likely need replacing every 30,000 to 60,000 miles, depending on a number of variables. Remember, wheel bearings should always be serviced as and when stipulated in the guidelines set out by your car's manufacturer.

Over time the bearings can wear, usually the bearings wear due to inadequate lubrication. In severe cases, it might be that a bearing fails completely. The result is generally a squeaking or grinding noise coming from one of the car's wheels.

Should you experience problems with the bearings then it is advisable that you have them inspected as soon as possible and, if necessary, have the bearings replaced.

Wheel bearings are often damaged when a car hits a kerb with some force. But also, because the bearings have to be able to travel as smoothly as possible around the race to help keep your car wheels turning predictably.

Until the late-1990s, it was common for car manufacturers to recommend wheel bearing replacement every 30,000 miles. But while today’s wheel bearings can typically last twice as long, many cars are also doing far higher mileages, so they are subjected to much more wear and tear.

A hard impact against a kerb can easily damage a wheel bearing. So avoiding hitting any kerb is a good way to treat your wheel bearings kindly and prolong their life.

Also, while wheel bearings can withstand lots of wear and abuse, their biggest enemies are heat and water. Heat – which is usually caused by a lack of lubrication, so too will water penetrating the bearings.

Wheel bearings are precision-manufactured pieces of equipment and are commonly supplied in kits which also include the replacement race.

Brands which have a long track record of being fitted as new and used for wheel bearing replacement include Koyo, Timken and SKF.

It is recommended that both sets of wheel bearings on the same axle are replaced at the same time. Most importantly, replacing a wheel bearing is important when it comes to safe and predictable car handling.