Can Wheel Bearings Be Damaged In Brake Repair

A large function of running a good shop is identifying bug as quickly and efficiently as possible. Some issues can be hard to identify, though. For instance, information technology can be challenging to place the issue that's causing strange noises from a wheel. The nigh common issues that cause strange wheel noises include:

Worn tires
Worn or damaged wheel begetting
Bad brakes

Information technology's pretty easy to audit the tires for any issues. It tin can be hard to effigy out whether bad brakes or a bad wheel bearing is causing the noise, though. This guide will help your technicians decide the issue equally quickly and efficiently as possible.

Noises Caused By Bad Brakes

brake noise

There are several different ways bad brakes tin can cause racket. Here are the most mutual causes:

Grinding acquired by:
- The backing plates on worn restriction pads grind against the rotors as the brakes are applied.
- A stuck caliper or wheel cylinder can keep the brake pads pressed confronting the rotor, even when the brakes aren't applied.
- Foreign droppings stuck in the restriction organisation
Squealing or squeaking caused by:
- Some restriction pads come with a metal clothing indicator that drags confronting the rotor when the pads are worn.
- Glazed rotors or drums
Clattering or rattling caused by:
- When a rotor or drum gets warped, contact with the pads or shoes is uneven.
- Damaged, loose, or missing hardware

Noises Caused Past A Bad Bike Bearing

bad wheel bearings

Wheel bearings commonly take a long time to vesture out. Sometimes they neglect early, though, from:

Impacts (pothole, adjourn, etc.)
Contamination (water, clay, droppings)
Improper alignment

A worn or damaged wheel bearing is quite noisy. And so when a cycle bearing goes bad, y'all'll find some racket. Bad wheel bearings ordinarily crusade the following noises:

Knocking or clunking caused by extra stress on the CV-joint
Crackling acquired by:
- A worn or damaged outer CV-joint
- Excessive bearing endplay due to poor clamping
Rumbling or growling caused by the bearing's inability to turn as freely anymore
Grinding caused past begetting roller or raceway harm

What To Look For When Test Driving The Vehicle

Test drive

Image Credit: CarAndDriver

The all-time way to decide the cause of the strange bicycle noise is to lift the vehicle and then audit the tires, bicycle bearings, and restriction assembly. Yet, it's quite fourth dimension consuming. Sometimes you can figure out the crusade of the racket just by taking the vehicle out on a examination drive.

Here are iv fundamental things you should look for on a test bulldoze:

1. The Type Of Dissonance

Listen carefully and see if you tin can identify the noise. The type of noise will give you a big clue on what the trouble may be. The only racket a bad bearing and bad brakes have in common is grinding.

2. When The Dissonance Occurs

The timing of the racket is another big clue. If the noise occurs only when braking, the issue is obviously bad brakes. If the noise shows up afterwards about xxx mph, chances are information technology'south a bad bicycle begetting.

3. The Most Common Symptoms Of A Bad Cycle Begetting

When examination driving a vehicle, expect out for the following symptoms of a bad wheel bearing:

Loose steering
Vibration in the steering wheel
Vehicle veering in a detail direction

4. The Well-nigh Common Symptoms Of Bad Brakes

When test driving a vehicle, look out for the following symptoms of bad brakes:

Spongy or soft brake pedal
Vehicle veering in a item direction while braking
Vibration in the restriction pedal
Slower stopping response

Still Not Sure Where The Noise Is Coming From?

If the examination drive didn't assistance you pinpoint the outcome, elevator the vehicle and:

Audit the cycle bearing associates for harm
Inspect the restriction arrangement (calipers, rotors, and restriction pads)

Using Quality Replacement Parts

Whether the issue is a bad cycle bearing or bad brakes, be sure to use quality replacement parts. Using quality replacement parts comes with several benefits:

It reduces comebacks.
It keeps your customers rubber on the road.
It helps build your customers' trust in your shop.

Here'southward a skillful resource on finding a quality parts manufacturer. If you're looking for high quality wheel begetting manufacturer, expect no further than GMB. We manufacture OE-quality hub assemblies and wheel bearings. Acquire more near our parts hither!