How to determine which hub bearing is buzzing? Diagnosis of the chassis of the car

A wheel bearing is one of the important elements in a car. In its absence, the wheels simply will not rotate. This element is constantly experiencing high loads, so it is made only of quality materials. But because of the large mileage of the car, and also because of improper operation, this part can fail before. Specialists recommend hub bearings to change immediately, otherwise they can get into big trouble. So, let's consider what to do if a hub bearing buzzes, what kind of device it has and how dangerous it is to ride with such a faulty element.

In fact, buzz is just the first signal. Further the situation can develop quickly and promptly. Against the backdrop of buzzing details, drivers begin to hear the crack that comes from the area of the front wheels of the car. And at some point, when the bearing can not sustain the revolutions, it flies to pieces. About what happens next, it's easy to guess. At first the wheel will jam, and at the most inopportune moment the car will become uncontrollable, and it will carry. Further, the support arm of the suspension bracket breaks, and the axle shaft deforms. Repair of the suspension will cost the car owner significantly more expensive than the usual replacement of the wheel bearings. For self-diagnosis you need to be able to "hear" the car. To know how to determine which bearing of the hub is buzzing, first you need to become acquainted with the device of this element, find out the causes of the malfunctions, and also learn how to perform self-diagnosis and replacement of these parts.

Hub bearing construction

So, it is customary to call a bearing mechanism, which performs the functions of supporting the support. It can support any axes, shafts or other parts, however in each case the bearing is designed to fix the shafts in space, enabling free rolling or rotating. The second function performed by the bearing is to obtain mechanical loads and transfer them to other components.

A wheel bearing is a rolling bearing. Its main task is to ensure an equal rotation of the wheel around its axis. These mechanisms are divided into single-row and two-row. They can be either open or closed type. They are used in the construction of trucks and cars. The front wheel bearing and the rear wheel bearings differ in design.

Causes of failure

Frankly, this detail is the most durable knot of the hub. In order for this bearing to completely fail, it is necessary to exert a large amount of effort. Racks will break faster, silentblocks and other suspended suspension elements will fail. However, if you select a defective part, you can also break the hub bearing. It is important to know the reasons why the bearing of the hub is buzzing .

Large runs - great wear and tear

The first and most popular reason is big car runs. With long operation without replacing parts, this leads to heavy wear on any assembly, and a hub bearing is no exception to this rule. And I must say that it is the high mileage that is the root cause of the malfunction. All the rest is secondary. These mechanisms, depending on where and what company they are made, can effectively work for 70-120 thousand kilometers. When it is time to replace the part, the driver will hear a characteristic rumbling or crunching.

Without lubrication

Another reason is the loss of bearing tightness. There is a small amount of lubricant inside the part. Lubricant is hidden under special rubber or plastic covers. In case of their destruction, the lubricant simply leaves, and without it, as is known, the rate of wear increases significantly. Approximately in one or two thousand kilometers the part will start to make a loud roar. This suggests that you need a replacement.

Aggressive and inaccurate driving style

If the driver drives inaccurately, namely, passes the road pits and bumps at high speeds, this also affects the wear rate of this node, although in this case something else will break faster (for example, shock absorbers).

Violation of the installation rules

Still it is possible to allocate such reason, as wrong запрессовка. This cause is secondary. For example, in the process of repair, it is possible to incorrectly press the new bearing, say, obliquely. For this reason, after a few thousand kilometers, a new hub bearing buzzes, and the owner of the car must again replace it.

Another reason that can be attributed to improper installation is the excessive tightening. In most cases this happens on domestic cars. The node was overtaken during the replacement process, as a result of which it overheated, which is not the best way to affect the resource, and then it broke. At installation it is necessary to not forget about effort of twisting.

Typical symptoms

This is the most interesting. In order to determine the failure of a node, there are several ways. At the very initial stage, the behavior of the bearing can be ignored, at this stage you hear a slight rumbling, buzzing, small tapping. Also one of the first symptoms - it's a rumble at the turn (at the very beginning of the breakdown). Often this sound is confused with the noise of the tires. However, over time, sound can be compared to a jet aircraft. An indirect sign can be considered the complete disappearance of any noise at the time of the turn, but when the car moves along a straight line, everything returns. When the bearing starts to fail, the driver can hear a crunch while driving. In the bearing mechanism, spherical elements are used - these sounds are produced by them. For the above reasons, these details have broken their cage and are now unevenly distributed. To mix up this sound with something else is impossible, in the car of the car it is perfectly audible. This is the very first signal about the need to replace, which should not be delayed. The second symptom is vibration. If the unit is already heavily worn, vibrations on the body and steering wheel will be felt while driving. Vibration informs the owner of the car that the clip is already practically destroyed, at any moment the wheel can jam. This requires an urgent replacement. If the car goes to the side, this indicates that the mechanism can not work properly. When working, the bearing jams a little.

The hub bearing buzzes: can I drive?

Some car owners with faulty bearings do not just drive, but also accelerate cars to 100 km / h or more - this is very dangerous. Do not forget that the hub bearing is an element that is responsible for the possibility of rotating the wheel.

If this node is broken, it can jam at any time, and this is very serious. Often due to this, emergency situations with fatalities occur. Wedge is a sudden stop of one of the front wheels if the front wheel bearing is destroyed.

At a speed of 100 km / h the car at the very best will fly to the side of the road, and can throw it on the oncoming lane. Also often cars turn over. It is worth remembering that a stubborn bearing is a key knot. If the hub bearing buzzes, can I drive? It is possible, however not quickly, up to 40 km / h.

Methods of diagnosis

To avoid serious problems, the breakdown should be found and eliminated already at the earliest stages. The easiest way to diagnose is hearing. If the mechanism is in a worn condition, during operation it produces a sound similar to the sound of a flying airplane or the launching of a projectile, but the specific variant will depend on the type of bearing, the dimensions and where it is installed.

Diagnose in practice

The process should be as follows: at a low speed, about 50 km / h, the bearing will produce a strong buzz, the intensity of which will reach a maximum at speeds of 60 to 65 km / h. Then, when you turn left, the rumble disappears, and if you turn right, it will continue. In this case, most likely, the left node is faulty. Here's how to understand which bearing the hub is buzzing. You just need to listen.

Malfunctions in wheel bearings, as already noted, are accompanied by noise from the wheels, vibration on the brake pedal, various extraneous sounds in the suspension mechanisms. The front wheel bearings can produce knocking from strong backlashes in the bearings, and the rumble is due to the worn treadmill, rollers and separators.

Diagnosis on the lift or with a jack

There is another way how to determine which hub bearing is buzzing. In this case, it is necessary to inspect the machine on the lift. Detect the breakdown by the way the wheel rotates smoothly and evenly. Also look at the play in the vertical plane. In order to determine the malfunction, hands take the lower and upper points of the wheel and pump it. Allowed only a slight backlash on the front wheels with the type of suspension, "McPherson". On the rear wheel, as well as in the front, where the suspension is multi-link, there should not be any backlash. How to check which hub bearing is buzzing? That's what experienced auto mechanics advise. If there is a characteristic noise, but it is impossible to accurately reveal the origin, it is necessary to lift the wheels by a jack, which are located on one axis, and rotate each of them. If one of the wheels is noisier than the other during the rotation, then the bearings installed on it will fail very soon.

Movement "snake"

How to determine which hub bearing is buzzing? This method implies a small acceleration to 40-60 km / h. Next, you need to shake the rudder to the left - to drive a small snake. In this case, listen carefully to the sounds. If the noise increases at the left turn, then the right bearing is broken in front, respectively, if the sound amplifies when turning to the right, then it is worth changing the left one.

About operation of hub bearings

The lifetime of this element will decrease if the wheel disks are incorrectly selected. Here, the load on the fracture increases from the action of the mass of the machine. In addition, tires with an incorrect radius lead to premature wear: in this case, the force that acts on the mechanism with lateral acceleration increases. This factor can often be observed on large SUVs, where the wheels are large enough.

Also, the bearing life is shortened if it is installed in the car with damages of shock absorbers: higher shock loads are observed here. The brake system, which is damaged, gives off excess heat to the bearing. Incorrect wheel alignment angles can lead to load redistribution.

The hub bearing buzzes: how much can you drive?

Newcomers among motorists often ask this question. I must say that the distance depends on the quality of the roads. In some places, the pavement easily dies even the chassis of the SUV. Therefore, once again, it is not worth risking, human life is one. Professional auto mechanics claim that you can still drive, but this is allowed until the rumble is barely audible. Movement is allowed only at low speeds. In this case, you need to go around and small holes and potholes. Even drivers who like to take risks are sure that it is dangerous to travel with such symptoms for more than 200 km.

Now you know how to determine which hub bearing is buzzing. These tips should help novice motorists, who just got behind the wheel of the transport.