How Long Will a Wheel Bearing Last After It Starts Making Noise

Wheel bearings of a car are generally low-maintenance. However, nothing lasts forever and neither do wheel bearings. So, if you suddenly start hearing noises from the wheel bearing and are wondering how long it will last before failing completely, you’re at the right place.

The answer to that question depends on several factors. However, when it comes to your and your passengers’ safety, you shouldn’t take chances and not risk driving with a faulty wheel bearing.

Usually, a wheel bearing lasts around 1000 to 1,500 miles after it starts making noises. Factors like loudness and nature of the noise, your car’s mileage, driving condition, etc. also affect the lifespan of a noisy wheel bearing.

How Long Will a Wheel Bearing Last After It Starts Making Noise?

A wheel bearing that is making noise will typically not last very long and should be replaced as soon as possible. Ignoring the noise can lead to further damage to the bearing and potentially the entire wheel hub assembly.

If you are getting strange humming noises or echoing from your wheel bearings, that might indicate failure in the wheel bearings. And in this case, the noise generally increases with every kilometer traveled. 

This situation becomes worse if your car lacks lubrication. Also, if you speed up your car when the wheel bearings are making noise, it can overheat and cause the ride to be wobbly. You can prevent this from happening by lubricating the wheel bearings and driving at a speed slower than 40 mph.

Generally, cars with noisy wheel bearings can cover around 1k to 1.5k miles before the wheel bearings completely give up and fail. This range can vary from one car to another and depends on several factors like the road you are driving on, the driving conditions, mileage, etc.

So, it’s better to get your car to a mechanic as soon as possible (don’t drive at a high speed while doing so) or change the wheel bearings yourself.

Solution: You can surely drive around for quite sometime before the wheel bearings give up. They won’t fail immediately but eventually, you’ll have to replace them. Replacing your car wheel bearings would be quite easy. However, you need to make sure that you use the appropriate toolkit for the job. Given below is a video tutorial to help you replace the wheel bearings of your car:

Else, you should take your car to a professional mechanic to have the wheel bearings diagnosed and replaced.

The Type of Noise made by Damaged Wheel Bearing

Wheel bearings usually make noise when dirty, lacking lubrication, worn out, or having combined problems. One of the most common types of sound you will experience in the initial stage of the bearing damage is the snapping or clicking sound. 

It is usually the primary indication that you should go and get the bearings checked by professionals. If you neglect the initial symptoms, you will start to hear the rumble or buzzing sound, which indicates a few serious bearing repercussions. 

The sounds will become even louder when you make the turns. When driving at high speed, the noise will eventually get louder. And finally, the grinding sound indicates that the bearing can no longer handle the wheel to the vehicle axle. If you still neglect its replacement, you might get involved in a serious accident.

Finding the Source of The Noise

Before you start with replacing your car’s wheel bearings, you need to diagnose which wheel bearing(s) is/are faulty. Follow the tips given below to do the same:

#1 Noise is faint in the beginning but becomes louder as you keep driving:

If this is the case, then notice if the noise produced sounds like tires rubbing on strips on the highway. It could also sound like cards flapping against the spokes of a bicycle. If the noise is like so, then the seal of your wheel bearing is perhaps broken.

#2 Noise gets softer when you sway your car to the left:

Try driving at a steady speed of 40mph and sway to the left gently to shift the weight of the car to the left. Make sure you don’t make the car spin out of control. If the noise from the wheel bearings becomes fainter when you turn left, that indicates damage on the right wheel bearing. Do the same thing with a right turn and if the sound gets fainter now, it means the damage is on the left wheel bearing.

#3 Inspect the tires:

Keep in mind that if your car tires are scalloped or worn down in patches, that too can make a similar sound like a damaged wheel bearing. So, it’s better to check your No products found. once to be sure.

Causes Behind A Noisy Wheel Bearing

It’s important to know what leads to your wheel bearing making noises so that you can prevent such scenarios in the future and be better at taking care of your car: 

#1 Improper Installation

Using incorrect tools like a hammer or an impact wrench for installing your wheel bearing will damage the exterior and even the interior of the wheel end bearing. This will result in the wheel bearing failing earlier than it should. 

Moreover, if you have replaced your old wheel bearing with a new one but have used the old accessories for installation, your wheel bearing will be working under abnormal and unsafe conditions. This increases the risk of wear and tear and can also lead to a car accident.

#2 Poor Roads

A wheel bearing has to tolerate a lot of impact force while you drive on poor roads. For example, hitting a speed bump, driving on a pothole, etc. can expose your wheel bearing to impact damage. This regular pressure on your wheel bearings can ultimately cause them to fail. You might witness the bearings developing dents, cracks, etc. Eventually, they will break and cause even more damage to the wheel itself. 

#3 Rough Driving Conditions

If you regularly take your car out to muddy streets or drive through deep water, these too can contribute to the failure of your wheel bearings. Contaminants like dust, road debris, water, or mud can enter the wheel bearings and make the grease dirty. Over time, this practice will wear away your car wheel bearings.

#4 Accidents

We have to accept the hard truth that accidents can occur and might not always be avoidable. However, it is a good practice to check if everything in your vehicle is working fine after you have had an accident. You can’t overlook even the slightest dent caused to the wheels because that might be the reason behind the noises. And hence, you should replace your wheel bearings in time to avoid such problems.

#5 Car Alterations

Many car owners try fitting bigger rims on their wheels, get tires with lower thread walls, suspension springs, shock absorbers, etc. These can impose higher levels of loads on your wheel bearings and accelerate wear. So, you should prefer using only those rims, tires, springs, and shock absorbers that have been specified by the car brand. This will make sure that you don’t expose your wheel bearings to unnecessary pressure.

#6 Poor Quality of Wheel Bearings

Safety is the prime consideration for people driving their cars on tough or usual terrains. It is not the time to consider cheap options as you risk your safety with them. Wheel bearings embedded within your car are always under constant pressure and get used when running.

For some of these reasons, you need to be sure that a wheel bearing made from that of the highest quality material will withstand the constantly imposed strain. Quality is one of the major considerations contributing to its early or delayed deterioration. So, this is one of the evident causes of noisy wheel bearing! 

#7 Modifications in Vehicle

There will come a certain point of time when you will intend to modify your vehicle and possibly go for the tires that come with lower thread walls, wider rims, bigger base, stiff shockers, and other such parts. These parts will give your vehicle an appealing and aesthetic look but add to the pressure imposed on the wheel bearing. 

If you intend to avoid it, you should stick with the stock recommendations specified by the manufacturer for your vehicle model. In this way, the wheel bearing will perform optimally and will last longer without losing its potential and making damaging noise. 

Modifications also trigger problems in the wheel bearing by generating excessive friction, overheating, and tire imbalance. 

#8 Poor Weather Conditions

Wheel bearings are often made up of high-end steel and have the property of preventing moisture from damaging its integrity. But over time, when the bearing gets old, it will lose the sealant lubrication and become rusty. 

Apart from that, the road salt present over the wintery pavement will also contribute to the process. Hence, it will increase the risk of corrosion on the car. Hence, the poor weather conditions have to do with the case of noise that you hear from the wheel bearings.

What Does The Wheel Bearing Do?

The wheel bearings are located within the wheel hub, which is the hollow part of the wheel. These hardware parts connect the axle of the vehicle to the wheel. Hence, it allows the wheel to rotate freely and let the car move. Moreover, it also reduces the friction while the wheel spins on the road. 

The wheel bearing consists of several steel balls within a metal ring. It is the common type of wheel bearing used in all vehicles. But there is also another type of bearing, termed the roller type. The roller bearings consist of small cylinders instead of balls, and they are placed within a tapered ring. 

This small part embedded within the wheel assembly of an automobile is important for enabling seamless turning and braking. Moreover, it is also responsible for keeping the wheel’s motion smooth. 

You need to ensure that the wheel bearings are in completely good condition. If there is any noise in the wheel bearing, you should conclude a blockage or interruption in their movement.

Risks Of Driving With A Bad Wheel Bearing

It is impossible for a wheel bearing to break down entirely after noticing the first symptoms. But that doesn’t mean you have to wait for a reason or situation to change the wheel bearing finally. 

If you have noticed the symptoms, you should change the wheel bearings as soon as possible before it escalates to worrying situations. So, it is clear that you cannot drive with a bad wheel bearing because it compromises the safety of your vehicle. 

A worn-out wheel bearing can break and lead to falling out of wheels from its setting. A wheel bearing is hardware that connects the wheel to your vehicle. As a result, you can meet with a severe accident and hurt yourself or others. 

In some extreme cases, there is a possibility that the broken wheel bearings can lead to the failure of brakes. And that would be catastrophic for the driver and the passengers in that car at high speeds. 

So, make sure you control your car while you are driving it. And to ensure that, you need to keep track of the fact that all of the functionalities of your vehicle have been maintained and are in good condition, including the wheel bearings. 

One of the other reasons you should not drive a car with poor wheel bearing is the insurance claim rules. The insurer might not pay you the cover money if you met with an accident due to maintenance negligence. 

The insurer will reject the claim if the problem was identified and you did not get it inspected or repaired sometimes before your accident. The fuel consumption will also increase as the damaged wheel bearing affects your car’s drivetrain. 

The fuel economy will reduce drastically as you will need to impose more power upon the engine to stabilize the car with poor bearings. As a result, you will cover less mileage than you obtained earlier, with the same fuel refills. The axles also take the blow due to this effect on the drive train. Broken axles are indications of complete failure of wheel alignment. 

As per professional surveys and tests, you can drive for approximately 1600-2500 km with a bad wheel bearing. But do not go to that extent of your car with bad bearings, and get it changed as soon as possible. The earlier you attend to the noises from your bearing, the lesser will be the repair or replacement cost! 

If you just got aware on a trip that the wheel bearing is damaged, then you have to keep the car in control at all times while you are going on long drives in that vehicle. Until you get it repaired, you should drive slowly to have the car in control if something goes wrong. 

Look for the garages nearby to get your car fixed and the wheel bearings replaced before you can go further in it. The noise and other such symptoms will be an indication for you! 

Time Needed for Replacing the Wheel Bearings

The time needed for replacing the wheel bearings of a car depends upon the vehicle’s build, type, and model. Apart from that, the skill level of a mechanic or a professional also matters when it comes to the overall time that the replacement will take. 

If the wheel bearing replacement is carried out on the rear end of the vehicle, then it might take around 15 to 45 minutes for the replacement. But if the wheel bearing and hubs are bolted to the vehicle permanently, it will take between 20 minutes to an hour for doing the needful. 

The front-wheel bearings need around 30 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes for replacement, which depends upon the pace and expertise of the mechanic. The 4-wheel drive vehicles and the rear-wheel-drive vehicles need time for wheel bearing replacement. 

It can take a few hours to complete the job, as it is a big job, which requires quite a lot of time and attention. When the mechanic replaces the wheel bearing, you might have to spend a few bucks for the part and the labor expenses. Therefore, most people want to save the labor cost and seek replacement of the wheel all by themselves. 

But, as you have no experience doing the same, you should not attempt it. A faulty installation is already a specified cause of wheel bearing damage and inefficiency. It will eventually put the vehicle at high risk and might just shorten the lifespan of the wheel bearing. 

Therefore, you should not replace the wheel bearing all by yourself by relying only on video lessons over the internet. Instead, hand it over to your professionals at the cost of a few bucks to ensure safety as a priority.

Outcomes Of Damaged And Noisy Wheel Bearing

You might experience a few associated outcomes if you neglect upon replacing or fixing the noisy wheel bearing and its cause. The outcomes are: 

Outcomes Of Damaged Front Wheel Bearing

Here are the repercussions that you would experience with neglected front wheel bearing damage:

Rotor Wearing Or Uneven Brake Pad 

Even though these parts are not directly related to the bearings, a worn-out wheel bearing can trigger severe looseness within the wheels, which might also damage the brake pads or rotors. 

Grinding Outcome While The Car Is In Motion

If you are experiencing any grinding sound, then there may be some kind of mechanical damage within the wheel-end system that has been triggered by the wheel bearing damage and other linked problems associated with it. Soon, the wheel bearing will start to make noise even when you turn or make gear shifts.

Growling Sound

At the first or initial stage, the damaged wheel bearing will make a low rumbling or humming sound that you can feel within the cabin. 

But over time, if this issue goes unattended, the sound will escalate into a heavy growling sound. It will seem like the wheel would come off its setting any time now! If the sound seems to be a growling type, you can conclude that the damage has escalated beyond repair.

Abnormal Wearing Of The Tire 

Worn-out wheel bearing can result in wearing out the tire but in an abnormal manner. It might cause improper alignment of the tire and wear out the suspension.

Outcomes Of Damaged Rear Wheel Bearing

Here are the repercussions that you would experience with that of neglected rear wheel bearing damage:

Abnormal Side Pull while Braking

You can also trigger this particular outcome due to a problematic caliper or equalizer. But a worn bearing can also be an optimal cause for it. 

It is not the first outcome or sign that you will experience bad wheel bearing. The side pull of your car will be followed by the grinding noises and shaking of the steering wheel. 

ABS Failure

The work of ABS is pretty much precise for all of the car fanatics. If the wheel bearing is not fixed or replaced within time, it might just deteriorate and stop the functionality of ABS. 

It will mostly happen because of the excessive movement around the brake and tire region due to damaged bearing. 

Wobbling Wheels 

For extreme cases, the wheel bearing that hasn’t been repaired or fixed will trigger the wobbling of the wheels. A proper bearing is essential for connecting the wheel to the vehicle setting. 

If it is broken or worn out, then the wheel will eventually start to wobble, and inside, it might just fall in the worst case out. 

FAQs

Final Thoughts

That’s all from our side on how long a wheel bearing lasts after it starts making noise. We can only give you a time estimate and it isn’t wise to take any risks. Driving with a faulty wheel bearing can lead to an accident and your insurer can claim driver negligence especially if you kept driving despite noticing the problem. 

So, in such a situation, drive your car at a steady speed of not more than 40mph and take it to the nearest mechanic. Else, take it home and change the wheel bearing yourself. Hope this helps!