A Comprehensive Guide to Buying the Best Wheel Bearings (Mar. 2020)
Most people normally overlook the wheel bearings of their cars. Wheel bearings are critical in your vehicle’s drive axle as well as the steering assembly. They are used in almost all locomotives from your bicycle, motorbike and even in trains and plains. In vehicles, wheel bearings perform a very significant role. They are responsible for supporting the weight of your vehicle and most importantly, they help in its smooth running.
This is the primary reason why you should always acquire the best wheel bearings to increase the efficiency of your vehicle’s performance. The wheel bearings help in the reduction of friction on the wheels enabling them to maintain a constant speed.
While wheel bearings have been engineered to last for a very long time, they will finally wear out, lose their lubrication properties and need to be replaced. If the wheel bearings are entirely broken, the tire of the vehicle might fall off when you are driving. This might lead to a very serious accident as the vehicle might become uncontrollable.
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Roles of The Wheel Bearing and Their Operational Mechanism
When objects roll, they tend to move better than when they slide. This is because when two objects roll against each other; friction between them is reduced than when they rub. This is the reason why wheel bearings are designed to reduce the friction when the car wheels move.
The wheel bearings are designed to withstand large loads hence enabling the vehicle tires to spin efficiently without any hindrance. The bearings are designed with a smooth internal surface which appears to be ball shaped. This design is to help in the smooth spinning of the wheels without any friction. The ball shape produces a force that keeps the rotation of the bearing on a move.
The different types of bearings are designed to offer varying types of force. Just as the various kinds of the tires give an added advantage to the driver, wheel bearings of different styles also do the same.
Types of wheel Bearings
There are a variety of wheel bearings available on the market. It is important to know the various wheel bearings available and what they are perfect at. Different manufacturers try to modify the wheel bearings in a way that they can be more efficient. They vary in their level of uniqueness and the capability of handling various loads.
The following are some of the wheel bearing varieties and their uses.
- Ball bearings
These bearings are designed in a way that they can handle both thrust and radial loads. They are the most common types of wheel bearing used in the vehicles. They are well made to reduce friction and ensure the smooth spinning of the wheel.
- Ball thrust bearings
The design of these bearings only allows them to handle less weight and low-speed vehicles. They cannot function in heavy weight vehicles. They are also modified to ensure the smooth spinning of the wheel by reducing friction.
- Roller thrust bearings
These bearings are designed to be able to handle the large load vehicles. They work perfectly for a large vehicle which can carry large loads. They are built to be strong and reduce friction.
- Roller bearing
These bearings take a cylindrical design. They are capable of handling vehicles of larger weight loads. They are suitable for vehicles of various types.
- Tapered roller bearings
The tapered roller bearings are designed to be completely versatile and capable of handling both thrust and radial loads. They are modified to be perfect for many vehicles. They are strong and can handle heavy load perfectly.
Factors and features to consider when buying the best bearings
When buying a wheel bearing, there are some features that you should consider to buy the best one. In addition, you must know the make that is compatible with your vehicle. This can be achieved by considering the following factors:
- The make and model of the car
You can find this information on your own by checking the car manual. Before buying a wheel bearing for your vehicle, it is important to consider this factor because different car models may differ in the type needed. Furthermore, the weight of the vehicle and the load it is capable of carrying should also determine the type of bearing you should go for.
- The material
It is very important to consider the material used to make the wheel bearing that you want to buy. The bearing material should be elastic in order to allow the bearing to return to its original shape. The material determines the strength of the bearing.
- Corrosion resistance
Different bearings have varying degrees of resistance to corrosion. A good bearing should be the one that resists corrosion due to rust or even the oil used to lubricate the bearings. Who would want a bearing that corrodes quickly anyway?
- The level of thermal conductivity
A good bearing should be one made using materials which have high thermal conductivity. During the rotation of the tires, heat might be produced due to the friction of distorted ball bearings. When your bearing is one of those made using high thermal conductivity materials, it will not be easily damaged due to an increase of heat.
The Five Best Wheel Bearings on The Market 2018-2019
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It is undoubtedly true that choosing the best bearings is not very easy. This is why we have done this review to help you in selecting the best bearing. The following five wheel bearings made it to our review of the five best wheel bearings.
1. Timken sp580310 wheel bearing
If you have been looking for high-quality bearings, here is the Timken sp580310 bearing. These bearings are designed to give support to the vehicle’s weight as well as maintaining the perfect spinning of the wheels. They ensure a tight fit to the wheel and transmit power efficiently without slipping.
The Timken sp580310 bearings last longer, require no maintenance and are easy to install. Their enhanced performance increases their the reliability, so you will always have no worry when you have them in your vehicle. The bearings are lubricated and sealed to ensure they stay clean and maintain their efficiency.
The bearings come when lubricated hence providing a lifetime smooth spinning of the wheels. What’s more, the Timken sp580310 bearings are corrosion resistant. This means that you will never worry about having rust in your bearings. The only issue you may worry about is their defectiveness when subjected to sharp turns.
Via Amazon.com
Top features
- The bearings are sealed to ensure that the inside stays clean for lifetime optimum performance
- Made of premium quality materials
- Provides a tight fit to the wheels
- Has a weight of 17.7 pounds
- Coated with an anticorrosive material which prevents rust
Pros
- Built strong and lasts longer
- Made of materials which are of high quality to offer optimum performance
- Designed to provide a tight fit to the wheels hence perfect operation
- Coated with an anti corrosion material which prevents rust to maintain efficiency
- The bearings are lubricated to ensure a smooth spinning
- Designed in a way that its installation is easy
Cons
- May become defective when subjected to sharp turns
2. ECCPP 513121 Wheel Bearing HUB
The ECCPP wheel bearing is designed in a way that you can install it by yourself or use a professional installer. This bearing is a product of ECCPP which is a company that is trusted and has high integrity. The unique design of the product makes it work efficiently in multi-environments as well as ensuring a high conversion.
Like most other high-quality wheel bearings, the ECCPP wheel bearing is also corrosion resistant. This basically means it is very durable and might not need a replacement for a long time.
It is worth noting that this bearing has highly integrated flanges which make it perform exemplarily. Installing this wheel bearing is just a walk in the park, anyone can do it.
The ECCPP wheel bearing has multiple rings. These are essential in maintaining the wheel bearing in a perfect working condition. You will totally fall in love with the efficiency are the reliability of this wheel bearing.
Via Amazon.com
Top features
- Multiple sealing rings
- Abs with a sensor wire
- High-quality seal design
- The flanges are highly integrated.
Pros
- The design of the seal is of high quality which ensures a long lasting wheel bearing
- The flanges are highly integrated to increase efficiency
- Multiple sealing rings to maintain the wheel bearing in good condition
- Designed to offer perfect fit and easy to install. You can do the installation by yourself
- Is anti-corrosion and resistant to rust which enables it to work in multiple weather conditions
Cons
- Sometimes the sensor might be faulty
3. ACDelco FW293 GM
This is one of the best wheel bearings money can buy. It is designed in a way that it exceeds or meets the original standards and original equipment specifications.
The bearing is designed to fit in most GM vehicles and many other car models. It features a tapered roller bearing or dual ball elements which are sealed with a permanent lubrication.
The wheel bearing which is designed to fit your GM vehicle will provide a high-quality service and durability. The materials are of high quality to maintain the strength of the bearing making it last longer. The unique sensor which is capable of detecting and measuring the speed of the vehicle makes it top notch.
With this ACDelco bearing, you will never worry about your bearing losing its lubricity. Its lifetime lubrication will keep you going for a very long time.
Via Amazon.com
Top features
- Materials used to make this bearing are of high quality
- Weighs 8 pounds
- Features both dual ball and tapered roller type bearings
- Has lifetime lubrication
- Has sensor which can detect and measure the vehicle speed
Pros
- The materials used to make this bearing are of high quality hence ensuring efficiency
- Has a weight of 8 pounds hence not heavy
- Features a dual ball or tapered roller type of bearing which are sealed hence ensuring long term efficiency
- The ball bearings are sealed with lifetime lubrication
- The bearing is strong enough to support the vehicle as well as keeping the smooth spinning of the car wheel
- Has the sensor which helps in measuring the speed of the wheel
Cons
- The wheel bearing system may fail sometimes
4. MOOG 515058 Wheel Bearing
The MOOG 515058 bearing is designed in a roll form to ensure optimum preload and consistency. The bearing is manufactured in a rigorously controlled manner. This is to ensure the exact matching of the bearing raceways and the rolling elements. The rolling elements and bearing raceways consistently deliver a superior performance as well as minimizing vibration and noise.
This bearing’s unique application design enhancements ensure longer life, efficient ABS performance, and smoother operation. The bearing is also manufactured from a blended material. This blended material creates increased abrasion resistance and protects the bearing from wear due to adverse conditions.
The ABS molded socket connections and shield helps in protecting it against contamination. It features a protective coating that prevents corrosion and rust, therefore enabling its removal to be easier as well as proper torquing of the wheel nut. The only serious issue with this wheel bearing is that it is not easy to install.
Via Amazon.com
Top features
- Proper ABS function and quiet operation
- Quad lip seal
- Precision-matched components which deliver quiet and smooth operation
- Integral Raceway which provides a proper clearance of the surfaces between the ball and bearing
- Roll form design to ensure optimum preload and consistency
Pros
- It has a proper ABS function and quiet operation hence efficiency
- Has a quad lip seal which provides maximum protection from contamination maintaining the bearing to work efficiently for a longer period
- Its precision-matched components deliver a quiet and smooth operation
- It has integral Raceway which provides a proper clearance of the surfaces between the ball and bearing
- It has a roll form design to ensure optimum preload and consistency
- The bearing is designed with a coating which protects it from rusting and corrosion
- Made with stronger material to ensure its durability
Cons
- Requires professionals for its installation
5. Prime Choice Auto Parts HB613123PR
This wheel bearing allows the wheels and the components attached to them to rotate smoothly while maintaining the attachment of the wheels to the car. It is made from high-quality materials which enable it to stay effective for a longer period. The high-quality seal design ensures premium protection from contamination. This helps in maintaining the hub bearing in a clean condition making it last longer.
The bearings are manufactured in such a way that they will always meet the required fit. They can even exceed the expectations. They are manufactured to be strong, and the coating prevents them from rust and corrosion. Their design is in a way that they are easy to install.
This bearing’s strength enables it to withstand the multiple weather conditions hence making it more durable. What’s more, this bearing is also corrosion resistant, and this adds to its durability. If you are looking for those wheel bearings with sensors, this is one of them. The sensors are useful in measuring the speed of the vehicle.
Via Amazon.com
Top features
- Sensors which are designed to match a specific make and model
- High-quality design seals
- Manufactured in the latest design way
- The bearing weighs 15.8 pounds
- It is coated with an anti-corrosion lubricant
- Precision machined
Pros
- Sensors are designed to match a particular make and model
- Has a high-quality design seal to ensure that the bearing hub lasts longer by being clean
- Manufactured in the latest design way to dive a perfect work
- It is coated with an anti-corrosion lubricant which protects the bearing from rust and ensures the smooth spinning of the wheel
- The sensors help in measuring the speed of the wheel
- It has been precision machined making it more efficient
Cons
- They are designed for specific car models hence cannot work for other car models
- May fail after some period
The final Verdict
This article has highlighted some of the essential factors to consider when buying the best wheel bearings for your car. While the wheel bearing buying process is always an uphill task, this should not be the case after reading this review article. Make sure that you practice everything that has been highlighted in this article so that you don’t buy the worst wheel bearing.
While all the five wheel bearings reviewed in this article will perfectly work for you, we would like to highly recommend the Prime Choice Auto Parts HB613123PR. This wheel bearing has a slight upper hand over the rest of the wheel bearings discussed in this article. It meets all the qualifications required in a perfect wheel bearing. It is precision machined, has high-quality sensors, is coated with an anti-corrosion lubricant and above all made of high-quality materials.
If you don’t agree with our verdict that the Prime Choice Auto Parts should be the most recommended wheel bearing, please tell us which wheel bearing discussed above should take its place. We would really love to know why you are recommending that particular wheel bearing.
