Wheel Bearing Replacement
Also called wheel bearing noise
The wheel bearing lets the wheel spin freely on the hub while carrying the weight of the car. Water, dust and potholes destroy it, and it then hums, drones or growls, usually getting louder with speed and changing when you steer left or right. Replacement removes that noise and the play it creates. It will not cure a vibration caused by wheel balance, a bent rim or a worn tyre.
What the job includes
- Road test to identify which corner the noise comes from
- Play and roughness check with the wheel raised and spun
- Hub or bearing replacement using a press where required
- ABS sensor and ring inspection while the hub is apart
- Hub nut tightened to the specified torque
- Road test to confirm the noise has gone
Signs you need this
- Humming or droning that rises with road speed
- Noise changes or disappears when steering left or right
- Rumble or growl felt through the floor
- Play felt when rocking the wheel top and bottom
- Roughness felt when the raised wheel is spun by hand
- ABS light appears alongside the noise
Not all of these have to be present, and one of them on its own can mean something else entirely. That is what the diagnosis is for.
How we do it
Locate the noise
The car is driven and steered gently both ways, since loading a bearing changes how loud it is.
Confirm at the wheel
The wheel is raised, rocked for play and spun by hand to feel roughness in the bearing.
Replace the bearing
The bearing or complete hub is replaced with a press, with seals and the ABS ring handled carefully.
Torque and test
The hub nut is tightened to specification and the car is road tested to confirm the noise is gone.
How we work
The same on every job, which is why we can write it down.
Diagnosis before quote
We find the fault first. A price given over the phone for a noise nobody has heard is a guess.
The price is agreed first
You approve the work and the cost before a spanner is picked up. Extra work means another call.
Parts you can check
We tell you whether a part is genuine, OEM, aftermarket or used, and what each one costs.
Old parts returned
Ask and we will hand back whatever we replaced. It is the simplest proof that the job was done.
Book wheel bearing replacement
Fill this in and a person will call you back to confirm the time and the price. Only your name and one way to reach you are required.
Before you book
Questions we get asked
If your question is not here, ask it. We would rather answer honestly now than have you find out after booking.