Wheel bearings
Bearings need clean grease and the right adjustment. Neglect ruins hubs and spindles.
The short version
- Jack it up and set a jack stand under the axle, then check for play and roughness when you spin the wheel. Never work under a load held only by a jack.
- Repack or replace on the manufacturer's schedule.
- Inspect races and rollers for pitting, blue heat marks or roughness. Replace both if either is bad.
- Set the preload to the axle manufacturer's spec and use a new seal and cotter pin.
Try it on a service call
Put the lesson to work on a hands-on troubleshooting case.