TIMKEN LM272249DW/LM272210-LM272210D Tapered Roller Bearing

It takes good fortune and a sturdy vehicle to travel thousands of miles across the country, and your wheels have a lot do with keeping your journey safe and smooth. Most of what we’re concerned about on our wheels is what we can see – does the tire pressure look good? Are there any cracks or scrapes that should be noted? Are all the lug nuts in place? Are all the tires still on the vehicle? But in addition to keeping an eye out for visible signs of wear and tear on your wheels and hubs, it’s also a best practice for fleets and owner/operators to know and understand when wheel bearings may be showing signs of early failure. Your wheel bearings fit snugly inside the wheel hub and reduce friction as your wheels spin while also supporting the vehicle’s entire weight. That’s a big job, but when you know your bearings, you increase your chances of addressing bearing issues before they lead to unexpected downtime, late deliveries, and lost revenue.

The best bearings for your applications will depend on what kind of vehicle you’re driving: Front wheel-bearing applications generally use an angular-type ball bearing because it accepts greater thrust loads than the standard Conrad-type bearing Some rear axles have a cartridge-type wheel bearing set that contains either a ball or a tapered roller set Tapered roller bearings are the most used wheel bearings because of their high capacity for both radial and single thrust loads. Case carburization creates hardened steel protection around the outside of the bearing while leaving a soft core for optimal shock-load capabilities. Special roller crowning adds greater load-carrying capacity and extends product life. Comprehensive product coverage with metric, inch, J-metric, single row, two-row, double-row, and four-row assemblies so you can find the perfect bearing set for your needs. U.S.-based manufacturing through NTN-Bower facilities in Macomb, Illinois and Hamilton, Alabama. Premium materials including case-hardened alloy steel and precisely controlled heat treatment.

It’s not always ideal or convenient to interrupt a delivery, but even though a wheel bearing may not seem like it warrants immediate attention, it’s risky to drive with one that’s worn out. In severe cases, it can even cause to wheel to completely stop while you’re driving. A bad bearing can also place additional stress on and reduce the lifespan of other components such as the hub, CV joint, and on the transmission itself. Should you choose to drive with a bad wheel bearing, you’ll probably find that your vehicle is not as responsive as it should be, and that’s not a risk you want to take when you’re driving an 80,000-pound vehicle at highways speeds.

Noises. How do you know if you’ve got a bad bearing? It’ll tell you with grating or grinding noises as you’re driving, which may get worse as you accelerate. A humming noise, which can be an indicator of a few different issues in your wheels, may also be present with a bad bearing. Looseness. Feeling looseness in your vehicle as you drive is hard to describe but seasoned drivers know their truck and know what it feels like when something’s off. Trust your instincts and play it safe if you’re experiencing loose steering as this can be a sign of looseness within the wheel assembly. Pulling. As the driver, you should be in complete control of where the vehicle is going. If it seems like your truck has a mind of its own and is veering in a different direction, there’s trouble in your wheel assembly. Uneven tire wear. Getting your tires rotated regularly can help you spot irregularities in your tire wear, but if you’re seeing extreme uneven wear in your tires, it’s worth taking a look at your bearings.

Wheel bearing replacement is typically a standard job depending on your application specs, but if the steering knuckle needs to be removed in order to replace the bearing or if other related components also need to be replaced, costs are going to vary. It’s worth noting that the cost of downtime and compromised driver safety aren’t worth putting off a wheel bearing replacement but investing in superior quality bearings upfront can improve your wheel assembly’s lifespan. Ready to fit your fleet or truck with some of the top bearings in the business? Check out our full haul of heavy-duty everything with bearings from NTN Bearing Corporation and more.