The hub is an element of the chassis of the vehicle providing the connection of the wheel with the axis. Thanks to the wheel bearings that act as an intermediate link between the axis and the hub, the wheels rotate with minimal resistance.

Construction and principle of the operation of the wheel bearings

Hub bearings are one of the most high-loaded parts of the car. They have pressure of the entire mass of the vehicle, as well as multidirectional loads that occur when driving on irregularities, acceleration and braking. Therefore, these nodes put forward serious requirements, since they depends on the safety of the ride.

In the design of the car in the hubs apply rolling bearings. Types of bearings are different, although their design is identical. They consist of several parts:

• Separator.
• Rolling bodies.
• Outdoor and inner clip (rings).

Rings of bearings are supporting surfaces for rolling bodies, which are placed between rings. With its inner ring, the bearing sits on the axis, and the outer is mounted in the hole of the hub.

To evenly distribute rolling body around the circumference, the separator is used. Another task of the separator is to eliminate the contact of the data of the bodies. In the design of some types of hub bearings, anthers are additionally used, which prevent dirt and dust from entering the node. Such nodes are closed.

Varieties of hub bearings

Rolling bodies in the bearings of the hub are balls and rollers (conical or cylindrical). Round rows can be one or two. Radial (cylindrical roller and balls) and radially resistant (tapered roller) bearings were obtained.

As for modern models, equipped ABS, the bearing of the hub in them is an integral part of the hub itself. It is closed and maintained, and its resource is identical to the service life of the vehicle. When the node is output, it is necessary to change the hub assembly.

Radial type bearings are mounted one by one on the hub. They are maintenance-free and closed, it does not provide adjustment for them, and possible backlash are removed by landing on the axis and in the hub with a strong tension.

Radial-stubborn bearings are not rarely mounted on two on the hub. Such nodes are open and landing with small tension. This design makes it possible to perform adjustment to eliminate the backlash.

Radial-resistant bearings are used on the slave axis, and on the leading - radial shock. For example, on the VAZ 2107 ahead on the hubs are mounted on two conical bearing, and behind one ball. And on the VAZ 2108, the two-row cylindrical component is used in front, and the conical is mounted on the rear axle.

Lifetime of wheel bearings, signs of wear, diagnostics

For the service life of the bearings directly affect the features of the car operation, timely maintenance and quality of the manufacture of nodes. As a rule, the bearing resource is one hundred thousand mileage kilometers. Frequent movement in bad roads, as well as ignoring the adjustment in order to remove the backlats (in the bearings of the conical type) entail enhanced wear of rolling bonds, as well as their tracks on the climam. Ingestion of sand and dust reduce the resource of bearings.

However, it is impossible to allow critical wear of nodes, otherwise the risk of bearing destruction is appropriate, which is accompanied by jamming the wheels or its breakdown from the axis. The main sign of the wear of the hub bearings is the emergence of a distinct hum when driving from the wheel. With insignificant wear, the hum is quiet, but over time it will increase. You can use the car with such symptoms, however, it is desirable to perform the diagnostics of the wheel bearings as soon as possible and adjust or replace them.

Critical wear signal - the occurrence of the crunch. This indicates the destruction of the bearing. With these features, it is impossible to operate the vehicle, and the damaged node must be replaced.

The diagnostics of the bearings of the hub - the event is not difficult, each can perform it. It is necessary to hang the wheel and twist it to determine if there is no subdings and jams. Then raise the wheel, keeping it down and at the top. The play on radial cylindrical products is not allowed, but it may be present at the radial-resistant bearings, but is insignificant.

Plate in cylindrical products indicates a strong wear and a need to replace, as they are unregulated. But the backlash in the bearings of the conical type can be eliminated.

Adjustment work

To conduct adjustment work, screwdrivers, hammer, passage and standard set of keys will be required. Adjustment on all cars is actually identical and differs only in some details.

1. On the hub that you need to adjust, loosen the wheel bolts.
2. With the jack, post and remove the wheel.
3. Taking advantage of the hammer and screwdriver, run the protective cap, mounted in the center of the hub.
4. Using the passage, bent the stopper mustache and pull it out.
5. Tighten the hub nut until you stop, then unscrew back to ¼ turn.
6. Check the ease of rotation of the hub. It should easily spin without jail.
7. Collect everything back and check back the backlash.

If, by means of adjustment, it was not possible to eliminate the backlash or when rotated, you notice the crunch and subflinking, it is necessary to replace the bearing.

Tips Profi, Nuances when replacing the hub bearing

The replacement technology of the hub bearing is not complicated, however, it requires a special equipment - press or powerful plumbing vice. A method with a hub clogging with a hammer with a mentor is not suitable for working with hubs, since there is a high risk of a node skew or damage to the seat of the hub bearing.

When installing the new bearing, pay attention to the ease of its landing. The bearing must be very tight in the hub, and a small resistance testifies to the wear of the landing place. In this case, the hub is subject to replacement. During the landing of the new bearing, pay attention to its centering, otherwise, when installing, there is a risk that it will go to the skew and hurt the surface of the landing place. More about replacing the hub bearing you can learn from this video.