Tires and wheels transfer power from the engine and transmission to the ground. Both parts are directly involved in acceleration, braking, cornering, and general driving safety. Any issue with either part not only hurts performance but can also be an accident in waiting. To ensure maximum safety in all driving conditions, regularly inspect tires for wear and pressure and ensure that the wheels do not make noise or have noticeable damage.
To avoid issues getting out of hand, consider aftermarket wheel replacement parts. These can be made to OE specs for familiar handling and performance, or change your ride with improved ride height, more traction, and better looks.
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Wheel Hub Assemblies: Ensure Safe Steering
A crucial component in steering, hub assemblies or wheel hub bearing assemblies keep wheels attached to the car and allow them to turn freely. This enables safe steering with the wheels pointing in the direction you pivot them using the steering wheel. Assemblies consist of several parts, including the main component, the disc-like hub with protruding studs and a hole housing the internal bearings. These can be integrated into the hub, or are replaceable separate parts.
Studs connect the wheels to the assembly, while lug nuts ensure the wheels stay attached. Bearings allow wheels to spin freely, including seals protecting them from dirt, water and road debris. Some factory assemblies also have integrated dust caps to ensure the longevity of the hubs and bearings. To improve safety, assemblies additionally house ABS sensors to monitor how fast each wheel is turning and prevent them from locking up during hard braking.
Signs of Worn Wheel Hubs
Hubs interact with other car parts and systems, so besides efficient movement and stability, they also impact how the car brakes, steers and if tires are aligned and wear evenly. All these factors affect safety. If you notice any of the wheel hub issues listed below, then time for a replacement:
- Clunking snapping and grinding noises – failing bearings, worn axle joints, and general wear and tear can produce warning sounds that need to be taken seriously. These can be heard at set speeds, usually between 30 and 50mph while turning, or parking the car.
- Vibrations – defective hubs cause vibrations that can be felt through the steering wheel, typically at higher speeds. The main reason is worn hub bearings.
- Difficulty steering – damaged or defective hubs cause excess play in the wheels, with the vehicle harder to control and keep direction. Wheels will also feel loose, something you’ll notice during a tire change.
- Braking problems and an ABS warning light – lost signals due to wiring issues, or misaligned wheels from damaged wheel hubs giving incorrect readouts result in an ABS warning in the dash. Braking is also harder, with less tire contact with the road.
- Uneven tire wear – misaligned or damaged hubs cause tires to wear unevenly, reducing grip levels and leading to premature tire changes.
Can You Drive With Faulty Wheel Hubs?
One or all of the symptoms above require prompt action with compatible wheel replacement parts. Driving is possible with defective hubs, but very dangerous. Failing units drastically reduce maneuverability, handling, and stability at any speed, and are a recipe for an impending accident. Though rare, in extreme cases, wheels can fall off the vehicle. Besides safety concerns, continued driving with faulty wheel hubs also leads to wear or damage to suspension springs and linkages, brakes and steering parts, so timely replacement rules out any mishaps or high repair bills.
Car Hoist: Changing Tires and Wheels with Ease
To change a damaged wheel or a blown tire, you’ll need an appropriately sized jack or hoist. These come in a dozen different varieties, but in terms of how they work can be grouped into hydraulic and mechanical types. Bottle and trolley jacks are the most common hydraulic types, utilizing a piston and hydraulic fluid to generate force to lift heavier vehicles. Mechanical scissor lifts are simpler in design, cheaper, and intended for lighter cars.
When changing wheels and tires, safety is the main concern with car jacks. Ensure the car is on level ground, position the base plate in line with the car jack point and start raising slowly. Only when you’re sure that the jack are car are perfectly aligned, continue to lift to the desired height.
If you’re replacing an older unit, or buying you’re first car jack, consider the maximum rated weight loading, the size of jack plates for the intended vehicle, and the height it can reach. Lastly, consider safety features. Hydraulic jacks also have safety valves a pressure release mechs for added safety.
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Fitted Spacers: Go with Bigger Wheels and Tires
Wheel spacers are aftermarket parts that move wheels further out from the vehicle body. They’re installed onto the wheel assembly, between the wheels and hubs. The parts provide many benefits for both on and off-road use:
- Improved handling – spacers increase the wheel track, offering increased stability at speed. This also means better cornering and more grip when tackling technical trails in SUVs.
- Ability to use tire and wheels in bigger diameters – another practical reason to consider wheel spacers is the space they create for tires and wheels in bigger diameters without rubbing against the wheel arches.
- Use bigger brake components – braking can significantly be bettered with performance discs and calipers in larger sizes. That is, with the space offered by spacers.
- Unique looks – the wider more aggressive stance is what many drivers prefer and spacers are the easy and inexpensive way to get that done.
When buying, ensure that the spacers are in the right layout for the studs to ensure a snug fit, are in the thickness that best suits the application (sizes vary between 1/8″ and 3″) and that they’re made of durable stainless steel or aluminum, able to withstand prolonged periods of high friction and heat without warping or cracking.
Final Thoughts
Wheels and replacement parts are vital for vehicle safety. Hubs should last up to 100,000 miles if you do leisurely miles on flat roads, but will need more frequent changes with new bearings or complete assemblies if you do off-roading or are harder on the gas and brake pedals. When the time comes to change wheel hubs, wheels and tires, use a jack or hoist rated for the vehicle, and consider the choices in bigger tires and performance braking components with inexpensive spacers optioned in the right thickness and wheel bolt layout.
Images used in this article are sourced from free resources such as Pexels, Unsplash, and other platforms. All credits go to the respective photographers and creators.
