The correct use of third-generation automotive wheel hub bearings involves multiple aspects, including installation, inspection, maintenance, and avoiding abnormal damage. The following are specific steps and precautions based on information from highly authoritative sources:
1、 Installation
Preparation: Keep the bearings and their surrounding environment clean to prevent small dust from entering the bearings and increasing wear, vibration, and noise.
Use appropriate installation tools, preferably specialized tools, and avoid using fabrics and short fibers.
Before installation, do not open the inner packaging of the bearing to avoid contamination caused by prolonged installation time.
Installation steps: Carefully inspect the mating surface of the shaft and housing to ensure good machining quality, no burrs, and clean thoroughly.
Use a press to press the bearing into the housing hole or onto the hub shaft, ensuring that the end face of the bearing ring is evenly stressed. Do not use tools such as hammers to directly strike the end face of the bearing.
During installation, it should be ensured that the outer ring end face is tightly pressed against the outer shell shoulder end face, and the inner ring end face is tightly pressed against the shaft shoulder end face, with no gaps allowed.
The axis of the installed bearing must coincide with the axis of the housing hole to ensure uniform load on the rolling surface.
Special precautions: For third-generation wheel hub bearings, due to their integration of ABS sensors and other components, special attention should be paid not to touch sensitive parts such as magnetic coding rings during installation.
Strictly tighten the bearings and half shaft bolts according to the vehicle maintenance manual to ensure installation quality.
2、 Check
Tightness inspection: Lift the axle of one end of the inspected wheel hub of the car, rotate the inspected wheel several times by hand, and check whether the rotation is smooth and whether there is any abnormal noise.
If the rotation is not smooth and there is friction sound, it indicates that the braking part is abnormal; If there is no noise but the rotation is uneven and sometimes tight or loose, it indicates that the bearing part is abnormal.
Brake inspection: When inspecting the wheel hub bearings, also check the wheel brake device to ensure that the brake system is working properly.
3、 Maintenance
Regular cleaning: Remove the decorative cover, dust cover and other components of the wheel hub and shaft head, scrape off the old lubricating grease in the bearings, shaft neck and wheel hub cavity, clean with cleaning agent and wipe dry.
Inspection and replacement: Check the hub bearings and bearing races. If cracks, fatigue peeling, and loose bearing rollers are found, the bearings should be replaced in a timely manner.
Check the fit between the inner diameter of the bearing and the shaft neck to ensure that the fit clearance is within the specified range.
Lubrication: Apply lubricating grease to the inner bearing and place it into the wheel hub, ensuring that the grease is fully squeezed into the bearing.
Apply a thin layer of lubricating grease in the hub cavity and shaft head cover to prevent rust.
4、 Avoid abnormal damage
Avoid using improper installation tools and methods, such as strong stamping, striking bearings directly with hammers, etc.
Regularly inspect and maintain wheel hub bearings, promptly identify and solve problems, and avoid abnormal damage to bearings caused by excessive wear or damage.
In summary, the correct use of third-generation automotive wheel hub bearings requires strict installation, inspection, maintenance, and avoidance of abnormal damage principles. Only in this way can the normal operation and service life of the wheel hub bearings be ensured.
