The first generation of automotive wheel hub bearings played a crucial role in automobiles, with their functions mainly including the following aspects:
Supporting wheel weight: Wheel hub bearings are key connecting components between the wheel and the body, carrying all the weight of the wheel and its attachments, including tires, wheels, and possibly additional braking systems. This load-bearing capacity ensures that the vehicle can travel stably on various road conditions.
Load bearing: During the driving process of a car, the wheel hub bearing not only bears the axial load of the wheel (i.e. the load perpendicular to the axis), but also the radial load (i.e. the load along the axis direction). These loads constantly change with changes in road conditions and driving conditions, but the wheel hub bearings are always able to stably withstand these loads.
Provide precise guidance: Wheel hub bearings provide precise guidance for wheel rotation through their precise rolling elements (such as steel balls or rollers) and inner and outer ring structures. This precise guidance ensures that the wheels can smoothly rotate along the predetermined trajectory, thereby improving the vehicle's driving stability and safety.
Reduce frictional resistance: The low friction coefficient design of wheel hub bearings helps to reduce frictional resistance during wheel rotation. This design not only reduces energy loss and improves the fuel economy of the vehicle, but also reduces the heat and noise generated by friction.
Sealed design: The first generation of wheel hub bearings usually adopted a sealed structure, which can effectively prevent external factors such as dust, moisture, and impurities from entering the interior of the bearing. Thus protecting the bearings from corrosion and wear, and extending their service life.
Lubrication system: The hub bearings are filled with an appropriate amount of lubricating oil or grease to maintain good lubrication. This lubrication system not only reduces friction and wear between rolling elements and inner and outer rings, but also helps with heat dissipation and noise reduction.
Improving driving stability: The good working condition of wheel hub bearings is crucial for the driving stability of vehicles. If the wheel hub bearings malfunction or wear severely, it will cause problems such as unstable wheel rotation and abnormal noise, which will affect the driving performance and safety of the vehicle.
Ensuring driving safety: As one of the key components in car driving, the reliability of wheel hub bearings is directly related to driving safety. Therefore, regular inspection, maintenance, and replacement of wheel hub bearings are important measures to ensure driving safety.
In summary, the first generation of automotive wheel hub bearings play multiple functions in automobiles, including load-bearing, rotational guidance, protection and extended service life, as well as improving driving performance and safety. It is one of the essential components in the operation of automobiles.
