The Humble Wheel Seal
When you talk about your wheels, most of the attention goes to your wheel hub and tires. But the seamless motion and functionality of your wheels on the axles is due in part to your heavy-duty wheel seals.
As the name implies, wheel seals have the very important job of protecting the wheel bearings. As your vehicle flies down the road at highway speeds, outside contaminants can get into your hub assemblies and cause damage. Wheel seals not only protect contaminants from getting in, but it also keeps essential bearing grease from getting out.
Signs that Your Wheel Seal May Be Failing
While a lot of wheel seals are designed to have an unlimited mile warranty, that doesn't mean you can set and forget them. If left unaddressed, faulty wheel seals can lead to bearing damage and unexpected part failure.
Luckily, there are a few visible signs when wheel seals are beginning to break down. If you notice any of these signs during pre or post-trip inspections, early intervention can help keep your wheel ends at peak performance for the long haul.
The Bearings are Leaking
One of the most common signs of a damaged wheel seal is lubricant leakage from the wheel bearings. When the wheel seal is no longer able to hold in the bearing grease, it begins to leak outside of the hub assembly and can also be flung into places it isn't supposed to be inside the wheel hub while your vehicle is in motion.
Even if you feel no change to the way your vehicle drives if the bearings are leaking, bearings and other hub components can become damaged very easily. If you see grease where it shouldn't be, have your hubs checked as soon as possible.
Visible Damage to the Wheel Seal
This symptom of early wheel seal failure is a little trickier for drivers to notice, but technicians and mechanics that notice a damaged wheel seal during routine tire, suspension, or brake inspections or oil changes should address this immediately.
When wheels hit potholes or encounter debris on the road, it can impact the wheel seal housing and create a dent or break in the seal. When this visible damage is present, technicians should replace the seal and also inspect the wheel bearings for damage. Bearings may also need to be cleaned and re-greased before putting the vehicle back into service.
Noise From the Tires and Wheels
When a wheel seal is damaged, broken, or has completely fallen off, the loss of lubrication can also cause the metal from the bearing to grind against the metal of the hub, resulting in a roaring or grinding noise coming from the wheels.
This noise may become louder as the vehicle accelerates, meaning you've got a problem that needs to be addressed quickly. There are a few different reasons why this type of noise may be coming from your hubs, but a faulty wheel seal can also be the source.
OEM Replacement Wheel Seals from Top Aftermarket Brands
Finding an OEM alternative within the aftermarket industry is a cost effective solution for replacement. Finding that part is easy with the JIT Truck Parts Wheel Seal Cross Reference Chart.
Shop today to pick up the wheel seals you need for your hard-working application to get safely back on the road without having to worry about what's happening inside your hubs. Choose from top aftermarket brands such as SKF®, National Seals®, Stemco®, Meritor® and Match Made® Parts for your next seal replacement and keep your focus where it needs to be — on the journey ahead.
