A wheel bearing may be small, but it plays a significant role in your vehicle's operation. Acting as a low-friction buffer between the wheel and the axle, the wheel bearing allows your wheels to spin smoothly and carry the vehicle's weight.
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When a wheel bearing begins to fail, it can lead to uneven tire wear, reduced handling performance or even dangerous driving conditions. Understanding how wheel bearings work—and what replacement costs involve—can help you make informed, confident decisions while keeping your vehicle in top shape.
A wheel bearing is a set of steel balls or rollers held together by a metal ring, known as a race, and housed inside the wheel hub. It allows the wheel to spin freely with minimal friction while supporting the vehicle's weight. Each wheel has its own bearing, designed to reduce rolling resistance and enable smooth rotation.
There are several common types of wheel bearings:
Recognizing the early signs of a bad wheel bearing can save you money and help you avoid more serious damage. Look out for:
Ignoring these symptoms can lead to complete bearing failure—and much higher repair costs.
The cost to replace a wheel bearing can vary based on several factors, including which wheel needs service, the type of bearing and your vehicle's design.
Here's a breakdown of the estimated costs:
Service type
Typical cost range (per wheel)
Front wheel bearing replacement $150 to $300 Hub-style front bearing (additional) $100 to $200 Rear wheel bearing replacement $200 to $500 Professional shop (typical car) $250 to $500 Professional shop (luxury/specialty) $700+If you are comfortable tackling automotive repairs and have the necessary tools, replacing wheel bearings yourself can lead to significant savings. Parts alone typically cost between $50 and $250 per bearing, depending on the vehicle, bearing quality and brand. In some cases, especially for luxury or rare models, parts may cost significantly more. Always check compatibility carefully before purchasing.
While DIY replacement can lower your total bill, incorrect installation can cause safety risks. If you're unsure about the process, it's best to leave this job to the professionals.
Based on RepairPal data, here's what you can typically expect to pay for wheel bearing replacement by vehicle make and model:
Vehicle make/model
Average cost
Ford F-150 ~ $200 to $250 Toyota Camry ~ $300 to $560 Honda Accord ~ $400 to $580 Honda Civic ~ $300 to $500 Toyota Corolla ~ $350 to $500 Nissan Altima ~ $300 to $750 Honda CR-V ~ $400 to $600 Ford Explorer ~ $300 to $400While wheel bearings are designed for durability, regular maintenance can help extend their lifespan and delay costly replacements. Follow these tips to keep yours in top condition:
Choosing the right service provider is just as important as recognizing the problem. When replacing your vehicle's wheel bearings:
Wheel bearing failure is a serious safety issue and can create an unpleasant vehicle ownership experience. Knowing the average costs, the factors influencing them and what to expect from service providers can save you time, money and hassle. If you notice any signs of bearing wear, do not delay. Acting early can protect your vehicle and your wallet.
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The function of the wheel hub assembly is to keep the wheel spinning freely on the wheel bearing while keeping it attached to the vehicle. A wheel hub is a pre-assembled unit that features precision bearings, seals, and sensors. It is also called wheel hub bearing, hub assembly, wheel hub unit, or hub and bearing assembly. The wheel hub assembly is a crucial part of your steering and suspension system contributing to the safe steering and handling of your vehicle. Wheel hub assemblies are located at both the front and rear wheels of vehicles, and there is no major difference between the two.
Mevotech Hub Assembly
Moog Hub Assembly
Transit Warehouse Hub Assembly
Raybestos Hub Assembly
When buying new hub assemblies you can select either aluminium or steel wheel hubs based on the construction material. Deciding what is best for you, depends on your needs.
Aluminium hub assemblies are lighter and thus reduce your vehicle’s overall weight and increase fuel efficiency. Due to the design and material used, these hubs are costly as compared to steel hubs. Steel hub assemblies are more dependable as they require low maintenance. These hubs provide greater strength, and wear resistance and are less expensive. However, they weigh more than aluminium hubs. If you want to keep your costs down and weight isn’t your concern you must go for the steel hub or else you can purchase aluminium hubs.
In pre-set hub assemblies all parts of the wheel hub unit like the bearings, seals, sensors and sensor wire are pre-assembled. Therefore, it decreases installation time, reduces the possibility of installation errors and keeps your expenses low as you don’t have to invest in installation tools. Even though preset hubs reduce installation errors, this type of hub will still require maintenance and replacement over time.
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Conventional hubs require assembly and do not come manufactured and assembled with bearings and seals which leaves room for alignment errors during installation compromising the vehicle’s safety. Although purchasing these separately can save you on costs but unless you have adequate skills, the right equipment and knowledge these assemblies are not recommended.
They are the most common type of wheel bearing and also the most versatile. Ball bearings can absorb both radial and thrust loads. Radial load is the amount of weight put on a wheel, while thrust load is the cornering pressure. They also offer low friction owing to their minimal contact area with the rolling elements. These types of bearings are suitable for vehicles like sports cars with high engine speeds.
Tapered roller bearings are most often used in standard car and truck wheels or vehicles that are subjected to higher side loading. That’s because of their ability to absorb high radial forces due to their large contact area of the rolling elements in the races. However, tapered roller bearings aren’t suitable for high engine speeds.
For the wheel bearing to fit properly and ensure your vehicle and all passengers remain safe, you should check the make and model of the vehicle as well as the number of lug nuts in the wheel. Lug nuts hold the wheel and tire assembly on the vehicle and are fastened onto special studs. These studs are pressed through the back of the hub. It is important to take into consideration the number of lug nuts and vehicles’ load capability as this can impact the bearing you choose.
Aluminum hub assemblies are lighter, corrosion-resistant, and have better thermal conductivity. The higher thermal conductivity value of aluminum ensures to protect the bearing from damage if it becomes heated due to friction. The only drawback to aluminum is the higher cost. Whereas the steel hub assemblies are heavier but require low maintenance, provide greater strength, and are less expensive. If you want to keep your costs down and looking for a balance of all features it is recommended to select steel hubs.
Replacement OE components offer the same advantages as factory-equipped parts. But this means you will not be receiving any additional benefits which can be found in aftermarket products. OE parts will also cost quite a bit more than their aftermarket counterparts. Aftermarket components are generally cheaper and provide many benefits over the standard hub assemblies. Aftermarket components match the fit and performance of the OE parts and some even exceed that. Hence making them a bargain over OE counterparts.
Moog is one of the leading manufacturers of auto parts and manufactures some of the best wheel bearings. One of the best features of the MOOG hub assembly is found in its construction. Each is built to be highly reliable and perform without fault. MOOG’s level of engineering makes the wheel bearing hub assembly relatively quiet when driving.
Hub Assembly Part Number: , , , , and many more.
For more products, please refer to our Moog Hub Assembly section.
Mevotech engineers focus on making parts faster and easier to install and providing a longer service life. They employ punishing durability testing and validate every new design to ensure you get the performance you can trust. Every component they make is thoroughly checked, due to which they deliver 100% satisfaction for you.
Hub Assembly Part Number: H, H, H, MB, and more.
For more products, please refer to our Mevotech Hub Assembly section.
Transit warehouse offers premium quality products and is known to keep pace with industry changes and deliver advanced products to meet the needs of today’s automobile market. They manufacture superior quality and offer a wide range of parts and accessories for cars, light trucks, and trailers, such as brakes, suspension, wheel accessories, electrical accessories, lighting, wipers, and much more. They have a rich experience in manufacturing automotive components and offer a wide range of options to select from.
Hub Assembly Part Number: 70-, 70-, 70-, 70-, and more.
For more products, please refer to our Transit Warehouse Hub Assembly section
Dorman is one of the leading manufacturers of automotive components and their products are precision-engineered and offer different types of repair solutions for the large majority of vehicles on the road.
Hub Assembly Part Number: 950-001, 950-004, , , 950-002, and more.
For more products, please refer to our Dorman OE Solutions Hub Assembly section.
From hub assemblies, and brake parts to rotors, calipers to hydraulics, Raybestos produces dependable automotive parts with expansive coverage. All of their products are extensively tested so you can be sure you are buying a product that is reliable and safe. Rely on Raybestos to deliver parts that you can depend on.
Hub Assembly Part Number: , , , , and more.
For more products, please refer to our Raybestos Hub Assembly section.
Driving with a bad wheel hub assembly is dangerous. As the bearings inside the assembly become worn out, they can cause the wheels to stop turning smoothly. If the hub assembly degrades, the steel can fracture and cause the wheel to come off. It is always recommended to get your damaged hub assemblies replaced to ensure a smooth ride and vehicle safety. The most common signs of a bad wheel bearing are:
A grinding noise or rumbling loud noise coming from the tire or wheel of the vehicle. It will sound like metal grinding on metal and will get louder as the vehicle goes faster.
A bad wheel bearing can lead to uneven tire wear. Therefore, it is best to have the bearing replaced before the tires go bad to save money.
If the steering of your vehicle feels loose and wobbles excessively, it can be another sign of a wheel bearing gone bad. This is an unsafe situation.
If a wheel bearing is missing, it is not recommended you drive the vehicle at all as the wheel can fall off entirely while the vehicle is in motion.
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