Is it safe to drive with the wheel bearing removed?
Wheel bearings help the car roll smoothly. Symptoms of a bad or missing wheel bearing include grinding, steering wheel loosening, and uneven tire wear.
The wheel bearings in your vehicle interact with the tire, hub, and wheel to provide a smooth ride while driving on the road. If the wheel bearing fails, there will be more friction on the wheel and the wheel will begin to wobble.
Driving with a missing wheel bearing is not safe. Driving without a wheel bearing is dangerous, so if any of the 3 signs below appear, contact your mechanic as soon as possible. One of your wheel bearings may be about to fall off, and the symptoms themselves pose a danger to driving.
Loud noise coming from a tire or wheel The most common sign of a bad wheel bearing is a loud noise coming from the car's tire or wheel. It will sound like metal grinding on metal and will get louder as the vehicle speed increases. If you hear noise coming from the wheel, contact your mechanic immediately.
Steering wheel feels free If your car's steering seems to be loose, which means the steering wheel wobbles excessively, this could be another sign that a wheel bearing has failed. This is an unsafe situation because the vehicle will not respond as it should.
Tires wear out faster The potential downside of a bad or missing wheel bearing is that your tires wear out faster than if you replaced the wheel bearings when they first showed signs of failure. Bad wheel bearings can lead to uneven tire wear, which means you'll have to buy tires sooner. If you suspect your wheel bearing is failing, it's best to replace the bearing before the tires go bad to save both tire money and peace of mind.
If the wheel bearing is missing, it is not recommended to drive the car at all, as the wheel can completely fall off while the car is moving. The wheel bearing is an important part of securing the wheel to your car, so without it, the wheel has nothing to hold on to. This is a dangerous situation, especially if you are driving on the highway, as you could lose control of your car and the tire could obstruct other drivers. Replace the wheel bearing as soon as possible.
