5 Reasons Why Top-Performing Wheel Bearings Are Important For Your Muscle Car

If you are anything like me, you love your muscle car. But then again, what’s not to love? She is sleek, attractive, powerful, and gets you wherever you want to go in rapid time thanks to her epic horsepower. But while you may spend your time focusing on her big-block engine, her custom paint job, and her leather interior, there is another important aspect of her that also needs some tender loving care.

One of the most overlooked parts of a car, a wheel bearing is a set of steel balls held together by a metal ring called a race. When designed properly, they ensure that your muscle car is getting efficient wheel rotation.

Here are five reasons why top-performing wheel bearings are important for your muscle car.

1. Wheel Bearings Ensure You Have a Smooth Ride.

Wheel bearings have the distinct pleasure of being the first connection between the moving and static parts of your muscle car. They are the parts that support the weight of your car and distribute it accurately across all four wheels, as well as aid in the efficiency of their rotation. Along with grease, your car’s wheel bearings move in tandem with the wheel’s rotation, ensuring the wheel hub can move as freely and smoothly as possible. For this reason, top-performing wheel bearings are the key to a smooth ride for you and your passengers.

2. Wheel Bearings Affect All Aspects of Your Car.

When it comes to the overall functionality of your muscle car, obviously the wheels on your vehicle are vital. In addition to ensuring you have a smooth ride, wheel bearings also affect other aspects of your vehicle perfomance (like fuel efficiency), as they also have to absorb the immense heat and friction that is generated every time you take her out for a spin. Having top-performing wheel bearings is essential if you want to experience the proper functioning and finest performance from your muscle car. Remember, like everything in life, not all bearings manufacturers are created equal.

3. Top-Performing Wheel Bearings Last a Lot Longer.

The wheel bearings in your muscle car are made from hardened steel and therefore should be able to withstand a significant amount of wear and tear. However, not all of them are designed and produced in the same manner and to the same standards, so it is only high-quality ones that can truly endure the abuse. Water, pollution, and heat are the parts’ biggest enemies, two things that are not always possible to control.

Lubrication can keep the heat from damaging them, while water may slip into the wheel bearing due to impact from a bad road. Wheel bearings tend to last anywhere from 75,000 to 150,000 miles (although if a top-performing wheel bearing from a reputable bearing brand is installed and looked after properly, it can last a lot longer).

4. Wheel Bearings Can Cause Major Issues If Faulty.

If you don’t include a high-quality wheel bearing in your muscle car, there are many issues that could potentially follow. If you notice a loud grinding noise coming from the wheels while the car is in motion or if you feel the steering wheel shaking while you attempt to steer, then there is a very good chance that your wheel bearing needs to be replaced. As soon as you notice either of these things, you must take your car to a professional to be checked, as your muscle car may not be as responsive now as you want it to be for a safe ride.

If left to its own devices for too long, a faulty wheel bearing can seize and lock the axle. On the other hand, if the wheel bearing goes missing, the whole tire can fall off, putting you and other drivers on the road in severe danger.

5. Today’s Wheel Bearings Have Extra Advantages.

Today’s top-performing wheel bearings (known as the 3rd generation wheel bearings) come equipped with advantages and extras that, until recently, were unheard of. In addition to having components such as the wheel bearing, flange and anti-lock braking system (ABS), these state-of-the-art pieces have built-in sensors that support location tracking as well as speed monitoring via global positioning system (GPS). If that wasn’t enough, the 3rd generation wheel bearings have a longer service life with less maintenance costs due to easy mounting and dismounting. Can you really ask for anything more?

The bad news is that the longer you leave the faulty wheel bearing, the worse the damage may get. Driving around for a long time with a faulty wheel bearing can dramatically increase the extent of repairs that need to be done (and paid for). Why not save yourself the time and money, and invest in a top-performing bearing brand from the start?

AUTHOR BIO

Hassanein Alwan is the Marketing Director for Mineral Circles Bearings. He boasts of more than 10 years’ experience in the bearing industry’s technical support division, sales and marketing, with expertise in strategic business development consultancy.

 

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