Invisible Guardian of Automobile: Wheel Hub Bearing​

In the complex and precise mechanical world of automobiles, Wheel Hub Bearing plays a pivotal role and can be called the "invisible guard" of smooth driving of automobiles. It is not only related to driving comfort, but also closely related to driving safety.
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Wheel Hub Bearing: The Core Promoter of Automobile Driving​
The main function of wheel hub bearing is to bear weight and provide precise guidance for the rotation of wheel hub, while transmitting driving force, supporting wheels and reducing friction resistance. In terms of load bearing, wheel hub bearing can handle axial and radial loads with ease. When the car is driving, the weight of the car body, passengers and cargo must be transferred to the wheel hub bearing through various components, which is steadily borne by the wheel hub bearing to ensure the normal driving of the vehicle under various road conditions and load conditions. If the wheel hub bearing cannot bear the corresponding weight, the vehicle may experience bumps, shaking or even component damage when driving, which seriously affects driving safety. ​

In power transmission, wheel hub bearings also play a key role. The driving force generated by the powertrain needs to be transmitted to the wheel hub through the wheel hub bearing so that the wheel can rotate and the vehicle can move forward or backward. In this process, the wheel hub bearing ensures the efficient and stable transmission of the driving force, allowing the vehicle to obtain sufficient power to cope with different driving conditions, whether it is normal driving on a flat road, or climbing, accelerating and other situations that require greater power. It can be smoothly achieved.

It is also like a smooth "lubricant", which greatly reduces the friction resistance between the wheel and other parts when the wheel rotates, making the vehicle easier to drive. It not only reduces energy consumption, reduces component wear, and extends the overall service life of the vehicle, but also helps to improve the vehicle's handling performance, allowing the driver to control the vehicle's driving direction and speed more smoothly. ​

Structure and working principle: precise and coordinated operation mechanism​
The wheel hub bearing is usually composed of an inner ring, an outer ring, a rolling element and a cage. The rolling element is generally a ball or roller, which rolls between the inner and outer rings, and the cage ensures that the rolling element is evenly distributed to avoid collisions. When working, the hub is connected to the wheel. During the driving process of the vehicle, the rotation of the wheel drives the hub to rotate, the inner ring of the hub bearing rotates synchronously with the hub, and the rolling body rolls between the inner ring and the outer ring to achieve low-friction rotational motion. This structural design enables the hub to rotate smoothly around the axle, providing the necessary support and flexibility for vehicle driving. ​

Development history: Technological innovation promotes performance leap​
The development of car hub bearings has gone through many stages. In the past, single-row tapered roller or ball bearings were used in pairs at most. With the advancement of technology, hub bearing units came into being and were widely used. Now it has developed to the fourth generation. ​
First generation: composed of double-row angular contact bearings, mainly used to support wheel rotation, and need to be adjusted to ensure reasonable clearance during installation. ​
Second generation: It is a hub bearing unit composed of double-row tapered roller bearings or double-row angular contact ball bearings, with high-performance special grease added inside, installed as a unit, and no clearance adjustment is required.​

Third generation: The main structure of the product is two double-row angular contact ball bearings with flange structure. One flange is connected to the car wheel hub, the other is connected to the suspension, and the inner hole is connected to the drive shaft. It is equipped with a synchronous speed measuring disc and a high-performance sensor. It is a signal acquisition unit of the car ABS system and belongs to a mechatronics product. ​
Fourth generation: One of the inner sleeves or outer sleeves is an integral part with the drive shaft. The structure is more compact than the third generation. It is mainly used in cars with ABS systems. It is the development trend of wheel hub bearings for mid-to-high-end cars and high-end commercial vehicles. ​

In daily maintenance, it is very important to regularly check the working status of the wheel hub bearings. Pay attention to whether the wheels shake abnormally and listen for abnormal noises during driving. After the vehicle has traveled a certain mileage, the wheel hub bearings should be maintained according to the manufacturer's regulations, such as adding grease to ensure that the bearings are in a good lubrication state and reduce wear. When changing tires or performing other chassis repairs, the wheel hub bearings should also be checked to detect potential problems and solve them in time. ​