Some Observations on Premature Damage to Automotive Wheel Hub Bearings

A wheel hub bearing could suffer damage from impacts during operation. The speed at which the vehicle strikes the pothole plays a critical role in determining the extent of the damage; higher speeds typically result in greater force and, consequently, more severe impacts on the axle and other components. The angle of attack is another parameter that determines the impact force on the axle bearing. Optical imaging revealed that at some operating point, the entire load of the axle was absorbed by a single ball. Driving over a hump or a pothole of 160 mm or above with an angle of attack above 70 degrees could be detrimental to the axle bearing of an automobile. Conventional bearing fatigue life calculations cannot accurately predict the time or number of load cycles needed to initiate a defect under rolling contact fatigue. The current research paper aims to analyze the premature failure of an automotive rear hub bearing due to false brinelling.