Taking the safe side – with low-wear MEYLE-ORIGINAL wheel bearings

Hamburg, 24 October 2017. MEYLE supplies a full range of MEYLE-ORIGINAL wheel bearings of all generations available both individually and as full-service kits allowing independent workshops to meet a wide array of repair needs. Made from highest-grade materials and subject to the most stringent quality tests, MEYLE-ORIGINAL wheel bearings are a hallmark of long service life.

Wheel bearings are responsible for the vehicle's roadholding performance and thus critical for vehicle safety. As an integral part of the axle suspension system their task is to guide the wheels and – depending on the design – transmit the driving forces. Some designs also feature sensors and encoder rings that collect and transmit data to the skid-control (ABS) and electronic stability control (ESP) systems. Wheel bearings have a lot to put up with, especially during cornering when the axial and radial strain hits maximum levels. Typical symptoms of a defective wheel bearing are metallic running noises and increased wheel rock. To prevent wheel bearing failure, car drivers should have a defective wheel bearing immediately replaced by a professional repair service. If one or several wheel bearings fail, the vehicle's stability is at stake and the ABS system may no longer function properly. In the worst of cases, the vehicle's stopping distance increases dramatically.

MEYLE-ORIGINAL wheel bearings: low-wear design featuring a specially cured flange, water-repellent high-performance grease and made-to-measure seal
MEYLE supplies repair shops with a full range of MEYLE-ORIGINAL wheel bearings of all generations designed to OE specifications and available both individually and as full-service kits complete with all the required accessory parts, allowing independent workshops to meet a wide range of repair requirements. The distinguishing features of MEYLE-ORIGINAL wheel bearings include:

• Low-wear design: Only highest-grade anti-friction-bearing steel is used to manufacture MEYLE-ORIGINAL wheel bearing shells and balls. This type of steel offers superior fracture toughness and enhanced corrosion and wear resistance over conventional steel material.
• Made-to-measure seal: Each MEYLE-ORIGINAL wheel bearing features a seal individually geared to the respective application – rather than generally applying the same seal technology across the board, as is the case with some competitor products. The MEYLE approach ensures maximum running smoothness and consequently a long wheel bearing life.
• Special curing: The wheel bearing flange is a safety-critical part, because the rim is attached to it. Unlike competitor products, each MEYLE-ORIGINAL wheel bearing flange undergoes special curing during production.
• Water-repellent high-performance grease: A total of four different high-performance greases were formulated to suit all MEYLE-ORIGINAL wheel bearing designs: They are chosen to perfectly match the requirements which are individually determined for each wheel bearing application. Designed to offer enhanced water-repellent properties, the high-performance grease ensures smooth operation of the MEYLE-ORIGINAL wheel bearing even when exposed to the extreme temperatures.

Wheel bearing generations at a glance

MEYLE workshop advice I: Per-axle function test: Along with replacing a defective wheel bearing, MEYLE recommends performing a function check of the second wheel bearing on
the same axle – after all, both bearings have been subject to the same loads and the second wheel bearing may be nearing the end of its life too.

MEYLE workshop advice II: When replacing a first-generation wheel bearing, it is important to ensure correct orientation of the magnetic encoder ring in order for the ABS system to function properly.
In order to ensure proper installation of second-generation MEYLE-ORIGINAL wheel bearings, special tooling is required, which applies force to the rear of the bearing shell thus preventing damage to the wheel bearing's inner components. There is also a "MEYLE Mechanics" video guiding repairers through a professional wheel bearing replacement procedure: https://youtu.be/d5RVdebCHzM.

MEYLE workshop advice III: When replacing a first-generation open wheel bearing, it is essential to lubricate the new wheel bearing using a high-performance grease. Conventional types of grease, such as graphite grease, will cause the rollers to seize and destroy the rolling bearing components before long.

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