Wheel Hubs & bearings for Ford Escape

Ford Escape Wheel Hubs and Bearings

If you own a Ford Escape, it is important that you maintain it. Your Ford Escape wheel hubs and bearings are one of the most important parts of your car. If they fail, it can impact many other systems such as your suspension, steering, and braking.

Your vehicle’s braking and suspension systems rely on your wheel bearings in order to function properly. Hub assemblies also allow you to steer and turn your vehicle. This makes your wheel bearings a vital piece of your Ford Escape.

The majority of current Ford vehicles use a one-piece bearing assembly instead of separate pieces. This reduces the chances of installation errors which can cause early failure of the entire bearing assembly. The bearing assembly is usually metal and includes the hub, wheel bearing, ABS speed sensor, and the mounting flange.

Most of the time, it is the wheel bearings that fail and not the hub itself. On average, a sealed wheel bearing inside your bearing assembly will last between 85,000 and 100,000 miles. Sometimes they will last as many as 150,000 miles. In order to get the most life out of your hub assemblies, it is important that you check and maintain them approximately every 25,000 to 30,000. Reducing friction with a grease that is created for high-temperatures is your goal.

Just like many other parts of your Ford Escape, you can usually notice some of the signs and symptoms of wheel bearing failure. It is also important to note that if your ABS sensor fails, you will need to replace the entire hub assembly. This is because the ABS sensor is housed within this system. Signs and symptoms you should watch for are:

• Pulling: You will notice that your Ford Escape pulls to one side or the other while you are driving.
• Uneven tread wear: Because of the pulling, you may notice uneven wear on the tread of your tires over time.
• Noise: A grinding noise from the area of the hub is often the first symptom that drivers notice when they need to have their bearings replaced. With accelerating and turning, the sound will be more noticeable.
• Loose steering: Another common symptom of failure is that your steering wheel may feel loose or like it doesnt precisely control your car or truck like it did previously.
• Vibration: You may also notice that it feels like you are always driving on a rumble strip due to vibration. It can also get worse with speed and turning towards the failing side.