The main purpose of the wheel bearing is to prevent direct metal-to-metal contact between two elements that are in relative motion, which prevents friction, heat generation and the wear and tear of parts. It also reduces energy consumption and transits the car’s radial and axial loads or a combination of both.

A faulty or damaged wheel hub may cause grinding, scraping, popping, or howling noises. Severely worn bearings can even lead to wheel separation. So, if you find yourself with a bad wheel bearing, you must change it at the drop of a hat.

In this article, we will try to give a brief introduction to wheel bearings and guide you step by step process on How To Change The Front Wheel Bearing On Dodge Ram 1500.

Bearings And Types Of Bearings

Bearings are machine elements that constrain relative motions and are used to reduce friction between moving parts. They are easier to move and when friction is reduced, the speed and efficiency of an object will be enhanced. Every individual type of bearing has its own applications, such as:

1. Rolling Element Bearing
2. Plain Bearing
3. Fluid Bearing
4. Magnetic Bearing
5. Jewel Bearing
6. Flexure Bearing

The front wheel bearing on Dodge Ram 1500 is a heavy-duty Ball Bearing that consists of a row of balls as rolling elements thus making it a member of the Rolling Element Bearing category.

Average Service Life Of A Wheel Bearing

Many of ball and roller bearings fail to attain their calculated life expectancy. Calculated service life of a wheel bearing might fail upon three major aspects of maintenance such as:

1. Adequate lubrication to the bearing
2. Proper mounting without damage
3. Mechanical damage
4. Material defects

Most serviceable wheel bearings need maintenance every 25,000-30,000 miles or during every break service but the average life of a sealed wheel bearing and a hub assembly which is used in the Dodge Ram 1500 is about 85,000-100,000 miles.

Causes Of Wheel Bearing Failure

The normal operating temperature of a wheel hub assembly on a commercial vehicle is roughly around 130-150 degrees. If the temperature goes beyond or exceed 250 degrees, you can have damage to the bearings and or the hub assembly. The leading cause of bearing damage are worn seals and even in the roads where sault is used might cause corrosion on the wheel bearings which can be as corrosive as the ocean water.

How Safe Is To Drive With A Damage Wheel Bearing

There is an old saying – ‘Cross The Bridge When You Come To It’. Though the noise caused by a damaged bearing or a bad wheel hub of your Dodge Ram 1500 might not effect much in driving the vehicle, but our sincere suggestion would be to replace the bearing immediately, without any hesitation as it causes wearing of tires gradually and to some extent the tire can come out of the vehicle resulting in severe accidents.

However, if you have no way out but to continue using the vehicle with the damaged wheel bearing it can give you a service up to six (6) months depending on the quality of damage.

Indications Of Wheel Bearing Damage and When To Replace It

Wheels are affected by different forces during acceleration, deceleration and cornering such as, mass, gravitational force, cornering force, acceleration force and brake force which must be absorbed effectively by the wheel bearing that a damaged wheel bearing is incapable of satisfying.

The indications your Dodge Ram 1500 will show if it has a faulty front wheel bearing or hub is such:

1. Wheel produce a grinding noise or a popping one
2. There might be an axial play or a radial one in the wheel or in the hub
3. Steering wheel has a vibration as well as the vehicle body while wandering
4. Neither the tire nor the wheel assembly turns smooth

A defective wheel bearing can cause repeated stress changes on you Dodge’s Hub, CV joint or Transmission System. If you find any of these signs with you Dodge Ram 1500, you need to get it fixed immediately.

How To Replace Wheel Bearings

Replacing wheel bearings is not that much a hard nut to crack. We will guide you gradually and systematically the process of changing bearing of your Dodge Ram 1500. But again, if you find it complicated you always have the option of going to a mechanic.

Instruments Needed to Replace Wheel Bearings

• 18-35mm socket, ratchet and extensions
• Breaker bar
• Hooked pick
• Bungee cords or mechanic’s wire
• Prybar
• Hammer
• Flat blade screwdriver
• File
• Torque wrench
• Jack and jack stands

Step by step guidelines of replacing front wheel bearing of Dodge Ram 1500

• With a jack and jack stand lift the vehicle and before that loosen the lug nuts.
• Next you must unscrew the lug nuts in order to remove the wheel completely.
• With a socket and a ratchet wrench, the brake caliper should be removed next and secure it out by hanging it with a bungee cord.
• Use a prybar to remove the axle nut, tap the end with a hammer and bring it out of the hub.
• Free the ABS sensor by releasing the tab on the connector with a flatbed screwdriver and then remove it.
• Unscrew or unbolt the hub with a hammer and remove it out of the spindle and remove the wiring of the dust shield. The dust shield must not be harmed in the process.
• Clean the face of hub mount and the spindle in order to free it from corrosion and burrs so that nothing hinders the hub to seat properly into the spindle. Put in anti-seize grease on the mounting surface and axle splines.
• Now with the new hub, put back all the parts step by step in reverse order. As you are done completing the whole process, lower your Dodge Ram 1500 back down to the ground using the jack. Remember to keep the slug nuts loose on the wheel. While the vehicle is on the ground finish your work by properly tighten the slug nuts.
• Congratulations! you have successfully changed the front wheel bearing on your Dodge Ram 1500.

How Much Does Wheel Bearing Replacement Cost

Changing the front wheel bearing of your Dodge Ram 1500 would cost you an average of $119, which has a break down of $24 for material cost and labor charge $95.

Top Brands For Wheel Bearing On Dodge Ram 1500

As for the wheel bearings, there are many different brands in the market. For your comfort and ease and keeping in mind of the material quality and price, we are mentioning some renowned and reliable brands here such as:

1. TIMKEN
2. MOOG
3. DETROIT AXLE
4. MOTORBYMOTOR
5. TUCAREST
6. ANYTEK
7. DRIVESTAR
8. ECCPP
9. PAROD
10. OCPTY
11. AUTOROUND

Conclusion

Wheel bearings are very sensitive mechanical elements on a vehicle. As for your Dodge Ram 1500, we would urge you to change both front wheel bearings-the driver side and the passenger side even you find problem in one. Because we value the life of your vehicle and on top of that – we value YOU!