Aftermarket September 2022

O n the impact of the latest bearings advances on overall vehicle performance, and how garages should deal with this, First Line Marketing Director Jon Roughley observed: “One of the key innovations in modern automotive engineering has been to wheel and axle assemblies, and the correct fitment of the latest Generation 3 wheel bearing hubs is important for the vehicle’s safe operation and also supports the running of various ADAS features. “Wheel bearing issues can usually be diagnosed by identifying grinding noises from the axle assemblies. An anti-lock braking system (ABS) sensor can fail due to a bearing issue, which can in turn cause the respective dashboard light to illuminate, and drivers may experience excessive play in the steering wheel. “The latest Generation 3 wheel bearings, which are now the most prevalent wheel bearings found on the front axle, contain the bearing within the hub assembly, with an integrated ABS sensor. “Traditionally, front or driven wheels have utilised a splined drive that fits into a corresponding hole on the wheel bearing. However, with the increase in larger diameter wheels, and the consequent increase in load, a 48 AFTERMARKET SEPTEMBER 2022 BEARINGS www.aftermarketonline.net BEARING IT IN MIND Bearings keep on moving, so you need to keep up with the technological advancements new type of bearing has been designed where the splines are now situated on the back of the bearing and locate onto matching splines or teeth on the CV joint. The advantage of this design is that it allows greater torque transmission and ease of fitment.” For more information, visit: www.firstline.co.uk Electromobility On the electromobility front, Schaeffler has launched two new bearings products specifically for EVs: the TriFinity triple-row wheel bearing and the high-efficiency ball bearing with centrifugal disc. Fig. 1