Can a wheel come off a 2001 Isuzu Rodeo 4WD?(Front left driver side)The bearings are shot on the left side and my mechanic says that the wheel can come off.On the other hand, my dad says no it can not.I had no humming sound, though when I make a left turn, sometimes there is a clunking sound. The mechanic did not feel anything, but when they put it up on the lift, the left wheel wobbled. Never the less, I will be paying $461.00 tomorrow to get it fixed. YIKES!!So, can my wheel fall off and how?
Wheels can come off a car or truck. A man had to stop next door and put a new axle in his truck because the wheel and axle were coming out of the axle housing, it was within 2 or 3 inches of dropping the truck. Some times the axle will weld itself to the bearing and housing and shear off. Other times the lug bolts/nuts will fail. In short a what is normally a four wheeled vehicle can become a three (or less) wheeled vehicle for many reasons. The results are not always happy endings.
Yes, I think that it can though it is unlikely. If the bearing is super super bad and has actually broken, then it can split in half and your wheel can fall off. However, if you do not hear any noise other than a clunking, this is probably unlikely. I had a bad bearing that sounded horrible (like really really bad, no mistaking it, people looked at me funny when I passed) and it smell like burning metal because it was sooooooo close to breaking but I drove it for a couple hundred miles before fixing it because noone had my part. Anyways, I think the clunking might be your CV joint on one side, not your bearing. Also, have you checked somewhere else? I paid $50 for my bearing and $90 or so to have it put in. You could do it yourself too if you have the time. I would have but I did not have the time so I paid to have it done. $460 should pay for parts and labor for both your bearing and CV so call around. Good luck.
Inside the wheel hubs are either roller or ball bearings that carry the vehicle's weight. On RWD vehicles with solid axles, the rear wheel bearings are mounted on the axles. The front wheel bearings on older rear-wheel drive cars and trucks usually require repacking (regreasing) every two years or 24,000 miles. The wheel bearings on most newer vehicles are sealed and do not require any maintenance. A bad wheel bearing will typically make grinding, whining or squealing noises, and you can often feel the looseness or roughness if you raise the suspension and rotate the wheel by hand. Worn wheel bearings should be replaced, because failure may cause the wheel to come off the vehicle. www.saaq.gouv.qc.ca/publications/.
