Automotive Terminology Crash Course: Bearings, Bushings, and Valves

Apr 4, 2023

Welcome back to another fun edition of Classic’s Automotive Terminology Decoder! Today we’re going to get down to the nuts and bolts of automotive repair and engineering. We mean that literally! Today’s terms are bearing, bushing, and valves, and we’ll be giving some examples of when you should service some of the more commonly related parts.

Bearings – These rings are anti-friction devices placed between two moving parts of your vehicle. Their job is to help minimize wear and friction while running and driving. In general, bearing refers to at least two or more moving parts which allow one part to slide against another one. Other bearings such as roller bearings, ball bearings, and needle bearings use a round roller part intermediary to roll the parts against themselves.

Wheel bearings should be replaced every 85,000 to 100,000 miles. Signs of a bad wheel bearing include humming noises, squealing, growling, ABS failures, vehicle pulling to one side, etc. If you notice any of these things, it’s very important that you bring your vehicle in for a service, as it is very dangerous to drive it in that condition.

Bushing – These are thin tubes used to improve efficiency, reduce vibration and noise, and work as a guide for valve rods, steering joints, and vehicle suspension. These are generally made of rubber or polyurethane or other materials, and they control movement in the joints and aid in rotating and sliding shafts.

Bushings need to be replaced between 40,000 to 80,000 miles. If you need to replace your bushings, you may notice excess vibration or road noise inside the cabin while driving, creaks or banging sounds coming from the wheels, the frame may rattle if you drive over bumpy terrain or rough road or speed humps, the steering may feel loose. It is not recommended to drive your vehicle if you notice signs of bad bushings; these are critical components of the steering and front end of your vehicle, and may cause serious damage to the vehicle and pose a safety hazard for you and passengers.

Valves – Your vehicle has a variety of valves, such as intake valves and exhaust valves. Intake valves control the amount of fluid entering the engine’s cylinder; in an internal-combustion engine, these open at precise moments to allow the fuel-air mixture to be drawn into the cylinder. Exhaust valves release the burnt fuel-air mixture into the exhaust system. They are both responsible for controlling the flow of gasses in and out of the combustion chamber.

Here are some helpful videos from YouTube about various engine valves: