The wheel seal on your UTV helps to protect the bearings that allow movement in your wheels. Without this seal, your UTV’s bearings will slowly accrue damage. As your bearings wear down, you will lose handlining, which puts you in danger as you drive. That is why you need to know the signs of a worn UTV wheel seal.
Sound
One of the most obvious warnings of a worn wheel seal is the sounds that can come from the vehicle. There are multiple sounds that can occur due to a worn seal, such as a popping, humming, or clunking noise.
Leaking
The seal on a wheel is meant to help the lubrication on the bearings stay in place. So, when that seal breaks, it can often cause the lubricant to leak. If you see that your wheels or bearings are leaking lubricant, it often means that you have a broken wheel seal.
Visible Damage
You can actually just inspect your wheel seal directly. Looking at and examining the wheel seal for dents or damage is a good way to determine if something is wrong. However, it can be easy to miss damage if you do not know what to look for. As such, it might be best to hire a mechanic.
Changes in Handling
A bad sign for any UTV is if the handling of your vehicle changes. Although this can be a sign of multiple problems with your UTV, one of them is a worn wheel seal. The most common change is if the vehicle starts to drift left or right as you stop.
Shuddering
Some other signs of a worn UTV wheel seal include any shuddering or vibrations when using the vehicle. Just like with the sounds, these can occur when you’re driving. These can also point to several issues—worn wheel seals being one of them.
Now, it might not seem all that bad, but worn seals can be a large issue for a UTV. Even if you are using UTV tracks, the bearing on the tracks still needs a good seal.