Parts for your 2018 Mitsubishi Asx-Wheel hubs

2018 Mitsubishi ASX wheel hubs — what they do and when to replace them

Wheel hubs are absolutely used on the 2018 Mitsubishi ASX. Technical documentation including the Mitsubishi ASX/Outlander Sport Workshop Manual (Chassis: Front/Rear Axle, Wheel Hub and Knuckle sections, 2010–2019 coverage) and the Mitsubishi ASA electronic parts catalogue for GA2W/GA3W platforms both show bolt-on hub-and-bearing units at the front and rear. Major bearing suppliers’ catalogues (e.g., SKF, NTN/NSK, Timken) also list complete hub assemblies for this model year, confirming fitment.

On the 2018 ASX, each wheel hub is the mounting point for the wheel and brake rotor/drum, houses a sealed bearing, and provides the interface to the driveshaft at the front. The hub also carries the ABS encoder so the car knows wheel speed for traction and stability systems. Because the bearings are sealed, there’s no periodic greasing, good servicing focuses on checks, not adjustments.

What’s the job of the hub day to day? It keeps the wheel running true and smooth whilst taking all the radial and axial loads from potholes, corrugations, cornering, and braking. On front-wheel-drive variants, the CV joint splines through the hub, so correct torque and clamping are critical to bearing life and ABS accuracy.

Signs a hub might be on the way out include:

• A humming or growling that rises with speed or changes when loading the car in a bend.
• Play felt when rocking the wheel at 12 and 6 o’clock, or roughness when spinning by hand.
• ABS or stability control warnings from a damaged encoder ring or sensor air-gap change.
• Uneven tyre wear or heat around the hub after a drive.

During routine servicing and tyre rotations, a quick spin-and-listen test, checking for play, and scanning for ABS faults is smart. If replacement’s needed, it’s a straight swap of the hub unit on the knuckle/trailing arm. Use quality units matching the ABS encoder spec for the ASX, renew any single-use fasteners (like axle nuts where specified), clean mating faces, and torque everything to the workshop manual values. Avoid pressing on the inner bearing race and keep metal swarf away from the encoder. A short road test and an ABS scan finish the job nicely.

There’s no fixed change interval, many ASX hubs will run well past 100,000 km. Hard hits, kerb strikes, water ingress, or oversized wheels can shorten their lifespan. If one side fails, the other doesn’t have to be done, but it’s worth checking it closely.

Popular questions

Do 2018 Mitsubishi ASX models have separate bearings or full hub assemblies?
They use bolt-on hub-and-bearing units at both ends. The bearing is sealed into the hub, so if it’s noisy or loose, the whole hub assembly is replaced rather than repacking or pressing in a separate bearing.

How long do wheel hubs last on an ASX?
Plenty of ASX hubs last 100,000–200,000+ km, but lifespan depends on roads, loads, impacts, and water exposure. Regular checks during services help catch early noise or play before it affects tyres or ABS.

Is it safe to keep driving with a noisy hub?
It might be drivable short-term, but it’s not ideal. Noise usually worsens, heat can build up, and ABS readings can be affected. Leaving it too long risks collateral damage, so plan a replacement promptly.