Is the wheel slipping because there are steel balls in the bearing?
Yes Inside the ball bearing, a ring of steel balls is bearing load and rolling. Because the contact surface of steel ball is small, the running resistance is small, and the heat generated during running is less. Suitable for small load and high speed operation, with the disadvantage of low bearing capacity. This kind of bearing is widely used in family cars. Inside the needle bearing, there is a ring of steel columns to bear the load. Because the whole side of the steel column is stressed, the bearing capacity is very large. However, due to the large contact area, the running resistance is greater, and the heat generated by friction is also more. This kind of bearing has the advantage of good bearing capacity, but the disadvantage is that it is not suitable for high-speed operation and is generally used on large trucks. Some large family cars were also used in the early days.