Wear of orthopaedic bearing materials, especially the ultra high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPe) component, is a leading clinical concern. The reported wear rates of typical bearing materials are subject to extreme variability due to various factors including the operating environment, measuring technique, testing protocol, and machine characteristics such as mechanical stiffness and vibration. Also, a lack of standardization in reporting pertinent information confounds this variability. This investigation characterized the performance of a wear testing device. Through vibrational analysis, an attempt was made to identify possible reasons for discrepancies in the reported wear testing results for orthopaedic biomaterials. Wear result variability was probably a combination of the vibration characteristics of the individual tester and uncertainties introduced by the wear measurements themselves. The effect of superimposed base vibrations on the pins was investigated. Characteristic frequencies of pin vibrations were linked to the dominant wear mechanisms in the orthopaedic tribological system.