Unit bearing wheel hub brands

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buck91

buck91

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Just curious where the prefer for wheel bearings would be on a 3/4 ton truck 4x4 with unit bearing front hubs. The main choices are
-Timken
-Precision
-SKF
-Napa brand

The Timkens are actually the cheapest of these believe it or not while the SKF is the most pricey. In the past I've always been under the impression that Timken and Precision are pretty top notch but I've also heard that they have gone over seas as well these days...
 
Its hard to say where the bearings are made today, they all have plants around the world.
I will accept the ones Made in Korea by a major brand like Timken but not China.
Timken are good but go to the store to buy them and look at the boxes there may be more than one COO for the same part # in the boxes at the store.


While looking for one a few weeks back one box had China, another Korea and one Koyo Made in Japan. One guess as to which one one came home with me, all Timken BTW same part#.
Timken has some new games now. No COO on the box or the bearing. One Koyo with "Made in Japan" or "Japan" right on the bearing race and another with just "Koyo" and no COO.

These are of Chinese origin, stay clear! the other trick is "Made in USA, Japan or whatever" on the box and China right on the bearing itself.
They make the bloody hub housing here with the ABS sensor for example and use a Chinese bearing. They can shove them where the sun doesn't shine. Always look at the bearing race for COO not the box.

Buying online has become luck of the draw, even SKF (always my preference) makes some stuff in china now. Now i buy local and probably pay a few bucks more but at least i can walk away if the dreaded "China" is anywhere on the box or bearing.

All the brands you posted can be good as is National but check the COO on the bearing before handing over your cash. If you cant find a decent one buy OEM.
 
Timken and Raybestos are probably your best bet out there. Go to ROCKAUTO for the best price and you're all set.

Do not consider Autozone's (or other store) cheapie units and their Timken prices are +/- $50 more than RockAuto.
 
Back in early 2012, I needed a new left front wheel bearing on the cherokee. I bought Timken. When I brought it to my mechanic to do, he found that the right one was also humming. I had him get the cheapest Advance Auto wheel bearing.

The Timken one made it 6 months.

Seems like the unit bearings just aren't built well.

I've gone through 2 or 3 since then. Luckily , my "new" front axle still has a good wheel bearing that I can use to replace the bad one.
 
Timkin is usually top notch. Dunno what happened to miller88's. Maybe he just got a bad one. Skf should be good too. Napas house brand is bottom level.ive never heard of precision.
 
I got a side by side look at the Timken and SKF bearings and I believe the SKF is a better part than the Timken. The SKF bearings are more expensive, but when I have to replace bearings that what I will use. I hate to say that as I've used Timken bearings for many years and they were top quality parts until they started being produced off shore.
 
I've run many different brands of unitized wheel bearings on my Camaro, and have gotten the best life with SKF.
 
The Napa ones may be supplied by SKF. My Napa has a banner proclaiming they are, but I don't know if they are all supplied by SKF or if SKF makes a different quality level for NAPA.
 
Originally Posted By: Trav
I have to disagree with him just buying from Rock and being all set. A few years ago i would have said the same thing.
Check this thread about Timken, there is a letter from Timken a few post down.

http://www.clubcobra.com/forums/all-cobra-talk/110628-timken-bearings-made-china.html

http://www.cantonrep.com/news/x166177631...n#axzz2V9lDUOd3



Hey Trav - I bet the guy in the first post was ripped off because he said it had no Tinken name on the part. Every Timken I've seen has Timken's name on it PLUS a halogram seal on the box. Somebody may have swapped parts with a cheapie and took the Timken.

I stand by my opinion of Timken and ROckauto as the best place to buy them from. HOWEVER - you're probably right that the quality could be going down with the offshore moves..but I bet they will still be better than the original no-name china parts since there will be a standard to build to.
 
Last edited:
That was an interesting thread- on the 2nd page it seems that maybe the bearings themselves aren't the problem- so much as the low amount of already poor quality grease in them. Interesting.
 
Originally Posted By: A_Harman
I've run many different brands of unitized wheel bearings on my Camaro, and have gotten the best life with SKF.


If you are replacing your wheel hubs in less than 150,000 miles you are doing something wrong. How many miles does your Camaro have on it?
 
Originally Posted By: 46Harry
I got a side by side look at the Timken and SKF bearings and I believe the SKF is a better part than the Timken. The SKF bearings are more expensive, but when I have to replace bearings that what I will use. I hate to say that as I've used Timken bearings for many years and they were top quality parts until they started being produced off shore.


Skf is an off shore company (Sweden). They have closed most of their plants in the US and moved production to China and India.
 
Originally Posted By: Doog
Originally Posted By: A_Harman
I've run many different brands of unitized wheel bearings on my Camaro, and have gotten the best life with SKF.


If you are replacing your wheel hubs in less than 150,000 miles you are doing something wrong. How many miles does your Camaro have on it?


193,000 miles, and I have lost count of the number of front wheel bearing replacements I have done.

I have been running the car in track days since it was new. This generates high wheel bearing loads because of the high lateral G's. I regularly check the bearings for wobble, and change them when I get ~1/8" at the OD of the tire. ACDelco, OE GM, and Timken bearings loosen up in one season's use, and the wobble in the front wheels causes inconsistent brake feel due to knockback of the pads. I was able to get 2 season's of driving on the SKF's, and they never developed any wobble, but they did start growling, so I replaced them. I would rather keep all the wheels on my car when thrashing it on a racetrack. I'm just silly that way.
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted By: GMBoy
Originally Posted By: Trav
I have to disagree with him just buying from Rock and being all set. A few years ago i would have said the same thing.
Check this thread about Timken, there is a letter from Timken a few post down.

http://www.clubcobra.com/forums/all-cobra-talk/110628-timken-bearings-made-china.html

http://www.cantonrep.com/news/x166177631...n#axzz2V9lDUOd3



Hey Trav - I bet the guy in the first post was ripped off because he said it had no Tinken name on the part. Every Timken I've seen has Timken's name on it PLUS a halogram seal on the box. Somebody may have swapped parts with a cheapie and took the Timken.

I stand by my opinion of Timken and ROckauto as the best place to buy them from. HOWEVER - you're probably right that the quality could be going down with the offshore moves..but I bet they will still be better than the original no-name china parts since there will be a standard to build to.


I saw this just last week at an AZ. Timken Box with hologram but no Timken on the part anywhere, not just one but 3 of them.
I have no idea what's being played but its enough to scare me off.
I did get 4 for a GM last year from Rock all made in the USA on the box and the bearing, a great deal. I got one in April this year same part # and its made in China.
 
Originally Posted By: Trav
I have to disagree with him just buying from Rock and being all set. A few years ago i would have said the same thing.
Check this thread about Timken, there is a letter from Timken a few post down.

http://www.clubcobra.com/forums/all-cobra-talk/110628-timken-bearings-made-china.html

http://www.cantonrep.com/news/x166177631...n#axzz2V9lDUOd3

Originally Posted By: Trav

I saw this just last week at an AZ. Timken Box with hologram but no Timken on the part anywhere, not just one but 3 of them.
I have no idea what's being played but its enough to scare me off.
I did get 4 for a GM last year from Rock all made in the USA on the box and the bearing, a great deal. I got one in April this year same part # and its made in China.


All Timken says is that they source some part numbers from other suppliers, so I don't think anything is "being played." Lots of parts brands source some parts from other manufacturers to round out their lineup.

So, it appears the person who posted in that thread did not get a fake Timken, they just got a part Timken sourced from another manufacturer, which is why it didn't say "Timken."

That doesn't necessarily mean the part in the box was low quality.

Post from one of those threads:
Quote:
I contacted Timken.


My Question:

I purchased rear wheel bearings at Autozone. The box says Timken on it, but the bearing only has 514003 China, on it. Is this a Timken bearing?

This is the exact same bearing that I am replacing, which failed in 15,000 miles. Do you sell a better quality bearing for the same application?

Answer From Timken:


This bearing is not made by Timken.

Due to all applications being prior to 1980, the original supplier obsoleted the part number in 2006, however we were able to get a US based supplier to quote this part, and our purchasing records show the country of manufacture is China. There is not another part number or supplier available.
 
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