Chain Wheel Hub assemblies....

[mjk]

Hello,

If for a specific reason a person was limited to ordering a hub assembly for a 01 Tahoe from a chain, which house brand would you choose? Yes, I am aware of RA, etc.... and order from them.

But again for this specific instance, you had to order a house brand ......


I've already read the Oreillys Master Pro line..absolute garbage. Is NAPA's brand any better?


So this doesn't side track, I am aware of Timken, SKF, etc. There is, again, a reason I am soliciting advice on house brands.

Appreciate the input.

 

[LotI]

I would never buy a hub from a "house brand"...much less any part.

Sorry to sidetrack your thread.

 

[nthach]

I think they are all the same between MasterPro, Duralast/Valucraft and ProLine.

I'd get the Duralast one. As much as I have a disdain for AZ, their warranty seems to be the only good thing about them.

 

[Chris142]

According to the guys at AutoZone the duralast ones are made by timkin. They told me that they stopped carrying timkin only to rebox timkin as duralast.

I can't confirm that though. I think the biggest problem with the house brand ones is the grease they use. I have seen guys carefully pry the seals off and add a quality grease.

 

[GMBoy]

They are all coming off the same Chinese assembly line and thrown in different boxes. But to answer the original question, if I HAD to buy a chain store hub bearing it would be the autozone one. I get reward points and have a good relationship at the local AZ so I know warranty will be honored hassle free. I used a few AZ white boxes due to customer needing the vehicle asap. I once used an Orielly and it failed exactly 1 year later.

Side note - for a low priced wheel hub, the WJB line available on RockAuto has proven to me to be a darn good bearing for the money. I have been using them the past 2 years when customer wanted a budget repair. I actually have one on my 08 CTS and 2 years so far so good and half the price of the Timken and same warranty. I actually use MOOG over Timken now for customers who will pay for a top line part because they have a 3 yr warranty where Timken is now only 1 year. I don't trust Timken like I used to.

 

[john_pifer]

I just posted a thread about this a couple weeks ago about my Tacoma. I went with Dorman from AZ. Probably not the highest quality, but on a 223,000 mile Tacoma, I didn't want to spend at least $300/ea for front wheel hub bearing assemblies.

I believe the Dorman has a 1-year warranty. We'll see how they do. They were <$300 for both.

 

[mjk]

Originally Posted by GMBoy


Side note - for a low priced wheel hub, the WJB line available on RockAuto has proven to me to be a darn good bearing for the money. I have been using them the past 2 years when customer wanted a budget repair. I actually have one on my 08 CTS and 2 years so far so good and half the price of the Timken and same warranty. I actually use MOOG over Timken now for customers who will pay for a top line part because they have a 3 yr warranty where Timken is now only 1 year. I don't trust Timken like I used to.


I know Moog essentially split into 2 tiers - are the Moog hubs that you are using the Problem Solver line ?

 

[GMBoy]

Originally Posted by mjk
Originally Posted by GMBoy


Side note - for a low priced wheel hub, the WJB line available on RockAuto has proven to me to be a darn good bearing for the money. I have been using them the past 2 years when customer wanted a budget repair. I actually have one on my 08 CTS and 2 years so far so good and half the price of the Timken and same warranty. I actually use MOOG over Timken now for customers who will pay for a top line part because they have a 3 yr warranty where Timken is now only 1 year. I don't trust Timken like I used to.


I know Moog essentially split into 2 tiers - are the Moog hubs that you are using the Problem Solver line ?


I am not sure, I don't think so. Here is the last one I used from rockauto:


https://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo.php?pk=2480228&cc=1441080&jsn=2135

 

[nthach]

Originally Posted by GMBoy
They are all coming off the same Chinese assembly line and thrown in different boxes.

Side note - for a low priced wheel hub, the WJB line available on RockAuto has proven to me to be a darn good bearing for the money.I don't trust Timken like I used to.

I was about to say WJB or some other Chinese firm is supplying the box store's white box hubs.

Timken used to be a solid pick for bearings but I had a bad apple recently. That bad one was a reboxed Koyo for a Toyota. I've installed a axle set of Timken tapered roller bearings on a friend's Explorer recently and those felt and looked like quality pieces. They were made in France and the US.

 

[mjk]

^^^^^

I am in the same boat; replaced w/ Timken 60k ago. Guessing it is going. Having my mechanic look at it in a few weeks.


As for why I am asking about chain parts..... well, trust me, it isn't my call. My mechanic has started to really change his mind on us bringing in our own parts (after 15 years of being fine with it)....

Why you say ? Well, let's just say his newest 'significant other', who is a piece of work, is running the books and calling the shots. And, like a typical woman, she has her favorites. I am not one of them, for unknown reasons. Bills are always paid, I show up on time, I keep my appointments. I guess just another reason I am glad I never married.

 

[GMBoy]

Originally Posted by mjk
^^^^^

I am in the same boat; replaced w/ Timken 60k ago. Guessing it is going. Having my mechanic look at it in a few weeks.


As for why I am asking about chain parts..... well, trust me, it isn't my call. My mechanic has started to really change his mind on us bringing in our own parts (after 15 years of being fine with it)....

Why you say ? Well, let's just say his newest 'significant other', who is a piece of work, is running the books and calling the shots. And, like a typical woman, she has her favorites. I am not one of them, for unknown reasons. Bills are always paid, I show up on time, I keep my appointments. I guess just another reason I am glad I never married.


She probably doesn't like that they loose money when a customer brings a part in. They mark up parts too as a profit.

 

[JunkdrawerDog]

This^^^ My dad used to have this all the time. "Can I bring my own parts?", "Can I disassemble it myself and just have you do the difficult part?", "Can you show me how to do it myself?", "Can I borrow your tools, maybe a little shop space?" Of course his answer was always the same, "NO!"

 

[mjk]

I understand the 2 posts above. Understand though, there was a trade off. He just marked up his labor, when bringing in parts to cover the loss.

I'd rather put a quality part in once, with increased labor cost, than doing the job multiple times.