Wheel hub designs

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I saw this cross section mock-up at Napa. It advertises the SKF Premium X Tracker wheel hub. The conventional design is the lower one. Looks like quite a variance. I guess it's not just a matter of who makes the hub. Enjoy.
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One benefit of the X-tracker is that it is stiffer. This reduces knockback of the brake pads during cornering, allowing quicker application of the brakes.
 
todays COSTLY wheel bearing hubs have poor reliability at best, but as noted some are better, but why the costly change?? when my 2001 Jetta need front wheel bearings at 150 thou the coat was under a hundred for all necessary parts, BUT its more of a pro install then a usually easier Hub change. look at a simple taillight lens of years gone by, a few screws + a few bucks, today its a costly single unit, not just the lens $$$ it STINKS!!!
 
Originally Posted by Snagglefoot
I guess it's not just a matter of who makes the hub.


X-Trackers are a very unique product. It's interesting to see a display at Napa advertising them. They're not really a part that an average consumer or a repair shop would ever opt to purchase. Typically, buyers specifically seek them out to purchase.

Pre-bankruptcy GM vehicles chew through parts store wheel bearings. Doing side work, I install X-Trackers where I can. Parts store wheel bearings are about $40 for a 2000s Grand Am or Malibu. X-Trackers are $90. It's a pretty hard sell at twice the price for vehicles like this. It's an easier proposition for someone with a full size truck or SUV, which people keep longer and are willing to put money on premium parts.

SKF actually makes a hybrid ball bearing/tapered roller bearing in the X-Tracker line for full size Dodge and GM trucks and SUVs.

Then there is the Corvette X-Tracker. The Corvette tax means it's exactly twice the price ($260 vs $130) of an already expensive regular SKF bearing.
 
So these hubs are just a better design? Good.

They don't effect me because cars like mine are a minimum of 13 years old.

I doubt they'll go back and produce any.
 
Originally Posted by benjy
todays COSTLY wheel bearing hubs have poor reliability at best, but as noted some are better, but why the costly change?? when my 2001 Jetta need front wheel bearings at 150 thou the coat was under a hundred for all necessary parts, BUT its more of a pro install then a usually easier Hub change. look at a simple taillight lens of years gone by, a few screws + a few bucks, today its a costly single unit, not just the lens $$$ it STINKS!!!


A few years later, in the MKV's they greatly improved the design to where it is much easier to change.

[Linked Image from europaparts.com]


It's bolted onto the wheel bearing housing with 4 bolts
 
Originally Posted by UG_Passat
Originally Posted by benjy
todays COSTLY wheel bearing hubs have poor reliability at best, but as noted some are better, but why the costly change?? when my 2001 Jetta need front wheel bearings at 150 thou the coat was under a hundred for all necessary parts, BUT its more of a pro install then a usually easier Hub change. look at a simple taillight lens of years gone by, a few screws + a few bucks, today its a costly single unit, not just the lens $$$ it STINKS!!!


A few years later, in the MKV's they greatly improved the design to where it is much easier to change.

[Linked Image from europaparts.com]


It's bolted onto the wheel bearing housing with 4 bolts
I think almost every macpherson strut car has press in bearings, I was watching a video for a hub tool from around the early 90s and the mid 80s cars they were working on had them. They aren't that expensive to install, the FWD bearing service kit is like $115 CAD for a good one and all you need other than that are snap ring pliers. You can do it without power tools, although I wouldn't, lol.

It's the ones that have the wheel speed sensor in the hub like a GMT800 that are expensive and pre-bailout GM. The hub for those are like $300 a side and you know a lot of them have larger wheels and tires than they came with. Wait until VW puts the VSS in that easy-to-replace hub.
 
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