Timken SP500301 already bad

[Dustin Jackson]

A couple months ago I installed new Timken bearings and I noticed today the Tahoe was a bit squirrely on the freeway. Jacked it up when I got home and my drive wheel hub is freaking loose.

I am tired of working on this thing, I don't understand why these new parts are bad already.

Ordered a warranty replacement through Rock Auto and I will update in a couple weeks when I get around to installing it.

Anyone else have bad luck like this?

 

[swathdiver]

A couple months ago I installed new Timken bearings and I noticed today the Tahoe was a bit squirrely on the freeway. Jacked it up when I got home and my drive wheel hub is freaking loose.

I am tired of working on this thing, I don't understand why these new parts are bad already.

Ordered a warranty replacement through Rock Auto and I will update in a couple weeks when I get around to installing it.

Anyone else have bad luck like this?

My Made in the USA Timken hub lasted 84.547 miles.

Mine made no noises on turns, just noticed a little more vibration on the highway above 75mph than normal and it slowly got worse. Then at the next tire rotation, the wheel flopped over when we jacked it up.

Replaced with GM OE and am replacing the other one pre-emptively soon.

 

[Dustin Jackson]

@swathdiver Yea it rocks back and forth a bit, I was able to get it off in about 20 minutes and with the hub in my hands i can't tell anything is wrong but when it's installed and I spin it by hand it sounds like there is a needle rattling around but it doesn't feel grindy or loose. Was hoping I could return it but warranty is next best option.

 

[petethepug]

Timkin claims …

“Narrow overall package width and reduced radial section thickness lowers unsprang weight, improving vehicle maneuverability and fuel efficiency”

They say they’re pre greased. Maybe try and add a little of your own grease before assembly.

 

[Dustin Jackson]

@petethepug How would you even do that? There is no grease fitting and the bearings are sealed

 

[petethepug]

I must be hanging out at the diesel Indy shop too much. Burp

https://www.duramaxforum.com/threads/wheel-bearings-hubs.1005817/

 

[swathdiver]

My pickup trucks have dust covers over the hub on the outside. The new CV axles I just bought have dust covers built into the CV Axle that cover the opening in the hub on the other side to I guess further protect the hub from the elements. We shall see.

 

[Trey Hardy]

A couple months ago I installed new Timken bearings and I noticed today the Tahoe was a bit squirrely on the freeway. Jacked it up when I got home and my drive wheel hub is freaking loose.

I am tired of working on this thing, I don't understand why these new parts are bad already.

Ordered a warranty replacement through Rock Auto and I will update in a couple weeks when I get around to installing it.

Anyone else have bad luck like this?

My kryptonite hub has over 100k miles on 14 wides still going strong…

 

[Dustin Jackson]

Replacement Timken showed up but I noticed it was different than the first set I bought. Turns out this new one is made in Korea and the last 2 were made in USA.

 

[petethepug]

The one you took out has the specs on the bearing and even threatening “warranty void if removed”.

Sounds like a good opportunity to remove it and determine what SKF bearings fit in there.

 

[Dustin Jackson]

@petethepug I had to return the bad one as part of the warranty process. What is this about SLF bearings?

 

[petethepug]

SKF bearing are the go to standard for bearings. Use them in my supercharger and alternator hubs on the VW. I was losing alternator bearings every 2-3 years until I had a rebuild shop rebuild my Bosch fact rebuilt alt with SKF bearings.

Even the Bosch Auth factory rebuilt bearings were junk or being rebuilt with comprised cores. Both have been going for 10+ years w/ the SKF inside.

 

[Dustin Jackson]

@petethepug Thanks for the info. On a side note I did some digging and it looks like my Korean timkens are rebranded iljin bearings. I guess they are some OEM manufacturer out of Korea.

 

[Dustin Jackson]

@petethepug Apparently iljin makes bearings for SKF and Timken so hopefully that is a good thing. Time will tell again, sooner or later

 

[petethepug]

Those hub cores are worth a fortune. With the specialty device to disassemble it and cram a new generic bearing in there I’ll bet they’re net‘g about $100 per unit rebuilt.

 

[Pressureangle]

When you disassemble it, you'll find a pair of opposed tapered roller bearings, or possibly angular contact ball bearings, with a shim between them. This shim controls bearing to race clearance, and is a critical dimension. Be certain to replace them with an matched set as came out, or have the knowledge and parts capability to measure and set end play for an unmatched set.

 

[Dustin Jackson]

I won’t be taking anything apart this time, the bad part is returned as part of the warranty process. Sent the made in USA back and have the Korean installed currently

 

[Jamminator]

I just went down this rabbit hole... Looks like finding any halfway decent hub bearing is a crap shoot.

Timken has lots of fakes out there, so if you go Timken you have to buy from a legitimate supplier like RockAuto or the local auto parts store. Even the Amazon ones may be fake because Amazon has commingling for their inventory binning, which means third party fakes get placed with legitimate product sold by Amazon.

The AC Delco hubs are made in China by an unknown supplier.

Replaced with GM OE and am replacing the other one pre-emptively soon.

The current OE GM replacement hubs are made by Iljin... they say Iljin right on them. The OEM ones when these trucks were built likely came from Timken and GM switched suppliers at some point. Unfortunately Iljin does not distribute in the USA or you could buy it under their brand for a lot cheaper.

My kryptonite hub has over 100k miles on 14 wides still going strong…

Kryptonite hubs are just Chinese hubs with their logo laser etched on the flange. I'm sure Kryptonite use a certain supplier they like, so you are just paying for somewhat reliable Chinese OE and the lifetime warranty.

The thing that annoys me is most hubs use metal shields on the backside instead of dual contact rubber shields. I bought a replacement set of budget hubs back in 2016 and they had rubber shields and lasted almost 10 years...still spun super free because they kept contaminants out.

The Mevotech TXF515096 hubs look really interesting, I like that they have an extra dust shield. It's just a question of what brand bearings Mevotech is using inside of them. Same thing for the Moog hubs - I've seen at least three different looking variations of the Moog hubs, so they are switching around suppliers/production.

 

[swathdiver]

The AC Delco hubs are made in China by an unknown supplier.

My GM OE hubs are Mexican. They are 2024 vintage.

 

[Charlie207]

How tight did you go with the axle nut? Spec is 188lb./ft.

I feel like over-torquing is a good way to destroy the bearings.