question on ordering front wheel bearing

[Rocket Man]

That's a shame to hear, and I'm all for buying the good stuff if you have the change to spare, but you're sure to have a horror story from every manufacturer once in a while.

The way I see it, I can buy four or five cheapies for the cost of one AC Delco Gold. I've run dozens of the Chinese hubs on various vehicles and I've had only one failure which showed immediately and was replaced at the seller's expense. Checking parts for yourself before install, and a couple tanks of gas after install, goes a long way.

You can have the cheap Chinese crap. I mean, it’s only your life and those riding with you that’s at stake. And it’s not one or two horror stories. There’s been quite a few regarding Detroit Axle. Good luck. Timken are all I run, never had one fail. They generally last 150-200k miles so I think that’s a better deal overall since you’ll likely go through 4 of the Detroit’s by then. My labor and peace of mind is worth more than that. Never a single horror story on a Timken either.

 

[2006Tahoe2WD]

I've been noticing a vibration sort of noise that I guess is wheel speed related. Today I took off the front wheels and pushed back the brake pads and rotated the front hubs. Right side was quiet. Left side had a clickety type noise. I think I'm due new front wheel bearings. I see on RockAuto AC Delco Gold 515054. I have a two wheel drive. Any tips on replacement? Current miles 172k.
Good/bad experience with this model bearing from RA?
Thanks.

ACDELCO 515054

$154.79

 

[Rocket Man]

I've been noticing a vibration sort of noise that I guess is wheel speed related. Today I took off the front wheels and pushed back the brake pads and rotated the front hubs. Right side was quiet. Left side had a clickety type noise. I think I'm due new front wheel bearings. I see on RockAuto AC Delco Gold 515054. I have a two wheel drive. Any tips on replacement? Current miles 172k.
Good/bad experience with this model bearing from RA?
Thanks.

ACDELCO 515054

View attachment 381456 View attachment 381457

$154.79

AC Delco Gold line is good stuff.

 

[2006Tahoe2WD]

I ordered the set from 1AAuto. I appreciate their videos. TRQ bearings. They could be junk but I doubt it.
We'll see. No big loss if I have to throw them out and redo it with e.g. ACDelco.
I'm getting buyers remorse. I might just send them back when I get them.
Others are getting about 2 years of service from the TRQ bearings. The originals lasted 16 years and 172 k miles. Would be interesting to find out exactly what is different.

 

[Rocket Man]

I ordered the set from 1AAuto. I appreciate their videos. TRQ bearings. They could be junk but I doubt it.
We'll see. No big loss if I have to throw them out and redo it with e.g. ACDelco.
I'm getting buyers remorse. I might just send them back when I get them.
Others are getting about 2 years of service from the TRQ bearings. The originals lasted 16 years and 172 k miles. Would be interesting to find out exactly what is different.

When it comes to certain parts I always go with what’s been proven to last as long or longer that OEM. That’s why I went with Timken after reading all the people here who have used them and are still running them 50-100k later. AC Delco gold or OEM are also fine as well as one other I can’t remember. At the bottom is Detroit Axle and the others are in between. TRQ is a brand invented by 1AAuto so they can make more off the parts they push in the videos. I have checked and have been unable to find out who manufactures their parts or where. I won’t buy their shit myself. I have no idea of the quality, there’s no long term track record.

 

[MassHoe04]

I got mine from NAPA. Their premium hubs with sensors are SKF brand, which I later found out is actually Timken.
My emergency repair happened the same time they were running the 20% off bucket sale for online orders.
I got the premium for the same price a cheaper one.

They list for $212 now, but are eligible for 10% off right now. That would be $190.

I got mine for $156

https://www.napaonline.com/en/p/BRGBR930304?impressionRank=1

Do yourself a favor... Plan ahead. Buy one set of hub bolts.
I used the old bolts to beat the hub out (back the bolts out a bit and wail on them to drive the hub out).
Works like a charm!
Put the new ones in and save the beater bolts for banging out the other hub, if needed or save for future use.

 

[swathdiver]

Some time ago with another car, we were broke and in a hurry and bought a Chicom hub. The fit and finish was great, the ABS sensor never worked.

Timken or GM OE which is or was Timken!

 

[2006Tahoe2WD]

Okay, thanks for the emotional support. I canceled the order with 1AAuto. The price of about $75 each is just too cheap. Figure the Chinese cost is $30 each. There is just too many parts for that to make sense. Now I'll order the ACDelco from somewhere.

 

[RAMurphy]

I replaced my front bearings several several years ago (almost 150k miles ago), rotated tires two weeks ago and they are still smooth, quiet with no play today.

 

[2006Tahoe2WD]

I ordered the Delco Gold from RockAuto. I'll update people when I get them installed or have any other news.

 

[clandr1]

In January 2018 I replaced my front wheel bearings with Timken SP450301 which are currently $133 each on Amazon. I paid around $120 for them 6.5 years ago which isn't bad from an inflationary standpoint. They've been great.

 

[2006Tahoe2WD]

okay, I got the Delco Gold front bearing assemblies. I have one installed and ran out of time. Those T50? socket pins that hold the caliper to the frame were tight. I read those were T50 but a T50 isn't very tight. Is it a T55? or ? Had to use vice grips and a hammer to get them started and then inserted a 7?mm hex - it fit tightish. The bearing came out easy after the 3 15mm bolts are out - those were tight also and had some sort of lock-tite applied. After a test drive I still hear a bit of what I was hearing. I think my back axle(s) are bad (inner bearing races). The noise will likely come back to the same level when the rear end fluid gets hotter than my test drive. I know one was wearing badly about 40k miles ago or so. I'll install the other bearing tomorrow. I didn't have any ABS codes or issues so far. I guess I'll save the "old" bearings for awhile in case the new Delcos go bad. Nice project - at least I'll have new bearings and can cross that off the list.

 

[2006Tahoe2WD]

I ordered new bolts (hub to knuckle 15mm hex) and slide bolts (T55 changed to 18mm hex). Here are the torque specs. I found.
Hub to knuckle (3 bolts) 133 ft-lbs - this feels like pushing it for a 3/8" adapter
Caliper slide bolt (2 per side) 80 ft-lbs
Caliper frame to knuckle (2 per side) 139 ft-lbs
Wheel nut (6 per wheel) 140 ft-lbs
Does this agree with what others have found?
Thanks.

 

[2006Tahoe2WD]

Another question. Rubber/plastic bushings about 1" long came with the new guide pins. I assume I should take the old ones out and put these in. Can someone explain a bit about this? E.g. how to get the old ones out. I forgot to look it there is a way to punch them out. Thanks.
See picture.

 

[MassHoe04]

I have never replaced any like that, but they would go into the outer side of the caliper bracket, where the narrowest end of the guide pins sit.

Did you get new rubber boots for the caliper pins too?

Were the originals worn out or really rusted, preventing the calipers from working properly or were you just looking to make it look pretty when the new hubs go in?
If the caliper, pins & boots were all in good working condition, I probably wouldn't have bothered just putting in new guide pins for the sake of doing only that.

Those accordian-looking boots are important parts needed to keep water out of the guide pin. They should be flexible to move with the caliper and not cracked or split.

 

[2006Tahoe2WD]

I did not get new boots. I'm changing the pins because I don't like the T55 head. The T55 heads got messed up a bit during extraction and I'm replacing with new pins that have the M18 hex head.

 

[MassHoe04]

I did not get new boots. I'm changing the pins because I don't like the T55 head. The T55 heads got messed up a bit during extraction and I'm replacing with new pins that have the M18 hex head.

Yeah... That makes sense.



Maybe not something intended for you, but a side note for other members who might be new to caliper removal/replacements:

Breaker bar is best bet for caliper guide pin removals. Avoid the temptation to use impact wrench if you are not certain the pins will come out easily.

Impact wrench can strip out the T55 head or snap the guide pin with the hex heads, if water gets into the boot and rusts the pin into threads of the caliper bracket.
Heating the heads of the guide pins and soaking with good penetrating oil may be required to get stubborn pins out.
Proper sizing on the star bit or socket is also important to prevent stripping or rounding over of the heads during removal/installation.

 

[2006Tahoe2WD]

There are a few videos out there showing how to clamp the breaker bar against the caliper to reduce chances of stripping the T55. I'm going to try this in about 1 hour. I'll see how it feels and then resort to impact clamped against the caliper with low air pressure.

 

[Doubeleive]

There are a few videos out there showing how to clamp the breaker bar against the caliper to reduce chances of stripping the T55. I'm going to try this in about 1 hour. I'll see how it feels and then resort to impact clamped against the caliper with low air pressure.

as already mentioned I would avoid a impact period some of those bolts are aluminum (on my 2012 they are) and a impact will round it out before you can even blink an eye, use a BIG breaker bar and turn the wheel/hub out so you can get in there

 

[2006Tahoe2WD]

I finished installing the other bearing along with new guide pins/bushings and the 3 bolts that hold the bearing in. Here is my setup for getting the T55 to move and not stripping it. Note socket to stop the caliper from sliding when under pressure from the clamp.



Here is the situation after taking the bearing out. No rust in the bore and it came right out without doing anything.

Here is my remaining pad material - maybe go another year on these.

I did buff the stainless clips after this picture.