Hub bearing Choice.

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Trav

Trav

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I need to replace the hub bearings on my 2000 Pontiac GP before taking it out this year.
Rock has a few..
Raybestos
National
SKF
Timken

Only the R/F is gone but i will just replace all 4 i don't like dealing with one failure after another.
I see the Raybestos Professional is actually PG brand made by Affinia Group probably in India or China but i don't know for sure and cant find any info.

So the question is is there any major difference between the other three?
The Timken is a little cheaper which has me wondering if this hasn't been made offshore also.
I always believed Timken was a good name and have had no problems with them in the past,but like everything else that may have changed.
Its getting harder to keep up on what parts are still quality,made here one day and the next maybe in some third world sweatshop by another manufacturer and rebranded.


TIA for any insight/recommendations.
 
Maybe Kestas will be able to weigh in?

Any idea who makes the OE part? Might be worth going to the dealer to see the part, location of manufacture, any markings on them, etc.

Are the front and rear the same? I can see doing both fronts, but the rears too?!?
 
If you're looking for good quality, buy a bearing that is considered an OEM bearing, and not aftermarket. Don't stress over brand (though I believe National is SKF's aftermarket brand). Your best bet is the dealer. Though at 11 yers old I don't know if you can get OEM anymore. OEM should cost around 3 to 5 times more than aftermarket.

Do you have any numbers from your bearing? They'd be on the large diameter.
 
I need to replace a broken e brake spring and that means removing the rear hub.At $100 each I'm okay with that because i have to consider my own labor,at $400 ea i will think about it twice.

Kestas yes i looked at OEM about $400 each.
This car goes 5-7K a year.$800 just for the front seems a bit much.
So basically none of these aftermarket is really any good?
I didn't get the car apart yet but i will get the OEM numbers off it when i do.
 
Last edited:
After some internet research on OEM GM hubs it seems Timken is the major OEM supplier.
I question if these are the same quality though.
 
Hit up Ed Morad via ebay. He sells good used parts. Super cool dude. I got my sc impellers from him.
 
The better OE replacement is Timken

It will outlast other aftermaket assemblies X4.

If a speed sensor is ivolved, expect to pay $100 to $175 per hub for the part.
 
Originally Posted By: Trav
After some internet research on OEM GM hubs it seems Timken is the major OEM supplier.


That is my understanding also.

I always buy the Timkens when I need to replace a hub/bearing. They're always available locally or online and I've yet to see one that wasn't made in USA.
 
I replaced the fronts in my '01 GP last May (2010) with AC Delco FW293 bearings. They had the gm part# on them as well and were made in the USA and have been working good so far. I did the install myself after having them replaced multiple times by a local shop with the cheaper NAPA bearings (NAPA also sells more expensive SFK made bearings). After consulting this site most people figured they were over torqueing the axle nuts and causing failures. One of the last ones they replaced went bad after just 1-2 months. At least they replaced them free of charge under warranty after the original replacement. The cheapesst place I could find them was on Amazon.

I think I have a rear one going bad now and I plan to use AC Delco bearings for the rear as well. I think maybe the RW20-14 is the correct one.
 
If given the choice, I would pick a domestic Timken, SKF or Eff Ay Gee over any other brand.

I understand that last brand name spells out a censored word, which is ridiculous as it's a brand name and UK slang for a cigarette. Anyone flinging it as a degenerative epithet deserves to be banned immediately, IMO, but everyone should be allowed to use it as intended.
 
Kestas I looked for AC Delco OEM and found some part # from wishihadatruck but here is the dilemma.

My front are GM 12429204 first design,i found this on the internet.From this it appears the FW293 only fits the second design.

GM# 12429204 - ACD 20-17 (1st design)
GM# 12429205 superceded to 88964168 (2nd design)
GM# 88964168 - ACD FW293

SKF hub seems to replace both.
Alternate/OEM Part Number(s): 10305030, 12413093, 12429204, 12429205, 88964168, 89047684

My question is will the FW293 replace GM 12429204?

I decided to go OEM from what research I've done so far you hit the nail on the head the aftermarket stuff seems like it can be iffy regardless of brand.

The RW2014 100% does fit the rear so i will order those.
 
Timken, SKF, or Fischer Aktiengesellschaft. I know Timken parts for Japanese cars are more than likely reboxed Koyo, NSK or Nachi.
 
I put a Timken in my Buick a few years ago and haven't had any problems at all. Make sure you use a torquewrench and don't overtighten it. I think it called for 118 ft. lbs of torque.
 
Don't get the cheap hubs. The cheapy NTP (made in China) on my Buick that I needed immediately went after 3 months. Warrantied it out, and will likely warranty it again. This one was torqued down to correct torque specs. The other side replaced with a more expensive National (made in Korea) is still going strong, knock on wood.
 
I used Timken before without any problems,this is only a 45 min job each on this car.
I just question the quality of the parts since so many makers have gone offshore recently.
I have a Standard part here that is a year old U.S. made and a new one designed in U.S.A made in Hong kong so i,m afraid of getting something iffy even with a brand name on the box.

The AC Delco are U.S. made and carry OEM numbers.
Still i read nothing really negative about Timken and SKF only the el cheapo Chinese and Indian stuff.

Thanks everyone for the input,it looks like i can do all 4 for about 6-700 bucks.
 
Originally Posted By: nthach
Fischer Aktiengesellschaft

I see what you did there.
56.gif
Nicely played.
 
Thanks for the links Kestas.
I contacted SKF yesterday,they have a new GEN 3 SKF X Tracker bearing for this car,they look like a decent unit.
They are U.S. made and are 100% OEM spec.
Timken is making the hub units in China,Korea and India so i don't really want to use them,i just have the feeling like another good name gone bad.
That may not be the case but just my own feelings on them.
The OEM on the car have 70K and 11 yrs on them so i would be happy to get the same out of the new ones.
Any thoughts on these units?
BTW they have a short video on the grease i don't know if the grease is special or just hype.

http://www.vsm.skf.com/en-US/Automotive/WheelEnd/PremiumHubUnits.aspx


TIA
 
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