front wheel bearings? - NJFBOA - Home of New Jersey's Camaros and Firebirds

sab123 · 02-28-2012, 11:03 AM

Last year I've noticed that the front wheel bearings on my '93 Z28 are horribly loose. So OK, I've got new hubs from Autozone and replaced them. Now less than a year later they're horribly loose again. I autocross the car, and the alignment is pretty aggressive, but overall I don't drive the car that much.

This makes me wonder, are the Autozone hubs crap? Or will it be the same with the original Chevy parts too? The Chevy parts are at about $300 each online, while Autozone is only about $100.

BonzoHansen · 02-28-2012, 11:11 AM

what brand are the autozone parts? Are they USA made?

sjersey93z28 · 02-28-2012, 11:20 AM

i have had allot of bad luck with autozone in the past with gm parts. i try to use acdelco parts as much as possible.

88WS-6 · 02-28-2012, 11:21 AM

Did you try tightening them with channel locks the first time, or you just bought new ones?

sab123 · 02-28-2012, 11:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BonzoHansen

what brand are the autozone parts? Are they USA made?

I have no idea. I threw away the boxes after I've installed them

WildBillyT · 02-28-2012, 11:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sab123

I have no idea. I threw away the boxes after I've installed them

Timkin is $130, Duralast is $99.

Timkin has a 3 year warranty, Duralast has a 1 year...

sab123 · 02-28-2012, 11:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 88WS-6

Did you try tightening them with channel locks the first time, or you just bought new ones?

Just bought the new ones. They are sealed hubs.

For what it's worth, Summitracing has some Auto Extra hubs at $75 apiece, claiming to meet or exceed the original part performance. GM seems to be getting low on these parts in storage, since the hubs for the new Camaros are much cheaper than for the old ones.

Stevoone · 02-28-2012, 11:53 AM

I don't remember which bearings the AutoZone brand uses but I've installed a few, in daily driver cars not used for auto cross. I did have one come back not too long ago for the same hub. Rock Auto has hubs for a 93 listed from $54 - $171. I would personally go with the Timken hub part number 513090 listed for 118.99. I've installed a few Timken units and the only difference I could see from the OEM part was the lug studs.

WildBillyT · 02-28-2012, 11:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sab123

Just bought the new ones. They are sealed hubs.

For what it's worth, Summitracing has some Auto Extra hubs at $75 apiece, claiming to meet or exceed the original part performance. GM seems to be getting low on these parts in storage, since the hubs for the new Camaros are much cheaper than for the old ones.

Oh, like their optisparks?

Go with the Timkin stuff.

sab123 · 02-28-2012, 11:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WildBillyT

Timkin is $130, Duralast is $99.

Timkin has a 3 year warranty, Duralast has a 1 year...

I think there was only one brand at their web site. Probably Duralast, at least I think I've seen this name. They looked exactly the same as the previous ones minus rust (I think the previous ones were from some place like NAPA, not original either).

WildBillyT · 02-28-2012, 11:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sab123

I think there was only one brand at their web site. Probably Duralast, at least I think I've seen this name. They looked exactly the same as the previous ones minus rust (I think the previous ones were from some place like NAPA, not original either).

NAPAs will be SKF brand. Also good.

S.J.SLEEPER · 02-28-2012, 03:14 PM

I have a brand new timken, sell it to ya for $60.00

sab123 · 02-28-2012, 03:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WildBillyT

NAPAs will be SKF brand. Also good.

Can not say that they lasted a whole lot longer. Well, they did, but they've got to a much worse condition before I've noticed it and changed them. The funny part, with the negative camber, the freeplay can be felt only when a wheel is lifted in the air, not on a standing car.

sab123 · 02-28-2012, 03:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by S.J.SLEEPER

I have a brand new timken, sell it to ya for $60.00

I'm actually in Georgia now, so it would require shipping.

BonzoHansen · 02-28-2012, 03:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sab123

Can not say that they lasted a whole lot longer. Well, they did, but they've got to a much worse condition before I've noticed it and changed them. The funny part, with the negative camber, the freeplay can be felt only when a wheel is lifted in the air, not on a standing car.

you expect to feel bearing play on a car sitting on its tires? maybe i'm misunderstanding this.

are you running a lot more negative camber than stock?

I know the vette guys replace the stock bearings with a beefy and expensive aftermarket set but I cannot remember the name right now. and i don;t know if they have 4th gen ones.

S.J.SLEEPER · 02-28-2012, 04:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sab123

I'm actually in Georgia now, so it would require shipping.

usps priorty is $10.95......$70 and its yours

198esp1 · 02-28-2012, 06:49 PM

There is really no good wheel bearing for a 4th gen when it comes to autocross. I would replace mine at the begining of the season under warrenty or when the front brake knock back got bad. There is a 250 page thread on frrax about the topic and how to try and fix the issue. I have a custom made front bearing from coleman racing. It has larger bearings that are tapperd and adjustable the set up is one off and isnt cheap. The guys on Frraxmay have a solution but there isnt any real world testing done. My set up seems to be pretty bullet proof

sab123 · 03-01-2012, 10:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BonzoHansen

you expect to feel bearing play on a car sitting on its tires? maybe i'm misunderstanding this.

are you running a lot more negative camber than stock?

I know the vette guys replace the stock bearings with a beefy and expensive aftermarket set but I cannot remember the name right now. and i don;t know if they have 4th gen ones.

Yes, usually when you pull and push the top of the wheel you can feel the free play in a worn bearing.

I run as much negative camber as it would go with stock adjustment range. Almost 1 degree. And since I autocross it in the stock class, the bearings have to be of the factory type

sab123 · 03-01-2012, 11:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by S.J.SLEEPER

usps priorty is $10.95......$70 and its yours

Sorry, do you have one or two of them? Well, I guess with the time it would take to send the check and get the bearings shipped back, and with people saying that all the bearings are about the same, probably easier to order from Summit anyway.

BigAls87Z28 · 03-04-2012, 09:59 AM

AutoZone hubs are also "made to meet or exceed OE spec" and they give you a little graph to show all the meeting and exceeding.
You are putting the bearings though one of the hardest tests a bearing can be put through. I would do the warranty dance every year and get new ones since at this time AutoZone does not care how many times you warranty it. If you want to spend 2x the money and get an extra season out of it, you could do that too. I've noticed no increase in warranty bearings between the AZ brand and the Timken brand we sold, they were about the same.