Bad wheel bearing What to buy

[movietvet]

If you are in a shop getting this done and paid the extra labor for the bearing swap and reuse the hub, it would be more than just getting the complete assembly. Unless of course you are doing in your own shop and you have the correct equipment to press it all apart and back together.

 

[1998_K1500_Sub]

I bought a pair of SKF hub/bearing assemblies (SKF p/n BR930338) from RockAuto in 2021 for an AWD RX330 rear suspension; the same bearing is used on both sides.

Immediately after the install I noticed rear-end noise on one side.

I had noted during the install that one bearing turned easier than the other (less "drag" while holding the assy in my hand and turning), and the "easier" bearing was the one that caused the noise; perhaps it wasn't lubricated properly at the factory.

It was replaced under warranty but nobody reimbursed me for my time...

 

[movietvet]

I bought a pair of SKFs (SKF BR930338) from RockAuto for an RX330; the same bearing is used on both sides of the rear. Immediately after the install I noticed rear-end noise on one side.

I had noted during the install that one bearing turned easier than the other (less "drag" while holding the assy in my hand and turning), and the "easier" bearing was the one that caused the noise; perhaps it wasn't lubricated properly at the factory.

It was replaced under warranty but nobody reimbursed me for my time...

Yea, when you buy wholesale, unless you are a commercial customer with an agreement, you likely don't get labor reimbursement.

 

[1998_K1500_Sub]

I had this experience when replacing the front hubs on my K1500 Suburban and posted about it here:

https://www.gmt400.com/threads/what-type-of-calipers-are-these.56391/post-1216011

It seems not all the hubs on the market have the seal on the backside of the hub. See pictures I attached in the above thread.

FYI, in my case the bearings weren't noisy but I was getting odd ABS behavior in the front, evidently due to a poor signal from one of the hubs. I simply replaced them both.

 

[Scooterwrench]

Really? Not doubting you, just surprised. I thought ball bearings hadn't been used in wheel bearings for fullsize GM trucks since 1961. Have you got a link that shows these unitized style hub bearings using ball bearings instead of tapered rollers?

Richard

I don't know about the chevy hubs but I have a set of bearings out of the rear hubs of a Ford Explorer that I helped a guy change. He needed them pressed out and the new ones pressed in. They are dual row ball bearings. I kept them with the idea of maybe building an English wheel someday. Seems tapered rollers would be the better way to go.

 

[Caman96]

I don't know about the chevy hubs but I have a set of bearings out of the rear hubs of a Ford Explorer that I helped a guy change. He needed them pressed out and the new ones pressed in. They are dual row ball bearings. I kept them with the idea of maybe building an English wheel someday. Seems tapered rollers would be the better way to go.

I thought Hogan Heroes blew up all the ball bearing factories in WWII?

 

[Scooterwrench]

I bought a pair of SKFs (SKF BR930338) from RockAuto for an AWD RX330 rear suspension; the same bearing is used on both sides.

Immediately after the install I noticed rear-end noise on one side.

I had noted during the install that one bearing turned easier than the other (less "drag" while holding the assy in my hand and turning), and the "easier" bearing was the one that caused the noise; perhaps it wasn't lubricated properly at the factory.

It was replaced under warranty but nobody reimbursed me for my time...

I have found lack of lube in sealed ball Chinese bearings a few times now,loose tolerances and grit left in the bearings during assembly. I ordered some micro ball bearings that I use in clocks and I got one batch that were rough as a cob. I popped the shields off one and inspected it under a microscope and the balls weren't even round,looked like they were made of slag.

 

[Scooterwrench]

I thought Hogan Heroes blew up all the ball bearing factories in WWII?

The German ones!

 

[1998_K1500_Sub]

rough as a cob

^^^ That sounds like a midwest farmer's expression, which I know from experience

A corn cob, or a page torn from a Sears catalog… either would do the trick

That was long before "baby wipes" were invented

 

[Caman96]

I have found lack of lube in sealed ball Chinese bearings a few times now,loose tolerances and grit left in the bearings during assembly. I ordered some micro ball bearings that I use in clocks and I got one batch that were rough as a cob. I popped the shields off one and inspected it under a microscope and the balls weren't even round,looked like they were made of slag.

This post from 2012 is from the “SilveradoSierra” forum. Never done it, but interesting.

“
You know on the more modern trucks they have unitized hubs on them? The hubs only have dust seals in them and enough grease to keep them running for a while but its set up to fail. Well, people think you cant pack them. Wrong. You can go to NAPA and buy their ...
chrome air blower with the rubber tip. All you really want is the tip. Unscrew it and put an 1/8" pipe coupler on it. Take the grease fitting off of your grease gun (hand pump grease gun not air) and thread the coupler/tip on to it. Now take your vehicle apart and pull the ABS sensor. Use Kendall Super Blue 427 grease. That looks like what is in every bearing I have taken apart. Dont mix another grease. When you get the sensor out, put the rubber tip in the sensor hole and start pumping. Now you have a seal on the inside and outside. that you need to watch for grease. Pump until you just see like a sweat coming out of the dust seal, not oozing out mind you, and stop pumping. You have to keep looking at both seals because one will let it out sooner than the other. As a rule of thumb, a 1500 takes about 32 to 36 pumps on an average, a 2500 takes anywhere from 65 to 80 pumps. Once you see the grease at the seals, Remove the rubber tip from the abs hole, rotate the hub one revolution and let the hub push out some grease thru the sensor hole. Now take a screwdriver and go in the hole, angle it so its going against the direction of rotation, till you hit the commutator inside. When you feel it, lift the screw driver up a little and rotate the hub so more grease comes up the screwdriver. Now finish cleaning the sensor hole by pulling as much grease out as you can and install the sensor. You have just packed your sealed hub. This works with any vehicle that has the abs sensor in the hub and any make. There are pictures available at”(link)

I deleted the link^^^as it doesn’t work anymore.

How to pack your sealed hubs

www.silveradosierra.com