Ford hub and bearing unit

Butch(OH) · Feb 20, 2018

My F-250 4x4 ABS light came on and turns out that it it is more than the sensor, it needs one of the front wheel bearing/hub unit replaced. OEM is $600 plus but I see the auto parts places have several different ones from $150 - $400. Anyone have experience with the aftermarket units? A person would have to guess that the $150 units are in some way inferior?
Thanks in advance

W_B · Feb 20, 2018

I've been buying aftermarket parts for my Subaru and haven't had any issues with them. Some of them made by the same supplier that Subaru uses. I had a Ford Expedition where the lower rear control arms rotted and broke. I found a racing suspension mfg. in Indiana that had a better made part than OEM for less than half the cost of the Ford part. Dealer markup is ridiculous. Every priced John Deere parts?... that can take your breath away!

Leroy · Feb 20, 2018

You get one of each and I dought you will be able to see a difference, packiging may be also exactly the same. To indicate they were made on same assembly line. Just one pulled of to go to Ford the next to low priced supplier.

moresmoke · Feb 20, 2018

Not sure on the year, so I just guessed and looked at Rock Auto. $75-$240 - Highest priced was Motorcraft brand, they also carry Timken, SKF, and Moog branded ones that would all be top tier parts.

jeremy in NE · Feb 20, 2018

I have seen the high dollar and the cheap one fail within 2 weeks of installation. Luck of the draw is what it seems to be. I just by the ones with a lifetime warranty so I do not have to buy the part again.

jimg.allentown · Feb 20, 2018

Personally, I get that type of part from either Auto Zone or Advance. They offer a lifetime warranty on them.

I figure that if they can offer that type of warranty and not go broke on it, the parts must be of as good or better quality then OEM parts. Ford won't give you a warranty like that.

JL Ray · Feb 20, 2018

The JD parts are so costly due to the 7 stage painting they go through. if you go to the Harvester plant and seen a combine painted you know why.

Butch(OH) · Feb 20, 2018

Sorry it's a 2010, thought I put that in the post?? old age, LOL

Dune Country · Feb 20, 2018

I went through 3 of them on my '99 f250 last year, one showed up defective and one failed after 1000mi. All from Rock Auto, 3rd time I went to NAPA, didn't have time to wait for the return.
RA doesn't issue a refund just store credit. If given a choice get the best one.

JDEM · Feb 20, 2018

I just bought a new Denso temp sending unit for $8. Suzuki dealer wanted $114 for the same Denso unit. I guess that disproves the "lower price has to be inferior" idea.

bcdave · Feb 20, 2018

It was recommended by my mechanic to not use the cheap one unless I was planning on getting rid of the truck.
Dave

JDEM · Feb 20, 2018

Did this mechanic define "cheap." I know for a fact not all lower price parts are inferior to higher priced ones. Unless this mechanic gave examples of actual brands and part #s - his/her advice is meaningless.

Oregon Tractor Jack · Feb 20, 2018

Find out who made the bearing unit for your truck and then look for it on line. I did that for my Dodge. SKF is/was the OEM supplier for Dodge on my truck. I went on line and found a supplier that had them. I would try Rock Auto they have good prices and usually a selection of different qualities of parts. Buy a name brand when you do.

OTJ

bcdave · Feb 20, 2018

I don't remember the price difference but I'm happy I went with the better one. I was going to trade the truck off but it was worth so little I decided to keep it and use it for a beater but my wife drives it because she still likes it better than the new one.
Dave

hadley · Feb 20, 2018

Last one I replaced was on my 2004 F350. Went to napa store where I dealt almost exclusively and where owner was there working the counter everyday. Asked him what the difference was between the two when he told me the prices. He said they were the same exact part, only difference was with the cheaper one you were only paying for a one year warranty. With the pricier one you were just buying the extra warranty!

Ken Macfarlane · Feb 20, 2018

I ran the cheapies, had good luck. Replace free spin needle bearing that rides on the outer axle too, it?s only 5$.

INCase · Feb 20, 2018

i would second that. I try to do that with my cars. For example TRW made the front end components on our mini-van and 300M. have had good luck. You cannot get better parts than the factory parts. I work for an OE supplier and the standards and specifications we make parts to is crazy and the aftermarket do no have to.

I would guess (??) being Ford it could be Timken. I've not had good luck with Timken aftermarket on my Chryslers (they were probably SKF for OE)

juniur · Feb 20, 2018

The thing that?s most often overlooked and cause for most hub bearing failures is over torquing of the axle nut. Running it up with an impact gun is a big no no. That nut needs to be tightened with an accurate torque wrench.

flembo · Feb 20, 2018

I am familiar with SKF hubs When I worked at my last job I headed up the installation of a large machining, heat treating and assembly system at SKF plant in Aiken South Carolina. The system started with a large tractor trailer type hub blank our Vertical turning centers turned the Od. and Id which included the outer races from there they went thru an Induction Hardening machine that hardened the races, after hardening (race area only) a multy spindle vertical drill and reaming machine did the 12 stud holes then the hub went into a Id grinding machine that precision ground the outer races and matched them to the center of the hub that had the inner races machined ,Hardened and Ground in a similar fashion. The Hub now went onto an Assembly machine that chose the correct size tapered rollers based on the measurements made after grinding. An already long story short when the Hub came off the end of the machine it was ready to go on a truck. These hubs were both Steering and Trailer Hubs. The entire operation was automated from start to finish a man loaded the Hub on the first VTC. and Gantries, Grippers and conveyors moved them along to the end. Right next to our system was an Italian system very similar that did the same thing with Car and small truck size Hubs. There was still some human intervention, monitoring and filling Hoppers and feeders and such. When I replaced the Hubs on my 2000 Ford Expedition I asked for SKF.

farmer boy · Feb 20, 2018

You serious? Cause you?re incorrect. 7 stages? Get real.

farmer boy · Feb 20, 2018

Rock auto has a Timken unit for $199. If you have time to wait, pull the hub first and see if the studs are reusable. If not, order those too for $30.

SVcummins · Feb 20, 2018

Friend had the local shop put in a set of the cheap unit bearings they didn?t last a month luckily the shop warranted the work and my friend had the better bearings out and never had another problem

Pete in Holland MI · Feb 20, 2018

Have had 2 bad experiences with the cheapies. Yup, lifetime warranty. Just can't get the Saturday afternoon back replacing them. The only benefit on the replacement is that all the joints are now broke free, and you know what to do.

Hobo,NC · Feb 20, 2018

I have had plenty of aftermarket units fail enoufh I don't want to see are install another...

Tom in CO · Feb 20, 2018

I just had mine done on my 2001 f-450 2 days ago. The abs light was on and it was making a grinding sound. When i jacked it up the wheel was wobbly.
Mine is also a 4x4 with abs. I had the local shop in town do mine and it only came to $650. $360 for parts and $290 for labor.
I think they got the parts from napa as they had napa posters all over the shop.
Tom

Robert Major · Feb 21, 2018

My buddy just had the same thing with An excavator, the local dealer wanted $1500 for 3 sensors. He got them online somewhere,they were exactly the same component manufacture for less than $150 including shipping, he said the only difference was the logo on the box he was going to throw in the garbage anyway.

I've seen that lots to with the OEM tractor clutch and the Jobber . The jobber has the same maker and makers part no just not the Massey or what ever brand part number, and the box is different that you pay more for and throw away. I've argued this with customers that want genuine at $900.00 more but they won't believe me, and think they are getting done over by buying the jobber part. But hey the truth is the OEM dealers looking after them real well (Not) L.O.L

Regards Robert

showcrop · Feb 21, 2018

A lot of people seem to have the idea that vehicle and equipment manufacturers make most of their parts. This is far from the case. As others have stated the aftermarket part is very often really OEM, in different packaging. A few years ago I was ordering a plastic cooling system part for my Explorer, and I was studying the pictures looking for a difference between the aftermarket and OEM. I noticed that the pictures were identical, all taken from the same angles. Then I noticed that one picture of the aftermarket part, where it showed the "Motorcraft" was cast in the Ford part, was apparently photo-shopped because there was no Motorcraft there. When I got the part, it was in a different brand box, but right there where the pic showed a flat area was the Motorcraft logo, and the part was 1/3 the money.

Grandpa's Fords · Feb 21, 2018

(quoted from post at 09:09:12 02/21/18)
A lot of people seem to have the idea that vehicle and equipment manufacturers make most of their parts. This is far from the case. As others have stated the aftermarket part is very often really OEM, in different packaging. A few years ago I was ordering a plastic cooling system part for my Explorer, and I was studying the pictures looking for a difference between the aftermarket and OEM. I noticed that the pictures were identical, all taken from the same angles. Then I noticed that one picture of the aftermarket part, where it showed the "Motorcraft" was cast in the Ford part, was apparently photo-shopped because there was no Motorcraft there. When I got the part, it was in a different brand box, but right there where the pic showed a flat area was the Motorcraft logo, and the part was 1/3 the money.

I don't know if there is a good answer to this! I've had several aftermarket parts portrayed in pics and description as oem shipped to me to find that they were not oem and used actual pics and desc. from the oem part. No deception here!
But contrary to that I recently purchased from amazon 4 brake rotors for my duramax using gm part numbers received all 4 for $120 and free shipping! whereas the local auto parts stores had them at $109 ea for 2 and $114ea. for the other 2. These rotors were the original parts. Part no#s all suffixes and prefixes were identical and worked perfectly.
Even higher end companies have different levels of quality so it's easy to be fooled. I've worked in Heavy Truck Parts on the retail end and it was surprising to me the lengths that wholesalers would go to sell inferior or lesser products to unwitting customers. Remember this as a heavily loaded tractor trailer blows by you on the interstate 80mph. They may spare no expense to boost hp with top shelf stuff but most leave the steering and brakes to discounted aftermarket products.
Kinda off topic, but research replacements well and bear in mind yours and others safety. It's let the buyer beware!!!

Destroked 450 · Feb 21, 2018

Do a search for "Detroit Axle"
They list your front hub for $115
I've bought several hub sets from them to use on vehicles from daughters Monte Carlo to my F-450, haven't had any failures yet.

John

Grandpa's Fords · Feb 21, 2018

(quoted from post at 10:16:55 02/21/18)
Do a search for "Detroit Axle"
They list your front hub for $115
I've bought several hub sets from them to use on vehicles from daughters Monte Carlo to my F-450, haven't had any failures yet.

John

I would second that, I've had good experiences with them.

Destroked 450 · Feb 21, 2018

(quoted from post at 13:22:34 02/20/18) I am familiar with SKF hubs When I worked at my last job I headed up the installation of a large machining, heat treating and assembly system at SKF plant in Aiken South Carolina. The system started with a large tractor trailer type hub blank our Vertical turning centers turned the Od. and Id which included the outer races from there they went thru an Induction Hardening machine that hardened the races, after hardening (race area only) a multy spindle vertical drill and reaming machine did the 12 stud holes then the hub went into a Id grinding machine that precision ground the outer races and matched them to the center of the hub that had the inner races machined ,Hardened and Ground in a similar fashion. The Hub now went onto an Assembly machine that chose the correct size tapered rollers based on the measurements made after grinding. An already long story short when the Hub came off the end of the machine it was ready to go on a truck. These hubs were both Steering and Trailer Hubs. The entire operation was automated from start to finish a man loaded the Hub on the first VTC. and Gantries, Grippers and conveyors moved them along to the end. Right next to our system was an Italian system very similar that did the same thing with Car and small truck size Hubs. There was still some human intervention, monitoring and filling Hoppers and feeders and such. When I replaced the Hubs on my 2000 Ford Expedition I asked for SKF.

I've read this a few times and can't completely understand the process as described, but I can tell you that on tractor-trailer hubs no part of the hub is hardened, these hubs also only have 10 stud holes, not 12.
Although that machine can probably be programed to process steering and trailer hubs, the hubs themselves are completely different.

John

Hobo,NC · Feb 21, 2018

If you leave a bad review for Detroit Axle they will pay you to remove it :shock: BTDT.... They sell junk also so beware...

If you made your living replacing junk aftermarket parts your opinion would differ..

Ford hub and bearing unit

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