ChevelleSSLS6
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Grand Rapids, MI
If anyone wants me to contact MI bearing, PM me. I probably won't check back into this thread for a while... hence why I'm having you guys PM me on this.
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Where to buy Unit Bearings?
- Thread starter stumpXJ
- Start date
stumpXJ
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Atlanta, Georgia
Ive already ordered the other ones, but I would interested if they are the same as the MI ones. I have a hard time believing they are completely made in the US. Assembled maybe, and maybe some of the parts, but not the whole thing. Way too many bearing manufacturers out there (foreign>Asian) to reinvent the wheel just to say made in the USA. While I understand and agree with the concept, it doesn't make sense from a business perspective. Kind of like saying Fords are 'made in USA'
stumpXJ
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Atlanta, Georgia
Well, I just wanted to follow up. I ordered these unit bearings on Monday through Amazon.com. They came to my house today, Wednesday. Pretty darn quick for FREE shipping.
They are made by GMB. GMB makes all kinds of things, water pumps, unit bearing assemblies, Unjoints, tie rods etc. They seem like a reputable company (www.GMB.net) that has been around for quite a while. They have distributors in 8 countries, and make many of the OEM parts for major manufacturers, and are sold through major companies as well. They also have some very beefy looking Ujoints that are heavy duty and geared towards offroaders (check out the catalog). I may check them out in the future.
I installed both of them in about 1.5 hours tonight after dinner, and the assemblies fit perfect and feel nice and tight as they should. Time will tell how they hold up, but for $82.24 shipped to my house in two days, they are certainly worth a try.
A few obligatory pictures.
~James
They are made by GMB. GMB makes all kinds of things, water pumps, unit bearing assemblies, Unjoints, tie rods etc. They seem like a reputable company (www.GMB.net) that has been around for quite a while. They have distributors in 8 countries, and make many of the OEM parts for major manufacturers, and are sold through major companies as well. They also have some very beefy looking Ujoints that are heavy duty and geared towards offroaders (check out the catalog). I may check them out in the future.
I installed both of them in about 1.5 hours tonight after dinner, and the assemblies fit perfect and feel nice and tight as they should. Time will tell how they hold up, but for $82.24 shipped to my house in two days, they are certainly worth a try.
A few obligatory pictures.
~James
- Location
- Seattle, WA
I'm not the OP but I have also ordered the GMB unit bearings from Amazon for about $82 a pair and have had no issues. I would get them again. It seems to be the luck of the draw - I know some guys who have gone through 3 sets of Timkens in under a year, I know some guys that run cheapos for 5 years.
GrimmJeeper
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Gardena, CA
Timken has really fallen out of the bearing market lately quality wise, which is why NAPA stopped carrying them as their house brand 3 years ago and switched over to SKF. I have been let down by timken bearings on at least 3 occasions in the last 5 years and hear nothing but complaints about them over the last couple of years from my customers.
iwannadie
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Gilbert, Az
I put timken bearings on maybe 3 years ago and I think they are on their way out now. I originally had one with a bad seal days after it being installed, they replaced it but still a hassle. My next set I will be looking for something other than timken.
- Location
- San Diego
yeah my timkens are making noise after maybe 2 years. has been going on for quite a while too. looks like GMB will be my next ones.
JrTxJ
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Canton, MA
Although it sounds funny, F.A.G. (yeah yeah yeah) bearings are the OEM supplier for Chrysler and are available aftermarket. Those are what I use, sell, and recommend.
mongolchuck
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Iowa
Cheap unit bearings typically use the hub nut to set preload, higher quality wheel bearings have the preload set when they are pressed together. What this means is you should always torque the nut to specs with a wrench but it is especially important to do so with the cheap bearings. Dont just hammer on the nut with an impact. Overtorqued bearings are a major cause of premature failure.
XGarfX
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- North Jersey
My precision u joints went bad in less than a year... Installed correctly and lubed with proper grease before i put the caps on and pressed them in. I am now waiting til i have time to go pick up some spicer 760s and full circle clips to install with my timken hubs onto my spare shafts and throw those in. Proper torque on that axle nut definately has an impact on how long the hubs last, my buddy hammered on that axle nut with an impact wrench and toasted the hubs in a year.
I'm gona torque mine down when i finish installing them onto my spares, does anyone know the torque specs off hand? Last time i had to remove them I recall torquing them down to 150 lbs or 170 mayb, was a while ago.
I'm gona torque mine down when i finish installing them onto my spares, does anyone know the torque specs off hand? Last time i had to remove them I recall torquing them down to 150 lbs or 170 mayb, was a while ago.
- Location
- San Diego
almost positive its 175 ft/lbs
mjma
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Rehoboth, MA
^^ Yep, 175 ft/lbs.
I have also had bad experiences with Timken bearings a couple of years ago being bad either right out of the box or a week later. Went through two of them on one side (the one on the other side was fine for some reason) and they growled either immediately or about a week later. Returned it, didn't get another Timken, just threw one in from a low mileage XJ out of a junkyard and good to this day.
I like to grab them out of low mileage XJs in the junkyard when I can. I usually will grab the bearing and the whole axle shaft assembly (telling them that I can't get it apart, haha, I was just too lazy to do so) and they will give me the whole axle shaft and hub assembly together for 25-40 bucks. I generally change the Ujoint and keep the hub on the axle shafts to make the swap out quicker/easier on the trail.
I have also had bad experiences with Timken bearings a couple of years ago being bad either right out of the box or a week later. Went through two of them on one side (the one on the other side was fine for some reason) and they growled either immediately or about a week later. Returned it, didn't get another Timken, just threw one in from a low mileage XJ out of a junkyard and good to this day.
I like to grab them out of low mileage XJs in the junkyard when I can. I usually will grab the bearing and the whole axle shaft assembly (telling them that I can't get it apart, haha, I was just too lazy to do so) and they will give me the whole axle shaft and hub assembly together for 25-40 bucks. I generally change the Ujoint and keep the hub on the axle shafts to make the swap out quicker/easier on the trail.
- Location
- San Diego
thats what i did when my timken went south. hard to beat the factory stuff
XGarfX
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- North Jersey
wow this was not the news i was looking to hear... i've had a set of timkens sitting in my garage for like 2 months now waiting for warmer weather to go onto my spares w/ new u joints and swap them in. If they go bad I doubt rockauto will do any return or refund ugh
- Location
- Seattle, WA
Just put them in and take your chances. It seems that's what everyone does regardless of supplier.
