I am doing the C5 brake upgrade on the front of my 87 Fiero. I bought new hubs, had them machined, and am installing them. My question is, do I install new front bearings?
The new hubs came with inner and outer races preinstalled, and the old bearings look fine, never made any noise. They are OEM with about ~50k miles on them. With the reputation new parts have for being cheap crap(even from name brands) do I even bother? Or do I just repack the old bearings, replace the seal, and call it good?
[This message has been edited by Threedog (edited 07-10-2017).]
I don't see a problem greasing the old ones and installing on those new races.
I know that some people think that the racers vary in size based on production, and are tied to the bearing manufacturer, but if new hubs have them I'd figure they expect you to use your old bearings.
[This message has been edited by Threedog (edited 07-10-2017).]
I can't imagine trying to save a few bucks here and wonder about the old parts vs new/old races. Just use new bearings. Why risk having to pull all that crap back off?
I know there is a risk of getting cheap parts, but are faulty new parts statistically more likely than 30+ year old bearings going bad?
I'm about to do new rotors/pads on mine. It's only a 10k mile car, but the original rotors are rusty and have some warping. While I'm there, I will definitely go with new bearings. Just my $.02.
I can't imagine trying to save a few bucks here and wonder about the old parts vs new/old races. Just use new bearings. Why risk having to pull all that crap back off?
I know there is a risk of getting cheap parts, but are faulty new parts statistically more likely than 30+ year old bearings going bad?
I'm about to do new rotors/pads on mine. It's only a 10k mile car, but the original rotors are rusty and have some warping. While I'm there, I will definitely go with new bearings. Just my $.02.
It doesn't have anything to do with money, as I have new ones in front of me right now. It's about what is legitimately better for the car, and I have a feeling OEM might be better.
Originally posted by Threedog: It doesn't have anything to do with money, as I have new ones in front of me right now. It's about what is legitimately better for the car, and I have a feeling OEM might be better.
Fair enough. For what it is worth, I'll be throwing new bearings into my new rotors/races. If the OEM bearings were new, I would absolutely use those. But 30 year old parts are . . . . old. And GM wasn't exactly using the highest quality parts on these cars when they were new anyway.
Others will disagree., but I can't offer a more legit opinion than telling you what I'm prepared to do myself
EDIT: Ogre has an experience that would lead to the opposite conclusion, though his was the rear hub/bearing. He replaced as a precaution, and the aftermarket went bad quickly. He put the OEM back on and it has been fine for 15 years. I don't know what brand the aftermarket was. Also, I'm not sure the same idea could be applied to the front bearings. My impression (without data to back it up), is the "cheap aftermarket" risk is not as much a concern with the front as the back bearings. FWIW.
[This message has been edited by USMUCL (edited 07-10-2017).]
Fair enough. For what it is worth, I'll be throwing new bearings into my new rotors/races. If the OEM bearings were new, I would absolutely use those. But 30 year old parts are . . . . old. And GM wasn't exactly using the highest quality parts on these cars when they were new anyway.
Others will disagree., but I can't offer a more legit opinion than telling you what I'm prepared to do myself
EDIT: Ogre has an experience that would lead to the opposite conclusion, though his was the rear hub/bearing. He replaced as a precaution, and the aftermarket went bad quickly. He put the OEM back on and it has been fine for 15 years. I don't know what brand the aftermarket was. Also, I'm not sure the same idea could be applied to the front bearings. My impression (without data to back it up), is the "cheap aftermarket" risk is not as much a concern with the front as the back bearings. FWIW.
Everything seems relatively hit and miss.
Fortunately, this job is not one that is very difficult. Dirty? Yes. Hard? Not really. I can probably change the bearings out in 25 minutes. I'll risk the OEM bearings, and just keep the others to replace at a later date. I just replaced the rear bearings on my 2004 Blazer, at 180k miles. OEM bearings seem to last(although it could be in the installation).
I would say it comes down to country of manufacture, Chinese steel sucks, if you can get USA made bearings, I would go with new, but keep the stock ones as spares as you never know.
I would say it comes down to country of manufacture, Chinese steel sucks, if you can get USA made bearings, I would go with new, but keep the stock ones as spares as you never know.
Do they make many bearings in Taiwan? I know Rodney made a point of stating that his ball joints are from Taiwan as the quality is better than mainland China produced ones.
Do they make many bearings in Taiwan? I know Rodney made a point of stating that his ball joints are from Taiwan as the quality is better than mainland China produced ones.
Probably better if someone else answers that question.
But I would take USA over China, Taiwan, (which in now china anyway)
Front bearings are different case... Don't confuse w/ rear hubs for OE vs Aftermarket. (For 1, OE hubs are BB but most Aftermarket Hubs use tapered rollers. AM hubs could be made poorly or install a bit "wrong" and bearing can wear out fast.)
Old front bearings may look good to you but don't use w/ new outer races. Slight wear to barrel shaped can cause big problems.
I have used preinstalled new outers w/ new bearings and never had any problems.
Main issue is How you install the adjusting nut. If you preload the bearings then the bearings won't last long. Could be Hours to weeks or longer depending how bad the preload is. See my cave for data.
------------------ Dr. Ian Malcolm: Yeah, but your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn't stop to think if they should. (Jurassic Park)
Do they make many bearings in Taiwan? I know Rodney made a point of stating that his ball joints are from Taiwan as the quality is better than mainland China produced ones.
For those that do not know: Taiwan makes very high quality products. There is no junk made in Taiwan.
I'll let Dave find a way to twist that around and find a way jab me somehow.
------------------ Rodney Dickman
Fiero Parts And Acc's Web Page: All new web page!:www.rodneydickman.com Rodney Dickman's Fiero accessories 7604 Treeview Drive Caledonia, WI 53108 Phone/Fax (262) 835-9575
So all your 88 bearings made in Taiwan are perfect right, and made with the exact same quality from one to one.?.?
Just let it go already, your still holding a grudge.?.?
What is your problem Dave?
You take Chris West's son's story and make it your own? Why Dave?? Why are you such a POS?
You generate a fake receipt with order# 2 million something.
You say I ripped you off for a dollar. You are a liar. And everyone here knows how I hate liars.
Why this personal hatred towards me?
Are you dim? Order #2 million something. At that time my order numbers on my web page were probably in the 800# range at most.
Why are you such a POS Dave?
Are you envious/jealous of me?
I've designed, developed and manufacture like 300 products now. Why do you bash me for just one of them?
I've seen more than a few people offer items that were not good quality. Yet I am the one one you have ever gone after.
Maybe one item I had made is not quite where we all hoped it should be. One. How about the 299 other high quality products I offer?
You are a one man band with your hatred towards me. I have 10,000 others that do not hate me.
On one hand I should truly hate you. You have taken away most all of my passion for making Fiero parts.
To make and develop car parts takes a lot of passion, time, devotion and money. Some of my products took years to finally get finished. I've lost that passion for making Fiero parts now.
I have like nothing on the drawing board now for Fiero stuff.
You say you want to help Fiero owners. How is this helping Fiero owners?
A while back a retail supplier of a low production car contacted me asking if I could get a radiator hose made that was not available. I did that for him. He was especially happy. That gave me an idea.
So my new adventure is to go out and look for auto parts retailers and ask what can I make for you?
I really have to thank you for that Dave. The parts I am having made now are complete, in boxes and ready to sell. No work is needed in my shop. No cutting/drilling/milling etc. I bring in an order and ship it out all in one shipment to a retailer. No stock on hand. No orders to fill every day.
So now who is going to make things for Fiero's? You? I doubt it. You seem to be a loser.
They say: Those that can't do criticize those that that do. That certainly applies to you Dave.
I'm surprised you have the courage to even post on the forum anymore.
Personally IMO I think everyone here should get together and ban you. ------------------ Rodney Dickman
Fiero Parts And Acc's Web Page: All new web page!:www.rodneydickman.com Rodney Dickman's Fiero accessories 7604 Treeview Drive Caledonia, WI 53108 Phone/Fax (262) 835-9575
[This message has been edited by Rodney (edited 07-14-2017).]
First of all you made up the me being whole Chris west's son story, the story you talk about was never his son in the first place, get your facts right. I never lied about any of it. I can screen shot the email.
Saying Taiwan never makes junk is a flat out lie and you know it, you say you hate lairs, look in a mirror.
When you count how many parts are on a Fiero, I have more Fiero parts than you do. A lot of your products are just re-branded and marked way up, anyway.
"Those that can't do criticize those that that do." How many Fieros do you WORK on, and not just sell parts to? How many write ups have you done? How much info do you provide, not trying to sell a part?
Trying to get people together to ban me.?.? That shows your true nature.
Just get over it already, your the one doing the jabs, and I just don't care. All your recent posts have been attacking me, nothing useful at all.
You say in almost every post how you make products for other cars now, good for you, but who cares but you?
In this thread you can see I didn't say one word about you or your products, just stated stay with USA made products.
I stand by USA made products, any bash on Chinese made parts, you take it as a personal insult, have a guilty conscious? USA Forever!!!!
Front bearings are different case... Don't confuse w/ rear hubs for OE vs Aftermarket.
Anecdotally, this was always my impression too -- most common aftermarket front bearings are usually as good or better than OE, but it's the rear that you have to be careful about, i.e. pay extra for top quality to minimize risk.
Dave knows I have parts made in Taiwan. So he makes (as usual) a sly jab saying to buy parts made in the USA. That is a jab at me. I know it. Dave knows it. He probably stays up nights just looking at how to come up with these sly remarks that he knows will irritate me.
------------------ Rodney Dickman
Fiero Parts And Acc's Web Page: All new web page!:www.rodneydickman.com Rodney Dickman's Fiero accessories 7604 Treeview Drive Caledonia, WI 53108 Phone/Fax (262) 835-9575
Dave knows I have parts made in Taiwan. So he makes (as usual) a sly jab saying to buy parts made in the USA. That is a jab at me.
You are the only person on this forum who would think that post was a jab.
You do realize, don't you, that if you ignore him he's almost certain to stop? But instead you throw gas on the situation every time. Every single time.
Dave's obsessive/compulsive hatred disorder towards me has given me a obsessive/compulsive hatred disorder towards him.
Where can I get some psychological help for $1.00.
------------------ Rodney Dickman
Fiero Parts And Acc's Web Page: All new web page!:www.rodneydickman.com Rodney Dickman's Fiero accessories 7604 Treeview Drive Caledonia, WI 53108 Phone/Fax (262) 835-9575
You do realize, don't you, that if you ignore him he's almost certain to stop? But instead you throw gas on the situation every time. Every single time.
Not true either. Hasn't worked in the past, not going to work in the future. This Dave threw the gas, Rodney only lit the match on this a$$hole.
Front bearings are different case... Don't confuse w/ rear hubs for OE vs Aftermarket. (For 1, OE hubs are BB but most Aftermarket Hubs use tapered rollers. AM hubs could be made poorly or install a bit "wrong" and bearing can wear out fast.)
Old front bearings may look good to you but don't use w/ new outer races. Slight wear to barrel shaped can cause big problems.
I have used preinstalled new outers w/ new bearings and never had any problems.
Main issue is How you install the adjusting nut. If you preload the bearings then the bearings won't last long. Could be Hours to weeks or longer depending how bad the preload is. See my cave for data.
Anecdotally, this was always my impression too -- most common aftermarket front bearings are usually as good or better than OE, but it's the rear that you have to be careful about, i.e. pay extra for top quality to minimize risk.
Now you know you can not say that with 100% certainty.
Yes he can.
If you can see I never said one word about rodney until he chimed in, you can also see I refrained from it.
If I say almost anything on here about China being crap he thinks it a jab at him and rodney comes in and attacks, he waits for it. Too bad he has no American pride and defends other countries over the USA.
And no dickman, it wasn't a jab at you this thread, get over your self. I don't like Chinese products regardless of who sells them. Just get over it already, I tried to let it go but you won't. What is your problem?
You can see I even said "Probably better if someone else answers that question" as I wanted to avoid your drama as you take every chance to attack me, as you think everything I post is about you, I just don't care. But you just had to start the drama up again.
And Lambo nut you have always been a troll here, just go away. Calling people dense, wow that's nice.
Oh, and rodney you say I helped you make products for other cars...your welcome.
Fiero Parts And Acc's Web Page: All new web page!:www.rodneydickman.com Rodney Dickman's Fiero accessories 7604 Treeview Drive Caledonia, WI 53108 Phone/Fax (262) 835-9575
This tends to happen when "Chinesium" comes into the equation, and I respond. Sorry to you about defending myself in your thread and any derailment it caused.
Fiero Parts And Acc's Web Page: All new web page!:www.rodneydickman.com Rodney Dickman's Fiero accessories 7604 Treeview Drive Caledonia, WI 53108 Phone/Fax (262) 835-9575
Going back to the original question... I would also suggest getting new wheel bearings. The old ones may not have high mileage, but they definitely have enough to be broken in. In other words, the races and bearings have gotten cozy with each other. Now that they're broken in, mixing and matching them with other parts might make them unhappy. It's better to get new bearings to go along with those new races, so the parts can break in properly.
[This message has been edited by Blacktree (edited 07-14-2017).]
Just let it go already, your still holding a grudge.?.?
I think that would be YOU with your wise ass, eye rolling comment of "Probably better if someone else answers that question." or did you quickly forget that? When you start a fire then fan the flames, don't ***** about getting burned.
Probably better if someone else answers that question.
