Wheel hub replacement, what else should I change while there.

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BLUEDERANGO

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Ok, my 2 cents worth. Ram/Dodge does not manufacture bearings, they are outsourced from the cheapest vendor they can find. So OEM in this case means nothing. I have used TIMKIN bearings for years, they last for ever, can be found for a reasonable price and they are of the highest quality.
 

Jeepwalker

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Ram/Dodge does not manufacture bearings, they are outsourced from the cheapest vendor they can find. So OEM in this case means nothing.

That's not a completely valid statement. At all. They probably do outsource the bearing mfgr as do most manufacturers, that part is true. But the rest isn't true. It's a common myth.

There is a Chrysler specification vendors have to meet. Not all vendors can meet that. Then only certain 'approved' vendors with known 'good' quality track records and financial stability are considered. Bearings are 'graded' after they are produced from lower quality to higher quality. The lower quality bearings will be sold off to other purchasers, the bearings which meet a certain spec can be used. I used to do a lot of engineering projects with Borg Warner for many years, and knew the plant mgr pretty well. We'd had many "this is how it works" discussions about how they go about making parts for new cars and pricing up new parts/components. Price is important but it's not the only factor.

If what you said was the case, vehicles would all be made from the cheapest Dorman and Chinese products which would have an astronomical failure rate (and customers wouldn't buy their products).

Even within any bearing mfgr's line, the same bearing part number there are various bearing grades and different parts associated with the tighter vs the lower grade.

Off-roaders know cheap bearing/hubs don't last. Compare a quality GM original replacement hub to even a good Chinese hub and the quality differences are rather stark. Last OReiilly's hub I bought (wasn't even the 'cheap' one) had .006" runout at the outer hub face out of the box. My brother has bought cheap hubs which had 'freeplay' after it was installed. LOL Your Timkin recommendation is probably pretty good, but they're not the 'cheapest' hubs.
 
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1979PowerWagon360

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I've replaced the sealed hubs on two Police Chargers. One because it started making noise around 100k miles. The other I just did but it was kind of opposite reasons of yours. I was doing brake pads and rotors so I decided to do the hubs at same time. This one has 90k miles and I figured while wheels and rotors are off I'll go ahead and do it. Generally speaking, these have lasted on our fleet Chargers to about 120k miles or more. As far as your question, I wouldn't do anything else unless it's indicating problem. If brakes are close to needing attention I'd do them.

Brands; OEM or Timken. Timken still seems to be okay. The first time I used Timken and they were good. The second time I got a real good buy on OEM and since I've seen them lasting 120k miles usually I used them.
 

Dusty

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I usually try to go OEM when possible. Pretty sure the bearing/hub assemblies on my truck are original (I bought it used) ...with 173k mi. My 89 GM pickup has original hub/bearing assembliies and it has 260+K miles.

I've installed Moog (branded) bearing/hub assembiles, and Timkin too, on snow plow vehicles before and they seemed to hold up pretty well.
One of my son's has a 2008 which needed a front hub 155K. He replaced it with a AutoZone unit because "they're 1/3 the cost and the same part as factory."

He has since replaced both front hubs with AutoZone parts three times!

Yes, the factory hubs are more expensive and I don't believe the AutoZone hubs are, in fact, the same part made by the same manufacturer.

Regards,
Dusty
2019 Ram 1500 Billet Silver Quad Cab 2WD, 5.7 Hemi, 8HP75, 3.21 axle, 33-gallon fuel tank, factory dual exhaust, 18” wheels. Build date: 3 June 2018. Now at 84277 miles
 
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stenerson

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I changed one of the wheel hub bearings yesterday. Torque specs out there in the
interwebs a bit confusing.
Some sites say the wheel bearing bolts should be 120, others 148.
Some say the axle nut is 185 and others 263, a big difference. I went with the lower specs. Anyone have a link to an official online service manual?
 

Sherman Bird

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I changed one of the wheel hub bearings yesterday. Torque specs out there in the
interwebs a bit confusing.
Some sites say the wheel bearing bolts should be 120, others 148.
Some say the axle nut is 185 and others 263, a big difference. I went with the lower specs. Anyone have a link to an official online service manual?
Hub bolts are 44 lbs torque followed by 80 degrees further turn. Axle nut is 184 ft lbs. HTH
 

DILLIGAF

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Full send with 1/2 Milwaukee impact at #3 :anitoof: They havent moved since.
 

Jeepwalker

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If you ever want to look at manuals, torque specs, etc, there are Ram pdf manuals on this forum floating around. Just do a forum search. Should come up. (free)..
 

caulk04

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I have to take out the steering knuckle to replace bearing. I just figured that at 120K miles those ball joints would be pretty close to the end of their life.


Figured I'd revisit this. Yes, the knuckle does have to come off. Not all vehicles require this.

Finally got around to doing my brakes and the one bearing that was unhappy. Though for sure it was the left bearing, turned out to be the right so now both are new. $100 shipped from Amazon for a Timken.

Very easy job to be honest. I had to go back and do the second bearing a few days later and had it back on the ground less than an hour after I got home.
 
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stenerson

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Figured I'd revisit this. Yes, the knuckle does have to come off. Not all vehicles require this.

Finally got around to doing my brakes and the one bearing that was unhappy. Though for sure it was the left bearing, turned out to be the right so now both are new. $100 shipped from Amazon for a Timken.

Very easy job to be honest. I had to go back and do the second bearing a few days later and had it back on the ground less than an hour after I got home.

Yeah it was relatively easy, I've done a couple times on my 3rd gen Ram. Just was googling torque specs and getting different results. I bought both bearings, only replaced the one that was whining for the time being.
 
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stenerson

stenerson

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Not from my perspective. I fix cars for a living. These newer vehicles have these tightening specs as a matter of course. I see it daily.

No, I just meant new, as in a different spec than I was getting in my googling efforts. LOL!
 
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stenerson

stenerson

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Ok, my 2 cents worth. Ram/Dodge does not manufacture bearings, they are outsourced from the cheapest vendor they can find. So OEM in this case means nothing. I have used TIMKIN bearings for years, they last for ever, can be found for a reasonable price and they are of the highest quality.

Yep. I just did my other front bearing this weekend. (Did the other a couple of weeks ago). All the markings and numbers on it identical to the original I pulled out. I'm pretty sure it's the same animal.
 
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