Front Bearing Hub Theory

[DELTAJOHN]

I just replaced my front left bearing hub on my '04 F-250. Does anyone know WHY Timken has 2 listings for the front hub, one 4WD hub with Coarse thread studs is $183., the other 4WD hub listing (mine) with fine threads is $380! I wanted to buy the USA made part, but I won't pay $400 for a F$#KING hub assembly, THAT'S ROBBERY. I bought the Autozone China part for $230.

Thanks for listening to my rant, one interesting observation, upon dis-assembly I noticed the grease in the old hub assembly was SUCKED out of the bearing towards the differential and settled around the axle seal. I wonder if our vacuum pulse 4WD hubs actually cause the bearing failures by pulling grease out over time. Repeated 4WD use I believe weakens the seals, and draws the grease out of the hub eventually. I live on a dirt road, and engage my 4WD once a week to "exercise" the system. Could my "good" habit have accelerated my failure?

Has anyone else noticed this on their truck? BTW, I've ordered Superwinch hubs, I'm plugging the vacuum and going manual, my hubs have always been inconsistent.

[Lilfarmrboy]

I just replaced my left front also for $203. Now I got a problem of hearing something binding up on the frontend. Going down the road hit a bump you hear a tapping ( can feel tapping in floor board and steering wheel) but it interment. If I lock the hubs you hear something grabbing in the front end all the time when the truck is in motion. Its driving me nuts. I checked underneath and everything feels and looks tight. Grrrr

[DELTAJOHN]

Originally Posted by Lilfarmrboy

I just replaced my left front also for $203. Now I got a problem of hearing something binding up on the frontend. Going down the road hit a bump you hear a tapping ( can feel tapping in floor board and steering wheel) but it interment. If I lock the hubs you hear something grabbing in the front end all the time when the truck is in motion. Its driving me nuts. I checked underneath and everything feels and looks tight. Grrrr

Sure you don't have a bad sway bar link?

[sinner6.0L]

coarse thread studs are probably not ABS. I can't remember for sure but that would explain the price difference

[Karls03]

Coarse thread hub assy has the ABS wire.

While buying one today I thought it was referring to the 4 mounting studs not the lug studs. Grrrr! WTF do the lug studs have to do with anything!?! I'd like to kick that rocket scientist right in the nuts!

Speaking of nuts, I get to buy 8 more tomorrow, grrrr.

sent from a dumb guy with a smart phone

[DELTAJOHN]

NOPE! Coarse and Fine thread hubs were both equipped with the ABS wires, I had both in my hand. Now, I'm really pissed, after paying $230nfor an autozone chinese hub, I find the Timken fine thread hub on Amazon for $116. DUH! My head hurts! The Timken $116. hub must be made in China too, because the warranty is only for 1 year, the more expensive hubs have a three year warranty. I'm still baffled over the fine/coarse hub, I've never seen the coarse threads except on 1/2 ton trucks.

[U235a4]

I don't know if the 04 and back are like the 05-07 but with the newer ones you have two types. One for single rear wheel and one for large dual rear wheel which has a adapter for the heavier front rims to mount to the hub. meaning some have normal studs while other have shorter studs to mount the adapter to and the wheel mounts to the adapter.

[HAULINGASS]

I just replaced one of mine with a Timken, part# SP940200. which is the $350 one. The only other hub/bearing assembly i saw was for a dually and i dont beleive it was Timken. Good luck finding a truly made in USA bearing of any quality. Even the bearing in the Timken unit isnt labeled with the Timken name. Its one of their subsidiary's, NSK

[Karls03]

Originally Posted by U235a4

I don't know if the 04 and back are like the 05-07 but with the newer ones you have two types. One for single rear wheel and one for large dual rear wheel which has a adapter for the heavier front rims to mount to the hub. meaning some have normal studs while other have shorter studs to mount the adapter to and the wheel mounts to the adapter.

Allow me to clarify, once you narrow down to SRW, what JACK WAGON made them coarse and fine thread!?!

I don't have time to wait on shipping, so I got the O'Reilly one. While it specified coarse, it didn't specify coarse what.

sent from a dumb guy with a smart phone

[ZMANN]

as far as your theory
the vacuum pulse is so small and travels through channels that are not internal to the unit bearing so no impact on the grease at all

04 is a split year and superwinch only makes hubs up to 04 unless you do a whole unit bearing delete ,, so dbl check what your getting will fit