National Wheel Bearings 517011 / KOYO OE

In doing the front end job tonight, I decided to get new wheel bearings.

It never fails, when I get into replacing ball joints on a vehicle with over 150,000 miles, I find a bad wheel bearing on the passenger side.

Since this was a last minute finding, I bought a new set of National bearings and seals from O'Reilly.

For over 10 years now, National bearings are my "go to" brand when I don't have time to wait for OEM orders. Also, when there is significant savings or difference in warranty, I'll pick National over OEM.

When I opened the box, I found the bearings are KOYO from Japan. I know that KOYO bearings have come as OEM in the timing belt kit.

All I can say is these are some stout looking bearings.

RockAuto has these for $61.79 each.

https://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo.php?pk=219389&jsn=3&jsn=3


If your pressing shop does not have the Assenmacher Specialty Tools TOY 185 Wheel Bearing Nut Socket here is a link.

$77 Assenmacher Specialty TOY185 Wheel Bearing Nut Socket

https://www.amazon.com/Assenmacher-Specialty-Tools-Bearing-Socket/dp/B000BVYT8W

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/changing-out-a-wheel-bearing-how-to.260188/

 

Scared me, thought I was gonna read you went with something other than Koyo, but I didn't. Whew. Yes as you likely know Koyo makes high quality bearings, even then these bearings do seem to be quite stout for the light duty taco, agreed.

 

When I just got oe from Toyota I paid 200 for the same bearings Koyo. Timken is what came out after 20 years and took a 60 ton press. One was sooo bad it would hardly spin enjoy the gas mileage bump!

 

I found this write up about the special tool required to remove the wheel bearing.

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/changing-out-a-wheel-bearing-how-to.260188/

 

I don't remember if in your work setup you have a press available to you? That's the only part that'll be a lil more difficult. And that tool in that thread, is that a press die? What is that?

 

No access to a press or the special Assenmacher bearing socket tool. Looks like the tool cost $67 on Amazon. I've run out of room to put up a press here at home. I don't use one enough to justify the expense or space.

I dropped off the bearings, seals, and knuckles at a shop that will replace the bearings today for about $100.

I get always get this shop to press in any wheel bearings that I replace. They do a good job. I can outsource the pressing part moving while I work on other stuff.

I found the brake lines are cracking up. I'll order some LCE stainless.

$77 Assenmacher Specialty TOY185 Wheel Bearing Nut Socket

https://www.amazon.com/Assenmacher-Specialty-Tools-Bearing-Socket/dp/B000BVYT8W

 

Yeah I could've used a press more than I thought looking back and still could, just a used lil 30 ton one would be convenient, but I never got one either.
So I see on that tool, it is a socket and those pins have to transfer 200 lbs of torque to the bearing nut. Crazy. 100 bucks for that seems plenty fair

 

Looks like uses a 1/2 inch drive to spin bearing keeper off. Not sure about the torque required. Reminds me of the Schley tool required for the crankshaft pulley.

There may be another way around it. The shop said they have the tool so I'll let them worry about it.

Meanwhile I just ordered some LCE brake lines.

 

Its not going to happen this weekend. I stopped by the shop and they had to order the special bearing socket tool. It will be Monday after work before I can pick up the knuckles. I told them to take their time and do a good job. I can wait.

One of the rebuilt calipers that I got from O'Reilly (I like the looks of them) found someone robbed one of the banjo bolts from the parts package.

That left me one short. I don't want to reuse the old banjo bolts because I like the larger hole bore on the new ones.

Then I found the old rubber brake lines all cracked up. So I ordered new ones from LCE Performance.

So I'm going to clean up my tools and let the Taco sit in the garage for week while I get this all sorted out.

 

So I'm a little confused. You bought National Bearings front wheel bearings from O' Reilly's but Koyo came instead. Got that. The link for the National Bearings on RockAuto's website are for Koyo's? Or National's?

Do you have manual or ADD hubs?

 

The link to Rock is for the Nationals. In searching the site, I'm not the first person to buy Nationals and get Koyo's.

I should have made pictures of the National seals. This isn't unusual. I've had experiences with other Japanese cars where Nationals are reboxed OEM.

That's what keeps me coming back to that brand.

 

Ah. Thank you sir!

These for manual hubs?

 

I've got of the 2WD Prerunners OR packages that uses 4WD 6 lug parts.

 

Exactly. Love it when I score like that. More common than folks would think. Same thing as the boxes branded Moog, AC Delco, etc they all had the lower ball joint manufactured by 555 in them. Usually only a couple/few actual different manufacturing companies of a given component. But many different vending companies of that one component.

Edit: not trying to be captain obvious at all and it donned on me now you likely already know this. Lol dunno why I typed it out

 

Its gets really interesting understanding the relationship between the Japanese manufactures and Federal Mogul. Federal Mogul (FM) is a supply partner to Toyota. They organize the parts supply channel. I've seen where FM supplies Toyota with seals. For seals, you can get them in a red box or blue box. But they both come from the same place.

 

This afternoon when leaving work, I saw a buddy's Chevy 2500 stopped on the parking lot and leaning to the right. The lower ball joint broke loose.

Its a good thing he wasn't moving very fast. He said that was the 2nd passenger side ball joint that has been replaced since he's owned it over the past 4 years.

I'm glad that I'm replacing ball joints as preventative maintenance. The passenger side boot was torn and the joint was fairly loose compared to the driver side.

 

I got the wheel bearings back from the press shop. Both wheels feel smooth and tight like new. No more loose and gritty feel. The staked the retaining nut like it should be done. Hopefully, these will last over 200,000 miles like the originals. If they do, I'll be too old to drive and won't care anymore. Ha!

 

I made my own "special tool". Took me a couple hours. Needed: Drill press, Welder, Drill bits, Hole Saw, Steel Tube, 2 steel plates.

Here is an image of the complete tool. Not my Image but this is essentially what inspired me:


I got the dimensions off a tool from ebay and also did my own measuring from my axle.

Pipe total length : 20"
Pipe inside Diameter : 1.50"
Flange Diameter : 3.86"
No of plates : 2 ( 4 holes & 8 holes )

I got the materials for free from work already cut to size for me (I work for a major airline in the maintenance facility). 1 tube 2 plates

This is me making the hole in the plate. Use plenty of lube.
Yes I work on most projects in that gas mask (get them and filters for free at work anyway) as it is so much more comfortable and safer to me than safety glasses/shield plus I don't have to smell burning lube while drilling. LOL



And below is me me sizing everything up before drilling the holes and welding






I don't have a picture of the finished product but if you really want I can post my finished tool, the exact size drill bits/hole saw I used (don't remember off the top of my head) and any other info you want.

This tool made my life so much easier.

Quick PSA:
When replacing wheel bearings, make sure you look at where the bearing seats in the housing/hub! I replaced mine the first time and there was rust in the hub, cleaned it all up and installed the bearings only for one side to go bad after a year because the rust was bad enough that after removing it allowed the wheel bearing to have just the tiniest amount of clearance at the outer race. This allowed the bearing to shift slightly and the outer race actually spun in the seat/hub!!! I luckily was already in possession of another rear axle and swapped that seat/hub from the donor axle and installed new bearings. The rear seat/hub is around $80 bucks.

The part I am talking about as far as seat/hub is technically called a case/retainer: 4242135030.
https://parts.toyota.com/p/Toyota__/CASE-RETAINER/63549740/4242135030.html

Definitely recommend making sure there is no rust, cleaning it, and grease the entire thing then WIPE all of the grease off with a rag. This leaves a very light coat of grease that you can barely see but helps protect the metal.

 

Put the upper ball joints in the freezer tonight. I will heat the knuckle end just before installation. It should be a quick installation.

 

Borrowed this ball joint / u-joint service kit from Advanced. I started out with a smaller set that I rented from O'Reilly that will just not fit over ball joint. This kit did the job. I should have made Advance my first stop. They have some serious loaner tools.



I put some rust preventive paint around the tops of the knuckle where I buffed off any surface rust. I'm waiting for it to dry before I install the snap rings.



These knurled surface snap ring expansion pliers from NAPA should do the trick.



Wheel bearing and stake nut after installation.