Dorman Wheel Bearing Hub Assembly Good?

Wheel spacers could definitely increase leverage on the hub/bearing.

ATRAC... Hmmm I suppose maybe? I wouldn't think so but...



I always forget I have it until it's too late and I'm already buried up to the frame.



It'll be obsolete when I add a front locker with the regear.

 

I'm saying ATRAC because of how the brakes are automatically applied basically putting stress on the hubs with the brakes being applied if one of the wheels is in the air. The spacers are definitely playing a part which is why I can't wait to get new wheels with the proper back spacing where I don't need them. I haven't touched the ATRAC in a while though because I don't want to be too dependent on it and learn to take better lines

 

The only times I have ever used it was once on a difficult line and I'm not sure it really helped any and a small handful of times when in fuck soup trying to wriggle out.

It's only been successful maybe once or twice, usually I have to dig and stack, or now winch.

 

I'm gonna be sticking to winching. ATRAC works fairly well but I don't want to put any more added stress to the master cylinder considering it costs over $1k

 

If/when mine goes I'm converting to a traditional style, probably oversized and do a full float D60 with disks rear swap too.

 

it's not like you're driving around with ATRAC on, it's literally used about .005% of the time you're driving the truck. So if that driving mode is failing the bearing than that's impressive. I think the stop and go traffic, oversized tires, wheeler spacers, and potholes has more detrimental affect on the hubs than ATRAC ever would.

 

I'm sick and tired of unit bearings, people are too lazy to service traditional spindle/hub bearing setups so we've adopted these cheap ass unit bearings which are great for greasemonkeys like jiffy lube, but the serviceable hub bearings can last a long time if people remember to add grease and check torque every once in a while. Too busy posting only fans and instantgrams.

 

Hold up, the factory bearing are serviceable?

How?

 

toyota hasnt had serviceable hub bearings since the 1st gen 5 lug tacos.. last 4x4 was the t100 if remember right (State side)

 

No, the unit bearings have taken priority on almost every vehicle since about 2000+ time frame

Many mid-90s IFS vehicles still had serviceable bearings, and all solid axles did. The unit bearings in solid axles started around the Y2K timeframe. My 02 dana 60 has unit bearings

https://www.dynatrac.com/free-spin-...50-with-warn-hubs-and-coarse-wheel-studs.html

 

The issue is the spindles and tapered roller bearings required a mechanic to require to know how to grease and torque wheel hubs. The unit bearings allow any Joe Blow to just crank a few bolts and get a few thousand miles out of this junk, that also not only requires no maintenance, but none can be performed if you wanted to. Sounds great on paper but when you lose a wheel going down the road that might change your opinion on unit bearings LOL

 

I'll agree to that. My 2nd set of hubs was definitely install error (didn't know about the inner wheel seal at the time) I may have found another culprit possibly. While I was replacing my driver side axle the other night I had the ABS sensor out of the spindle so I could move it more out of the way and noticed the gasket around the sensor was starting to fall apart so I'm gonna guess that dirt and grime is slowly working it's way into the bearing.

 

A serviceable bearing would be nice to have. I already grease my UCAs and driveshaft every oil change so adding a couple of more things to the list wouldn't bother me at all

 

For whats it's worth, I used them on a Dodge 1500 a few years back, as I recall through Auto Zone. They lasted about 7 months, but with heavy driving. They did replace them with no grief but then again 7 months +/- and they were ready again. I replaced them with NAPA's Gold-level offering and they were still going strong 3 years later when I switched trucks.

I don't know if all of their Hubs are that good or not, that is from their brand to brand offerings. But I just used them again two weeks ago for L & R on my 2012 Tacoma Prerunner at $180.00 per side. Seems like the more I look at NAPA the more respect I have for their parts. Not that this is anything new, it's just that I always turned my nose up to them not knowing any better.

Well here's an interesting add-on. I was in NAPA today picking up a few things and happen to ask the guys, hey who made the NAPA Gold Hubs Joe Freeman installed on my truck a couple of weeks back? Have you guessed it yet? YES, IT WAS DORMAN. I liked to have fallen over after my testimony prior. I asked if they offer all of their top-shelf offerings and the answer was no. That it was make and model dependent. So there you go. Will I be back at the parts house in 6 months? It remains to be seen. But for now, Interesting info to say the least.

 

Napa Gold is usually decent quality, but they start to approach OEM pricing.

That said sometimes you're legitimately buying an OEM part just rebranded.

I know the Napa Gold Oil and Air filters are (or at least were) made by Purelator and part of their higher line.

 

I heard Beck Arnely does not make anything that has their name on it. Thought they were a good brand though.

 

6 gearT444E

I am also tired of that too. Theres a reason cars like those boxes on wheels have only complete unit tail light assemblies because theyre junk that most will just trash after the car breaks enough to be totaled.
What is this world coming to....

 

Anyone know a good way to tell if you are getting a basically OEM part that has just been rebranded?

For example I know the carrier bearing is Spicer and it is same exact as OEM.

 

Having spent 36 years of my life in manufacturing, let me fill you in on a little secret. Literally nobody makes their own parts anymore. It used to be called "vertical integration" and Henry Ford was the father and master of it. Toyota learned a ton from Henry, but further improved on his model. Although they still make some of their own parts, most of theirs are now outsourced to outside companies - many of which Toyota has a financial interest in. So that means even OEM Toyota bearings / hubs are not truly made by Toyota.

What's the difference between OEM Toyota and most aftermarket parts? Toyota's standards are much higher. So even if Toyota didn't make the bearing that came in that Toyota box, you can be pretty well assured it is a better part - unless it's counterfeit.

 

This point seems to fall on the deaf ears of many. I mentioned the same thing last week in a separate thread in that it doesn't really matter if every OEM's parts are coming from the same MFG. What matters/differentiates them is what specs (provided by that OEM) they're being built to.