NewFoundPower

I'm replacing a front wheel hub due to a stripped stud and wanted to see if any of the locally available hubs are better than the others:

O'Reilly: $250 for Precision hub
Auto Zone: $250 for Timken hub
NAPA: $220 for SKF hub

Is any one of those much better than the others? Since I have to replace one front hub, should I do the other side just so they're the same age or not worry about it until it wears out? I do track the car in NASA Time Trials on Hoosier R6s. They have about 67k miles on them, no sign of issues so far.

96CollectorSport

Buy the SKF hub and don't look back, the Timken hubs above seem to be a little overpriced IMO - check out Rockauto.com -
I've had Timkens last only 3 track weekends, SKF's seem to last closer to 10+ weekends. Also I believe the Precision bearing is just a re-boxed Timken.

One other thing, you may as well put rears all around they are cheaper and will work just fine front or rear.

NewFoundPower

Ok thanks, I'll go with SKF then. I know the hubs that NAPA has won't be as good as the SKF race hubs, but hopefully their attention to quality also applies to their street hubs.

What's the difference between the front and the rear hubs, and why are the rear hubs interchangeable with the fronts but not vice versa?

96CollectorSport

The rears have a splined hole in them for the 1/2 shafts, I think the reason the rears are cheaper is because some trucks use this bearing and therefore they sell more of them. No hole in the front hubs so it would be tough to slide the 1/2 shaft into it.

911

You can replace the stud if the bearing is still good

travisnd

This.... why are you replacing hub for a bad wheel stud?

NewFoundPower

Haha, gotcha.

So the hole in the rear hub won't cause any problems if it's installed in the front - maybe dirt or water getting to the bearing and ruining it? Does the hole need to be covered somehow?




I'm going to replace it because the stud is stripped inside the hub. The lug nut didn't come all the way off before the threads galled so badly that the splines on the stud tore loose from the hub flange, so now the stud and nut spin freely by hand and I can't get the wheel off. I still have to try to grind the head of the stud off to remove the nut and wheel, but assuming that works, the hole in the hub flange will likely not hold a new stud. That's according to the threads I've read where others have had this problem. I haven't seen mine yet but it makes sense that would happen.

travisnd

Ahhh gotcha... yeah if that's the case then you probably need a new hub. However, ARP studs for our cars have a biger splined end and are a PITA to get in. However I'd bet one of those would fit well.

John B

I thought it was only the SKF race rear bearings that were designed so they didn't rely on axle torque to hold them together. The SKFs out of the local parts store were of standard design. Has this changed recently?

96CollectorSport

We've used SKF hubs from NAPA for 2 or 3 years now, all I buy is rears, unless a customer wants to fork out the extra $50 just so a front doesn't have a hole in it, it's more or less the same bearing. They last the same and bolt up the same, just $50 cheaper and sporting a hole.
The hole isn't going to cause any problems, it's just there for the rears for the 1/2 shaft to spline into, if you use it on a front just think of it as a way to get rid of some unsprung weight.

I wonder if we have to take points for that in PTA/TTA?

BEZ06

Shouldn't be any problem at all with the open hole.

The ZR1 uses the same hub front and rear.

I happened to have a wheel off today, and looking from under the car at the hub area noticed light shining through the hole in the front hub with the splines clearly visible.

I give another to the SKF hubs!!

The ZR1 hubs are made by SKF. AFAIK the ZR1 hubs will fit on other 2009 and newer models of the C6 (one forum member put them on his 2010 GS). In 2009 they change to a Bosch ABS controller that has different wiring on the hub.

Take a look at this Mid America Motorworks site page that talks about using the SKF hubs they have on any 2008 and earlier C6 or any C5 with the AC Delco ABS. I don't know what's different from the SKF hubs you're looking at, but the Mid Amer ones are $450!!! But.....they call them "racing hubs"!:

http://www.mamotorworks.com/corvette?frame=2.9628


Bob

Dan Wendling

I have 2010 Z06/ZR1 hubs and Z06 wheel drive shafts installed in my 2010 Grand Sport.

No problems, just a simple exchange.

Good safety measure if you track the car.

6SPEEDZ

Do NOT use rear hubs in the front. You can only use the SKF motorsports bearing and the ZR1 bearing (provided you have the proper axles and ABS system or no ABS) in front or rear positions. All others are front or rear specific.

From my GM factory manual

" The rear wheel hub/wheel speed sensor requires the support of the drive axle and the drive axle nut clamped joint to properly carry vehicle loads. Mounting the rear wheel hub/wheel speed sensor in the front steering knuckle can cause bearing failure and possible damage to the vehicle."

Dan Wendling

I agree that is what the manual says. However the dealer tells me the part number for the ZR1 front and rear hubs are the same for 2010+.

6SPEEDZ

As I said.

NewFoundPower

What year is your manual for? Mine is a 2002, which sounds like it may make a difference - or not if the SKF (street?) hub design is new. Anyone know if that's the case?

greendot

I still have not figured out what year car you are working with.

96CollectorSport

Greg,

I typically agree with you on things but we've been running rears on the front for 2-3 years on several different track cars and haven't had an issue. This may be what the manual says but from my experiance it works fine. Now I have only used SKF rear bearings in the front, not sure about how well a Timken would hold up, but I've never been a fan of Timkens.

Joel

NewFoundPower

2002 z06.

6SPEEDZ

Joel,

I have seen people do it also but there is a reason why the manual specifically says not to do it. Most likely Heinracy or one of GM's drivers broke them during testing and put it in the manual. The fact that they put that in the manual is a little unusual. It is not normal to specifically say not to do something. It is not worth what could potentially happen to save $100 bucks in my opinion. I have had decent luck with timken's on my car, they lasted 2 years, but I have heard of some people wipe them out in a day.

Greg

The manual I quoted was for a 2000. I have an 2002 manual that I can look at also, it most likely says the same thing.