1out of 5
Reviewer Comments: My cousin asked me to look at her 2002 Chevy Trailblazer because it had a grinding sound coming from the front wheels. 6 months ago she paid a local repair shop to install both front hub assemblies because of the same problem. After determining that the problem was coming from the hubs, I removed both of them, and was mortified at what I discovered after only 6 months of use. Grease or any sign of it was non-existent, and quite a few bearings had been reduced to powder. The hub on the passenger side was darn near ready to separate which would mean the wheel would literally come off while it was going down the road.
Curious about who, and how they had installed these hubs, I got the name from my cousin and took the 2 hub assemblies to that shop. I talked with a nice fellow named Pete who owned the shop, and had installed the hubs. I then told him my cousin only 6 months ago had him install the 2 hubs I handed him. He looked at them and said wow, then looked up the work order and found that he had purchased the hubs at Advance Auto, and they were a brand called NTP. He placed the worst hub in a vise and used a small pry bar to separate the assembly without much effort. He assured me that the hubs were installed and torqued to factory repair specifications. Advance offered a 1 year warranty on the hubs, but would only replace them with the same brand. Pete then gave me the total for the whole repair bill, and told me he would get his money back he paid for the hubs. He also stated from that day forward he would only install premium brand hub assemblies even if it meant loosing business. I think he was as shocked as I was.
I then purchased and installed some hub assemblies made by National that were assembled using Timkin bearings. Please, Please, Please….be very careful when buying critical steering and chassis replacement parts. Most manufacturers that import automotive parts (and other things)are only concerned about making maximum profits by using cheap materials and third world slave labor. You have to look out for yourselves………..not everyone else will.
PS…..Just to see if Pete was honest, I called a few weeks later asking if he would install some NTP hubs that I purchased at Advance Auto. He stated that I was welcome to bring in my own hubs, but I must have proof that they had premium bearings and seals by Timkin, BCA, Federal Mogal, etc, or I should take them elsewhere.
Wheel Hub Assembly
Fully integrated mounting wheel flange
Originally posted at Buzzillions.com (legalese)