Cheap eBay hubs - worth the risk?

[GnatGoSplat]

I was switching back to factory (winter) wheels today, and oh what FUN a lug stud snaps clean off!

So I pull the wheel off and noticed that ALL the lugs are corroded enough that they're thinner towards the inside. I spent all afternoon pounding, heating with a torch, spraying with WD40, and could NOT get the broken-off stud off. Since all the studs look bad, I suggested to replace the whole hub rather than messing with studs and my wife insisted that's what we do.

 

So anyway, the eBay ones are $47.75 shipped, or I can buy one locally for about $87 with tax. I wouldn't mind waiting a week to save almost $40, but are the eBay ones any good, or likely to fail in a week? Anyone tried one?

 

Here's the one I'm looking at:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/REAR-HUB-BEARING-OLDSMOBILE-CUTLASS-SUPREME-92-96_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQhashZitem518f0fda13QQitemZ350292531731QQptZMotorsQ5fCarQ5fTruckQ5fPartsQ5fAccessories

 

I've attached a pic of the old hub, I can't say I've ever seen this kind of corrosion on lug studs before. Makes me wonder if it has anything to do with AE 077's? I bet I damaged the bearing with all the hammering I had to do to get the rotor and hub out, not to mention all the hammering trying unsuccessfully to get the broken stud out, so probably a good idea to replace it anyway, though I hate wasting money unnecessarily.

 

[slick]

Rockauto looks to be around $60-ish + shipping for a Timken.

 

If you are in no hurry, I'd get the Timken, and skip over the cheap ebay one.

[RobertISaar]

DAMN! they're like half as wide as normal!

[GnatGoSplat]

Oh yeah, I forgot to mention it's a rear hub. From RockAuto, TIMKEN Part # 512004 FWD; 4-Wheel ABS; Rear $128.79. Ow!!!

 

Yeah, they definitely didn't look safe. I need to start inspecting the lug studs anytime I swap the wheels. I never thought to give them a close look before. It never occurred to me they could corrode in that way. First time I've ever seen anything like it.

 

[Crazy K]

AVOID E-BAY HUBS!!!!!

[xtremerevolution]

AVOID E-BAY HUBS!!!!!

 

X2!!!!

 

Unless of course you want to replace them again in 10k.

[Crazy K]

AVOID E-BAY HUBS!!!!!

 

X2!!!!

 

Unless of course you want to replace them again in 10k.

THEY WILL NOT LAST THAT LONG!!!

[xtremerevolution]

AVOID E-BAY HUBS!!!!!

 

X2!!!!

 

Unless of course you want to replace them again in 10k.

THEY WILL NOT LAST THAT LONG!!!

 

QFT!

 

I knew a guy who bought one for his Bonneville and it lasted 8k.

[White93z34]

I've never met a hub that I could not pound studs out of. Regardless... I'd rather put a used hub on then one of the ebay specials.

[GOT2B GM]

Stay away from ebay hubs, cheap China junk.

 

Is the car that rusty, or did you overtorque the studs at one time?

[cutty]

Is the car that rusty, or did you overtorque the studs at one time?

 

That exactly what i was thinking over torque will stretch a stud.

 

 

But i agree with everyone else about the ebay hubs.

[GnatGoSplat]

Damn, eBay hubs being crap is bad news.

 

Yeah, they do look like they may have been over-torqued. It's plausible that could happen if my torque wrench is out of calibration. I always torque using a torque wrench, and it's big enough I can't really feel how tight it's getting so I rely on the click. However, I compared the length of the studs with that of my spare front hub, and they're exactly the same length. It seems they really did just corrode that badly for some odd reason. Where they're thinner also appears to be chunks of rust that if I chipped it away, they might end up even thinner yet. It's really weird corrosion that makes me wonder if AE 077's somehow let water get into that air space between rotor and lugnut.

 

It's really disappointing that the eBay hubs are that crappy. I'll give pounding out the studs another try tomorrow. The hub still turns freely so maybe all my hammering didn't hurt it.

 

[Crazy K]

... WHICH CAR IS THIS?

[xtremerevolution]

Damn, eBay hubs being crap is bad news.

 

Yeah, they do look like they may have been over-torqued. It's plausible that could happen if my torque wrench is out of calibration. I always torque using a torque wrench, and it's big enough I can't really feel how tight it's getting so I rely on the click. However, I compared the length of the studs with that of my spare front hub, and they're exactly the same length. It seems they really did just corrode that badly for some odd reason. Where they're thinner also appears to be chunks of rust that if I chipped it away, they might end up even thinner yet. It's really weird corrosion that makes me wonder if AE 077's somehow let water get into that air space between rotor and lugnut.

 

It's really disappointing that the eBay hubs are that crappy. I'll give pounding out the studs another try tomorrow. The hub still turns freely so maybe all my hammering didn't hurt it.

 

 

Get a good heavy hammer and have at it. They will come loose. I've never had them not come loose with enough persuasion. A bit of rust penetrating lubricant might not be a bad idea either.

[GnatGoSplat]

... WHICH CAR IS THIS?

 

It's the 94 convertible.

 

Yeah, I've replaced around 4 studs on the '88 and it was no problem pounding them out, but this hub seems extra difficult and extra rusty.

 

[xtremerevolution]

... WHICH CAR IS THIS?

 

It's the 94 convertible.

 

Yeah, I've replaced around 4 studs on the '88 and it was no problem pounding them out, but this hub seems extra difficult and extra rusty.

 

 

Try soaking the studs in gasoline for a night? Fill up a small tub full of gasoline and submerge the stud end of the hub till you're a little higher up than the studs. What could it hurt? Worst case you'll need a new hub anyway.

[carkhz316]

Damn, eBay hubs being crap is bad news.

 

Yeah, they do look like they may have been over-torqued. It's plausible that could happen if my torque wrench is out of calibration. I always torque using a torque wrench, and it's big enough I can't really feel how tight it's getting so I rely on the click. However, I compared the length of the studs with that of my spare front hub, and they're exactly the same length. It seems they really did just corrode that badly for some odd reason. Where they're thinner also appears to be chunks of rust that if I chipped it away, they might end up even thinner yet. It's really weird corrosion that makes me wonder if AE 077's somehow let water get into that air space between rotor and lugnut.

 

It's really disappointing that the eBay hubs are that crappy. I'll give pounding out the studs another try tomorrow. The hub still turns freely so maybe all my hammering didn't hurt it.

 

It's probably because of the galvanic corrosion or reaction of two dissimilar metals. The steel studs and the aluminum wheel.

 

X2 on the studs though regarding removal. Try a air hammer. Loud but effective.

 

Ebay + most auto parts they offer = this very shortly:

[Crazy K]

Gnat... would you like to BUY a good used bearing? it is probably bad from before you bought the car... which means you need to check the other 3 bearings soon...

 

 

 

actually... do this:

 

go to AUTOZONE. they should have a stud removal press in their rental tool catalog. try that rather than a hammer, as a hammer can cause bearing damage..........

[mfewtrail]

Not a ton of difference in the rockauto price, but amazon.com has that Timken hub for $105ish. http://www.amazon.com/Timken-512004-Axle-Bearing-Assembly/dp/B000BZABIU

 

 

[IRONDOG442]

Stay away from ebay hubs, cheap China junk.

 

Is the car that rusty, or did you overtorque the studs at one time?

 

What country do you think the Autozone or Advanced Auto parts hubs come from?

 

Here's a hint!

[GOT2B GM]

not all are from overseas

[IRONDOG442]

TIMKEN is not, that's the only domestic bearing manufacturer I know of. I was speaking more specifically to China as they had been mentioned before.

[19Cutlass94]

Timken and SKF. Which alot of the times SKF bearings are made by Timken.

[GnatGoSplat]

Gnat... would you like to BUY a good used bearing? it is probably bad from before you bought the car... which means you need to check the other 3 bearings soon...

 

Yeah, the other side torqued without incident, so I'm not going to worry about it till a stud breaks. I hadn't gotten around to the fronts yet though. If you have one you're sure is good, I'd certainly be interested. I sprayed more WD40 and let it soak during the morning, then gave it another go this afternoon. I tried my Kent Moore balljoint removal tool which DID work fine to remove a stud from my spare front hub, but it didn't work on the rear hub. I also found a metal pipe and put it behind the stud to give leverage while pounding on the top of the stud. That didn't help. I tried heating the surrounding area with a torch and then using a piece of ice on the stud only to force it to contract, then tried both the balljoint tool and pounding. It hasn't budged even a 10th of a millimeter.

 

actually... do this:

 

go to AUTOZONE. they should have a stud removal press in their rental tool catalog. try that rather than a hammer, as a hammer can cause bearing damage..........

 

What's the stud removal press look like? Does it look anything like my balljoint removal tool?

I've attached a couple pics of it. It did leave a pretty good impression in the top of what's left of the stud.

 

UPDATE: Went to Harbor Freight and picked up a 3lb sledge. The top of the broken off stud is now mashed like a mushroom, but it hasn't even budged a millimeter.

 

[Crazy K]

I know I do, in fact i should have 3 spared. I will try to find it.

 

Face it, you're my favorite 98 pound weakling, but you're still a 98 pound weakling... unless you gained a pound! I think the old bearing is done anyhow, as the hammering will have compromised the bearing.