Wheel Hub - Humming - ACDelco parts of lower grade?

Royalwapiti

Royalwapiti

Member
Joined
Jul 16, 2012
Posts
82
I just returned from a 1500 mile trip and on the way home the front end started humming. Mechanic says it is the front right hub/bearings.

I know for many of these TB parts, the vehicle runs better with AC Delco parts. Would that run true with the hub as well?

I can get a Detroit Axle for $45 or a AC Delco for $138.


For me with the price difference makes it a no brainer, go cheap, but am just asking because i don't want ABS issues or something going wrong with a cheap part.

Does the OEM AC Delco parts stand true for hubs?
 
Member Hardtrailz has said he uses the Detroit Axle hubs without issue. Not sure about their longevity but you could buy three Detroit hubs for the price of one ACD so if possibly having to change it again in a few years doesn't bother you, I'd say go cheap. Just my opinion.
 
I don't think anybody here buys the ACDelco. Timken for longevity is popular but expensive, Detroit Axle also seems to be popular with no negative comments. Raybestos are on par or worse than CCC. I bought a pair of unknown brand hubs from Amazon ($60/pair) and I have been pleasantly surprised so far.
 
What they said.

I put Timken on because I didn't want to bother with it and Detroit Axle was an unknown at the time. Not sure where Detroit Axle is made or what kind of long term quality they are. I know Kyle tends to replace them regularly but for his off-road abuse that is not surprising at all.

If I was to change a hub again I'd try out a Detroit Axle since really a hub isn't a hard job to do. Only a couple bolts more than a complete brake job, as long as you have the axle nut socket.
 
I've installed a few pairs of cheapie detroit/prime choice on a few GMs now (not on our platform though) and the results are so far so good. No issues with fitment or abs. Matter o' fact I put a pair on a stratus this morning. Can't really go wrong for the price.
 
I've been running Detroit's for at least 2 years now, no issues so far.
 
While it seems silly to replace perfectly fine parts, keep in mind you may have to replace both hubs. I ordered two hubs (Timken) from Amazon and they were at my door three days later, just as I was popping off the old one. I figured I might as well get a second one because we have two Trailblazers in our family.

I, of course, knew which was the bad bearing. The noise increased when turning left and disappeared when turning right.

I was wrong.

When I replaced the right, the noise was reduced only a little bit. When I replaced the left, it was back to quiet. So it appears the most common way to tell which one is bad, can often be wrong. (I am not the first person on these forums to say they replaced the wrong one first.) I was very glad I ordered two!

By the way, the first one took about 5 hours, from jacking it up to getting all the tools from the basement (one at a time of course) and having to put on the winter wheels with the removable caps in order to loosen off and then tighten up the axle nut.

The second hub took about 45 minutes, start to finish.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Ziggy and Wooluf1952
Same here. I thought it was on the left side, replaced it, wasn't the one making the noise. At least I bought a pair.

It's surprising that the ones that should last don't (Raybestos/ACDelco) and some cheaper no-names do.

I had tried a Prime Choice hub once (they're local to me) and it messed up my ABS until I replaced it when the bearing failed 6 months later.
 
I always do things like hubs as a pair. Never fails if you don't the other one will go next week lol. Just like replacing one headlight. The other will blow that next night. Murphy's law is absolute lol
 
  • Like
Reactions: DocBrown
I'm 2 for 2 with guessing, granted the escalade's you could grab and move around with how much play it had. The envoy made the howl and it was more prominent in the drivers seat.
 
Tiggerr said:
I always do things like hubs as a pair. Never fails if you don't the other one will go next week lol. Just like replacing one headlight. The other will blow that next night. Murphy's law is absolute lol
Click to expand...
X2. I failed to replace both on my Sierra when the left one went in January. In March the right one failed on a trip to Upper MI. I heard it one the way up, and it disintegrated on the way home. I had to be towed 170 miles. So, yes, just replace both. They aren't that hard to do.
 
Ok, Thanks guys. I have read in the Amazon reviews that changing both makes a big difference in the feel....and i don't want to get stuck somewhere if I only change one. I was doing 88mph on I-90 across South Dakota (speed limit is 80) on my way to the ranch, went 70-80 mph on the way home, was waiting for it to let loose.

Will do the twofer on Detroit Axle for $83.


BTW the TB was loaded with guns/ammo, camping gear, 3 men in it, at interstate speeds 75-90 got 17 mpg. When empty and at 55-60mph I get 20mpg much improved from last year. Thanks Lime-Swap
 
  • Like
Reactions: Mooseman and Mounce
Tiggerr said:
I always do things like hubs as a pair. Never fails if you don't the other one will go next week lol. Just like replacing one headlight. The other will blow that next night. Murphy's law is absolute lol
Click to expand...
I call it the rule of pairs, it applies to all parts suspension related parts, if you replace one replace the one on the other side too.

OP, Moog and Timken are generally speaking considered the best quality, so thats usually what I look at, I used Moogs on my Firebird when I did them a few years back. Moog with the right Promo Code can be gotten from Advance Auto for about 113 plus tax a piece, which actually beats RockAuto (very rare to see anything beat rockauto on Moog parts).
 
I do like the Detroit stuff. They have good CS as well if you have any issues.
 
Anyone have the part number for the Detroit?

My Stabilitrak is activating between 40 and 50 while going straight and pushing the gas (deactivates when I let off) Also, only happens the first time getting to 40 after a startup. It's like the sensors warm up and are fine after that.

I think it may be the speed sensor, so I want to try new hubs. I already replaced the steering wheel position sensor (Delco), so I think the speed sensors would be the only other part involved? It is speed specific, so I'm pretty sure it is the sensors.
 
You should read the code first before throwing parts at it. You have to read it when the light is on. A Bluetooth module and Car Gauge Pro will read them.

Might be something completely different.
 
No Sevice Stabilitrak light or anything. Just the Stabilitrak Active light comes on as if a wheel is slipping.

Does that have a code of some kind?
 
Cool. Thanks.

I can hear some hub noise anyway, so it's worth a try for the Stabilitrak problem.

I've just been turning it off when I get in the truck.

I think there would be a code to read if Service Stabilitrak was on.
 
Stabilitrak does have some codes under B codes. I got a code for the SWPS malfunction but you have to read it while the error is active.

Heck, I even got codes for an problem in my headlight washer circuit (pulled relay) and loss of communication with the radio (aftermarket). These trucks are smarter than you think.
 
I d9nt think my scangauge or Bluetooth w torque app will read them
 
Go get Car Gauge Pro. The best $5 you'll ever spend.
 
Is that an app? Never heard of it
 
Yep, can read engine, air bag and body codes (maybe more?), and pretty much do the same thing as the Torque app. I like Torque better for gauges though.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Mooseman
You apple guys are screwed when it comes to scan tool stuff. Originally it was because Apple greatly limited what you could do via Bluetooth. Not sure if they still do that or not.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Mooseman
Idk. I started a thread about this in scan tool section. There's one out there that looks pretty good but it's $100. Not bad in my book but your not gonna get away with a $10 CCC adapter and a cheapo app with Apple. Apparently no one here's tried it.
 
Does the Car Gauge Pro work off of the torque scanner, or do you need to purchase a particular scanner for it?
I did a google and ebay search for Car Gauge Pro, but no scanner was available.

I have the torque OBD scanner along with the app on my android already.
 
Most of those seem to work with any of those CCC eBay ones as long as they are ELM327 or whatever it is. The app itself should tell you what's compatible with it I'd think
 
I thought Apple could use the wifi version of the adapter?
 
It can but they don't have Car Gauge Pro. Don't know how wifi works works out though or if they have something equivalent over there that doesn't cost so much you need a loan.
 
Mooseman said:
It can but they don't have Car Gauge Pro. Don't know how wifi works works out though or if they have something equivalent over there that doesn't cost so much you need a loan.
Click to expand...
No torque app either. None of the apps are very appealing, except the BlueDriver one I started that other thread on. It's only $100 and its Bluetooth
 
I will download it and check it out. Thanks for heads up on it!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Forum Statistics

Threads
24,308
Posts
649,113
Members
20,836
Latest member
89gmc1500

Members Online

Total: 4,555 (members: 4, guests: 4,551)

Share This Page

Share This Page
Top Bottom
Back