Front wheel hub/bearing, JDM upgrades?
 

Hey guys -

The project car I'm working on needs new front wheel bearings. The existing bearings have in and out slop on them, they MAY be OK but it's worth replacing.

Looks like Mazda is about $140 for a new assembly. This is the whole thing - hub, lug nuts, and ABS tone ring. Stock part number is GA5S-26-15X.

Found that Rockauto.com has a Timken-made bearing assembly, looks just like stock, and according to the picture has Japanese-made bearings, for $60 each. Going to be ordering 2 to try out. Most likely Timken made them for Mazda. Timken part number 512118.

That said, I seem to remember seeing upgraded or something hubs offered by Japanese tuners. I looked on rhdjapan.com but with no luck. Would be nice if there was a lighter version or something cool like that. OEM is cast iron.

Speaking of, would be nice to have a lighter front knuckle, but I imagine a part like that needs to be cast iron. I would estimate it weighs like 10-15 pounds and that's all unsprung weight.

Anyhow, anyone have experience with aftermarket hubs?

Dale

The upgraded wheel bearings I remember were for the FC, and I bought them for the Turbo II I had. They were Koyo Hi-Cap bearings.

They supposedly were capable of higher loads and were made with premium materials.

Vince

Timkin isn't OEM and the racers get about half the life out of a Timkin wheel bearing compared to OEM. Cheaper but change more often if you race.
I picked up my fronts from J-auto. New hubs with bearings and studs. Probably Timken. I don't even remember. My rears are OEM because much harder to change and I only want to do it once.

Yeah You can get SATORU WORKS TURNING ANGLE UP KNUCKLES - FD3S on RHDJapan. They are just the additional steering angle knuckles for Dirty Drifters.
Nagasi makes some aftermarket front upper control arms for additional camber/caster I believe?

FWIW I think NSK is MAZDA OEM. And I'd also read somewhere else (in addition to some threads here) that the TIMKEN bearings didn't have the longevity when I had to replace a rear due to a broken wheel stud.
Honestly $140 doesn't sound bad per front corner assembly if they come with OEM and not re-reman'd with something less.

I'd just go OEM, period.

As far as I know there isn't a higher quality bearing, and there's no reason to think OEM isn't high quality. Often times it's better than OEM.

The spindles/hub carriers aren't that heavy and unless you're drifting and need the extra lock or stancing the car out and need a ton of camber (or are a competitive autocrosser), I don't see the point in aftermarket arms or carriers, unless you're just looking to spend money on aftermarket stuff, in which case, why save $60 on the hub?

FWIW Dale I think Timkin will be fine for street use. I've been using Timkin hubs on my track car for a few years without issue. The FD doesn't seem to be hard on this part compared to some other cars.

Thanks guys! Of course he already ordered the Timken hubs from Rock Auto before I saw the replies :). I will post up a report when they arrive.

Big thing is I want a Japanese-made bearing, which the Timken seems to have as per the pictures.

Some of these parts are worth finding an aftermarket vendor where you can get the exact same part that Mazda uses but straight from that manufacturer. Saves money many times. For example I believe Tokico makes the clutch hydraulics, if you can find somewhere that has them straight from Tokico in a Tokico box it's cheaper.

This will be a street only car, the hardest it will be driven is Deal's Gap.

Thanks!
Dale

in the interest of clarity, OEM = Original Equipment Manufacturer. For example Mazda used Nippon Denso ECU's, Mitsubishi alternators, etc.

Timken is a re-boxer. so they buy something and put it in their box. in 2017 this is very common. most brake rotors come out of one of the two big factories in China.

in this case there is no specific info on the 512118.