Front Wheel Bearing replacement

[RogueFinder]

2005 SE Off Road. Need to replace front wheel bearing and tie rods. Want to keep costs down--any recommendations for replacement parts?

Also any tips or WARNINGS, CAUTIONS for doing the job myself.

[smj999smj]

As much as I like saving a buck, I'd still rather pay a little more and get a quality part. With the wheel bearing hubs, everybody has their opinion. The original equipment part is Timken and it's made in the USA. I use them and some people think they are top of the line, but then you'll find others who have had problems with them. Rockauto has them for $130 ea. + shipping. Some like Moog, but many of their bearing hubs are made overseas, usually China or Taiwan. China can make some really good parts, however, but they can also make some poor quality parts, as well. Moog is around $137 @ Rockauto. Beck~Arnley typically sells repackaged OE parts and I did use one of their rear bearing hubs on my 2008. While it looked and has performed perfectly fine, so far, there was no clue as to who make the bearing and it was made in China. They clock in around $105. They have WJB Heavy-duty hubs for around $80 with current discount. I used one of these on a Buick a few years ago and it look to be well made. It's still on the road without any issues. A lot of people have been raving about 1A Auto parts, lately. They sell a pair of TRQ hub assemblies with a lifetime warranty for $140. Great price, but who makes TRQ hubs? I e-mailed them to find out and got the generic "all are parts are made from OE suppliers" answer, which tells me nothing. I suspect they are made in China, which may or may not mean it's a quality part. I haven't heard any complaints about them, so far. So, you see the problem? There's a bit of a gamble in anything you choose. That's why I usually stick with Timken; they've been around for decades as an original part supplier to various manufacturers and they should at least be as good as what came on the vehicle from the factory.

As for tie rods, Rockauto does offer Hitachi, which is the OE part. I usually go with Moog when it comes to steering parts. They are usually built better than the original part and have a lifetime warranty. Granted, you can get Ultrapower for $7 each, but steering is not one area that I like to 'cheap out' on!

One thing that often happens, in at least my experience, is that the ABS harness connector does not want to unplug due to dirt and mud that's gotten jammed under the connector's release tab. So, always try to blow the dirt out of the connector before you try to unplug it. If it will not separate, I take a set of diagonal cutters and carefully cut the outer plug off. The good news is that the outer connector, or "female end," comes with the new wheel hub assembly, so it's no big deal.