Front Wheel Bearings, Figured Out Issue, Surprising!!!

vertrx7 · **Posted:** Sun Oct 21, 2018 9:33 pm

A while back, long while, I replaced the front wheel bearings with Timken parts from Rock Auto. Removal and Installation straight forward, torqued to spec, no issue. Drove it down the road and the ABS light kicks on as well as the red "Brake" light. Speedometer does not work. I moved some of the installation points on the right side ABS cable which seemed to damage it so I bought another one and installed it. No joy. Same issues. I bought a scanner that reads ABS codes and it told me that both right and left ABS sensors were out. I turned off the trouble code with the scanner but driving it a bit over 15mph caused the code to come back. All the same issues. I called Timken who denied knowing anything about the issue.

So, what to do? I checked here and other sites, posted and did not really run into anyone who had this issue. Did I mix up the sides...in other words are the sensors and bearings side specific? Nope, same Timken number.

So, I called a friend at a Chrysler parts house in St. Louis. He sold me, at a good price, the Mopar units. Now, these things have different part numbers. I put them aside for about a year or more while I worked on other issues. My wife is selling her Wrangler now so she needs another vehicle...time to get this one going.

We put on the new bearings and connections after checking RockAuto who sells the Mopar units. They also indicated which number goes where in terms of side. Problems did not return. All lights are out, speedometer works and the brake light is off.

THEREFORE, it seems that the Timken bearings had a defect...both...I think! The factory bearings did not exhibit that issue.

So the above is for informational purposes only! The next is purely personal. I'm out now for two sets of bearings. Would it be appropriate to sell the Timken units with caveat that they did not work for me?

tjkj2002 · **Posted:** Sun Oct 21, 2018 10:58 pm

Timkin is not what it used to be and has not been for a few years after selling out to a oversea's company(mix of good and china made crap now).

Best bet is to use SKF bearings that have been high quality for a very long time and still are.

TXriverrat · **Posted:** Fri Nov 02, 2018 6:08 pm

I bought MOOG from Rockauto no problems.

geordi · **Posted:** Sat Nov 03, 2018 10:08 am

Timken might have the same part number for both sides - that would be incorrect from my understanding. I replaced the bearings and the sensors on the CRD I sold, and they were side-specific.

Could be that both of yours were running "backwards" and that was pissing off the computer. Swapping them may have resolved it if that was the issue and not a defect.

WWDiesel · **Posted:** Sat Nov 03, 2018 11:22 am

I don't believe there is a forwards or backwards for these type sensors as they are "Hall Effect Sensors" and should function (read speed) in either rotational direction?
The computer is only looking for rotation and frequency which relates to speed.

Quote:

*Active wheel speed sensors work on the Hall Effect creating a digital, square wave. (That is why they are sometimes called Hall Effect switches.)
It does not change amplitude, only frequency. Active wheel speed sensors rely on the change in magnetic polarity (north vs. south) as the tone wheel passes.
There are usually three wires leading to the sensors. One supplies the reference voltage (VRef), similar to many other automotive sensors.
The other two are the signal and the ground.
Sometimes only a reference voltage and a signal wire may be used.
* https://www.autoserviceprofessional.com ... ong?Page=2

mrhemi · **Joined:** Tue Dec 08, 2015 10:46 am **Posts:** 180

I had initially replaced my front bearing hubs with Timken units assuming they were quality (as in the "olden days"). They were not side specific and all of the ABS system worked fine. However, I did replace them in about 10000 miles as the became noisy. It was then that I started to read about quality issues with Timkens. I replaced them with SKF units, again not side specific, and have had no issues. Still smooth and quiet after 50-60000 miles and the ABS system works as it should.

tjkj2002 · **Posted:** Mon Nov 05, 2018 12:29 am

WWDiesel wrote:

I don't believe there is a forwards or backwards for these type sensors as they are "Hall Effect Sensors" and should function (read speed) in either rotational direction?
The computer is only looking for rotation and frequency which relates to speed.

Quote:

*Active wheel speed sensors work on the Hall Effect creating a digital, square wave. (That is why they are sometimes called Hall Effect switches.)
It does not change amplitude, only frequency. Active wheel speed sensors rely on the change in magnetic polarity (north vs. south) as the tone wheel passes.
There are usually three wires leading to the sensors. One supplies the reference voltage (VRef), similar to many other automotive sensors.
The other two are the signal and the ground.
Sometimes only a reference voltage and a signal wire may be used.
* https://www.autoserviceprofessional.com ... ong?Page=2

WSS(or ABS sensors) are AC signal,2 wires.

WWDiesel · **Posted:** Mon Nov 05, 2018 11:56 am

tjkj2002 wrote:

WWDiesel wrote:

I don't believe there is a forwards or backwards for these type sensors as they are "Hall Effect Sensors" and should function (read speed) in either rotational direction?
The computer is only looking for rotation and frequency which relates to speed.

Quote:

*Active wheel speed sensors work on the Hall Effect creating a digital, square wave. (That is why they are sometimes called Hall Effect switches.)
It does not change amplitude, only frequency. Active wheel speed sensors rely on the change in magnetic polarity (north vs. south) as the tone wheel passes.
There are usually three wires leading to the sensors. One supplies the reference voltage (VRef), similar to many other automotive sensors.
The other two are the signal and the ground.
Sometimes only a reference voltage and a signal wire may be used.
* https://www.autoserviceprofessional.com ... ong?Page=2

WSS(or ABS sensors) are AC signal,2 wires.

Thanks TJ, active rather than passive as I suspected.

Front Wheel Bearings, Figured Out Issue, Surprising!!!

Who is online