Premium vs. Economy Hubs: Save Time and Improve Profitability with a Premium Wheel Hub & Hardware Kit

What is less expensive and the most profitable for a shop? A premium wheel hub or an economy wheel hub?

On an accounting level, you will always select the least expensive part. The logic is that it will cost the customer less, and the shop might have more room to set a profitable but fair price. If you look at the hub unit as a long-term investment, and factor in the possible cost of a comeback, the premium unit is the least expensive and the most profitable. Below is a practical example of a job where a premium BCA Bearings wheel hub assembly with hardware kit made the job profitable and productive (and trouble-free) for the shop.

• Customer’s Complaint: Grinding from the left front. The technician confirmed play in the wheel bearing.
• Technical: This front solid axle truck uses a hub unit secured to the knuckle. Inside the bore of the bearing is a vacuum-actuated locking hub. The hub unit has an integrated encoder ring and wheel speed sensor.
• Repair Procedure: The labor time for replacing the wheel hub is 1.8 hours for one side. The procedure is straightforward, but some details must be mentioned before starting the job.

If you look at the OEM procedure, step 14 of the removal process has you extracting the studs that hold the unit to the vehicle to be reused on the new unit. The instructions advise to double up two nuts on the stud. In the field, these studs can be challenging to remove. It can take up to 10 minutes to remove the studs. With this technique, there is always the opportunity for something to go wrong, like damaged threads or a stuck stud forcing you to source a replacement.

Some premium hub unit manufacturers have seen this in the service information and decided to do something about it. BCA’s WE60626HW is the replacement hub unit for the Ford F-250 4×4 and includes the four studs in the box. Ford Super Duty hubs can have 3 different mounting stud length options depending on specifics like single/dual rear wheel, year or model) Not only will this eliminate the labor required to remove the studs, but it also reduces the possibility of having to order additional parts after the job has started.

If you look at the installation steps for the hub unit, steps 2 through 4 are about an O-ring that seals the hub to the knuckle. The seal has unique dimensions and cross-section. It is intended to seal the hub so the hublock can engage and disengage using vacuum.

In the service procedure, Ford states, “Any time the hublock or hub unit is removed, a new O-ring seal must be installed. Failure to do so can cause a vacuum leak and loss of 4WD functions.”

The O-ring is priceless for your shop and customer. If it leaks, you must do the 1.8-hour job over. Also, if the seal leaks for the owner, it could cost your shop future revenue. BCA’s WE60626HW includes a new O-ring in the box. The seal (O-ring supplied) matches the original O-ring.

The last item is the circ-clip that holds the axle (Stub Shaft) in the bore of the hub unit – you probably last saw the original flying across the shop. The clip is made of a softer material than the axle to prevent damage to the axle and bearings. It is not an off-the-shelf item. Sourcing this clip from a dealer will cost you time and money. The WE60626HW includes this circ-clip in the box.

Between the inclusion of the correct studs, O-ring and circ-clip in the box, you save considerable time by not having to track down the three parts or harvest the parts from the old hub unit (or searching the shop floor for the flying circ-clip).

You might not be able to see some of the features of a premium hub unit like the WE60626HW. BCA’s business is just bearings for both OEM and replacement hub units. This means you get the engineering knowledge for metallurgy, manufacturing procedures and tolerances.

BCA also offers the installation know how and commonly needed hardware on problematic applications.

Not all premium hub units are available with the hardware kit to complete the job, but when they are an option, they can save a shop time and money. Omitted parts can be salvaged from the original hub unit, but it can result in premature failure or extra labor, and needing to order additional parts when a vehicle is already on the lift can cause delays to more than one job. That’s why it’s a best practice to know what hardware you need before ordering parts, and if a hub unit includes the hardware kit that can save time and money, it’s a no brainer. After all, replacing a hub without the right hardware would be like buying new shoes and using the old laces from your previous pair.

Learn More about BCA Wheel Hubs with Hardware Kits Here (PDF): https://bcabearings.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/BCA-Bearings_Wheel-Hub-with-Hardware-Kits_Buyers-Guide_1.pdf