Anyone used these rear axle bearings with seal attached?

[gmcman]

I have always trusted Timken but I'm curious if anyone has tried these yet. These have the seal attached to the bearing itself and is a non-serviceable seal....if it leaks, you need to replace the whole bearing. The factory seal has the spring and is more flexible, the Timken is a more rigid seal.

The rollers are also smaller and perhaps they distribute the weight differently..not sure. Also, the cage is plastic but a hard plastic almost like a Rubbermaid cart.

What are your thoughts? Any experience or long-term tests?


Autozone didn't have them yesterday so I went and picked up bearing/seal install kit from HF today, then the bearings and I checked one of them in the parking lot and that's when I noticed the seal attached. Get them home and I look at the other bearing.....and somebody already installed it and probably used it...

You can see discoloration on the rollers but the shiny outer edge that's half-worn tipped me off. I may just go for the factory beaings despite being $6 more each but not sure.

 

[Sparky]

Almost every time I've seen those "axle repair" bearing+seal units used they leak, and it makes removing the axle again far more difficult (can't push the axle in as far to release the C clips).

I stick with the factory style seal and bearing separate and have had no issues that way. If the axle's bearing surface is worn then I replace the axle.

Timken makes OEM style bearings and seals, at least for most axles. I put Timken bearings and seals, OEM style, in my 10 bolt on my old car and they worked great.

 

[CaptainXL]

Don't use anything cheaper than the Timken bearing and seals. Smaller roller bearings to me =

 

[gmcman]

Well in the defense of Autozone, the wear marks on the rollers seem to be slightly consistent with the sealed one, not as visible but both have a discoloration so perhaps it wasn't driven.

Either way, I didn't care for the fact it had scratches on it and the outer surface was clearly showing a ring of some sort. Thanks for the tips...I returned them and am going with the factory bearings. Having a more flexible seal would surely aid in axle removal.....didn't think of that and yeah, I was surprised to see such small rollers in there.

 

[gmcman]

Don't use anything cheaper than the Timken bearing and seals. Smaller roller bearings to me =

Forgot to mention....those were actually Timkens which is why I was surprised, not a chinese knock-off, made in USA. I called Timken and she said there is one part # for the GMT 360 rear axle, 8.0, 8.6, 9.5"...confirmed by the dealer... and that's the one I bought, and has the seal attached.