Wheel Hubs Features and Benefits
With its application and engineering expertise, comprehensive service and support, and a strong reputation for quality, Timken designs premium wheel hub units to improve the efficiency, safety and reliability of automotive applications. The company offers a full line of aftermarket premium wheel hub units, including Generation 1, 2 and 3. Plus, Timken premium wheel hub units last twice as long as economy-line units.
Timken benchmarked its manufactured wheel hub units against competitive economy-line products. The bearings were for the same vehicle application and were evaluated using the same test conditions. Information derived from Timken Standard Hub/Bearing Accelerated Durability Rig Test. Testing methods accepted by the original equipment manufacturers. (SP450300, 513200). Weibull life based on statistically small sample size.
Features and Benefits
- Low runout reduces noise and vibration to improve braking performance.
- Premium seals help prevent installation damage and provide enhanced protection for extended bearing life and durability.
- Prime bearings for extended life and improved fuel efficiency (tapered roller and ball bearings).
- Advanced Sensor Technology monitors wheel speed for Anti-Lock Braking Systems (ABS).
- Precision fit controls internal bearing clearances to help maintain proper bearing setting.
- Produced from clean, high-quality, high-alloy steel for increased strength and durability.
- Contains premium grease to help improve performance and extend bearing life: reduces torque and temperature, enables greater bearing roller traction, enhances protection against wear, rust, and contamination.
Ongoing Validation, Quality Control and Testing
- Timken audits and validates every component supplier and sub-supplier, including all their manufacturing, machining and finishing processes. The company conducts metallurgical testing for steel strength and durability, including material composition, cleanliness and heat treat.
Strict Product Performance Testing
- Hub durability and fatigue testing: Validates strength and structural fatigue performance (resistance to cracking).
- Flange runout testing: Helps ensure low runout and rotor deflection for better braking performance.
- Stud twist-off and push-out testing: Helps ensure that the interface between stud and hub is robust to prevent stripping (stud should break first to enable replacement in existing hub) – critical for strength and proper installation.
- Seal durability and performance testing: Seals undergo mud slurry, elevated temperature and water spray testing to validate performance and durability.
- Bearing durability testing: Validates rolling contact fatigue performance (resistance to spalling damage) to help ensure extended bearing life and improved performance.
- ABS sensor output testing: Verifies that sensor meets system requirements and will work properly with ABS/vehicle dynamics system – signal strength, sensitivity, digital output, etc. for traction, navigation and vehicle dynamics control on passive and active sensors.
- Safe launch process: Visual and functional inspection to make sure it’s ready for installation.
Wheel End Environment Testing (computer controlled)
- Cyclic environmental conditions
- Water spray
- Circulating dust
- Mud/slurry spray
- Salt spray
- Heat
Design Attributes:
Bearings
- Manufactured from super-clean alloy steel for increased reliability, performance and life.
- Precise internal raceway profiles reduce stress on bearing components by distributing the loads evenly across contact surfaces to increase load-carrying capacity.
- Uniform internal geometry, including angle of contact for cones and rollers, creates a precise match between cup and cone to extend bearing life.
- Advanced finishing processes generate smoother surface finishes on races and rollers to reduce friction, thus helping increase fuel efficiency.
Seals
- Premium, low-torque, double-lip seals designed for maximum retention of lubrication.
- Enhanced protection against contamination for extended bearing life and durability.
- Ease of installation: Reinforced outer case helps prevent installation damage and enhances durability.
- Enhanced sealing: Ribbed rubber inner diameter designed to seal minor spindle imperfections and promote positive spindle seating.
- Resistance to seal lip damage: Internal contamination exclusion system helps prevent debris penetration which may lead to leakage.
- Optimal seal life: Vent holes allow lubricants to flow freely around the seal lip, cooling seal components and removing heat build-up.
ABS Sensors
- Designed to monitor wheel speed, road conditions and work with other systems within the vehicle consistently for reliable and better braking performance.
Studs
- Made from clean, high-quality, high-alloy steel for rugged strength and durability.