LS wheel bearings

[The-Acre]

I know we talk much about aftermarket parts, especially steering and suspension, but considering the cost of original bearings, these are ridiculously cheap.  Can they be that bad?  I bought similar for my ex Vauxhall a few years ago and they were fine.  I'm not in the market for any, just curious.https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/For-Lexus-LS430-Saloon-2000-2006-Front-Hub-Wheel-Bearing-Kits-Pair/352456112222?fits=Car+Make%3ALexus|Model%3ALS|Cars+Type%3A430&hash=item521005785e:g:c3cAAOSwxKNbko5b

 

 

[RgrWynne]

That is cheap, I guess made in China. Really ‘you pays your money and take your chance’ I think if I needed to replace in future I would obtain one from Paul Frost .

[Farqui]

I'd be tempted at that price especially as they're an easy part to replace.

I reckon you'd have to be prepared to change them after a few years tho, depending on your annual usage.

[The-Acre]

I wonder if we get a little too wary about Chinese stuff, I've had some brilliant things over the years.  I notice even some of my Volvo parts say "made in China"  I reckon I would give these bearings a go if I needed them.  

[RgrWynne]

i don’t think that there is anything specifically wrong with ‘Made in China’, iPhones are made there as I think are Honda Jazz, but I am wary if I don’t know the history, and from personal experience of what others told me. My friend fitted some said wheel bearings to his beloved Rover 75, did not even last 5000 miles. As I said ‘ you pays your money and takes your chance’, go for it and if it suits you great.

[The-Acre]

2 hours ago, RgrWynne said:

i don’t think that there is anything specifically wrong with ‘Made in China’, iPhones are made there as I think are Honda Jazz, but I am wary if I don’t know the history, and from personal experience of what others told me. My friend fitted some said wheel bearings to his beloved Rover 75, did not even last 5000 miles. As I said ‘ you pays your money and takes your chance’, go for it and if it suits you great.

I agree about taking the chance, they could of course last a lifetime. As Lee says, an easy part to fit, so should my bearings ever need replacing I'll take my chance I think.  Any idea what main dealer prices are?

[Cotswold Pete]

3 hours ago, RgrWynne said:

i don’t think that there is anything specifically wrong with ‘Made in China’,

I have a number of friends who have been involved with setting up factories in China for companies like Xerox through to small UK firms outsourcing.

The story I keep hearing is that if you leave the Chinese without a Western Manager then things slowly go down hill.  One example was not bothering replace metal dyes, because the parts were still looking okay (but tolerances were getting worse), this happened once HQ pulled out the shop floor managers from UK/USA.  Another one was a packing production line set up to run sweet as a nut, then UK get a call three weeks later to say the machine was faulty, producing packaging not fit to use.  My mate flew out and found the locals had turned up the speed button (which they had specifically been told not to fiddle with), so he reset everything, told them not to fiddle and flew home.  Well 6 weeks later, they get the same call, out he flew to find (you've guessed it).

The situation is no different to the type of goods we got out of Japan in the late 50s through to late 60's but the Japanese worked on quality control as an embedded part of their production model to give them a USP of quality not price.

I buy a lot of made in cheap chinese electronics bits and bobs from eBay, and to be honest, its okay, but some of the stuff stops working so quickly it makes me wonder how much Chinese stuff is going into landfill having been shipped around the world.  I assume once China gets too expensive for things that sort of work, then the world will move onto Vietnam, maybe Myanmar, and eventually some poor underpaid penguins in the Antartic will be knocking out car parts for 4 shrimps a week☹️

[RgrWynne]

48 minutes ago, The-Acre said:

I agree about taking the chance, they could of course last a lifetime. As Lee says, an easy part to fit, so should my bearings ever need replacing I'll take my chance I think.  Any idea what main dealer prices are?

I vaguely remember paying £230 for one new Lexus front hub and wheel bearing about 4 years ago

[Britprius]

When I open the link there are ads further down the page for the same items at  £31.26 each with free delivery making a saving of over £30 on the add price for two.

John.

[The-Acre]

40 minutes ago, Britprius said:

When I open the link there are ads further down the page for the same items at  £31.26 each with free delivery making a saving of over £30 on the add price for two.

John.

Cheap enough to put two on each wheel then!👍