# Quality of wheel bearings made in China **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Created:** [June 16, 2009, 4:52pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/quality-of-wheel-bearings-made-in-china/31957 "2009-06-16T16:52:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![SunderhausD](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e79b87/32.png) [@SunderhausD](https://community.cartalk.com/u/SunderhausD)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2009, 4:52pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/quality-of-wheel-bearings-made-in-china/31957/1 "2009-06-16T16:52:59Z")
I go to Carquest(local auto parts store) to get a LM67048 wheel bearing. They have a 5.25 Carquest brand and a 10.50 Federal Mogul brand. Both are made in China. Is there any difference in quality from your experience. ---
**Author:** ![oldschool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e19adc/32.png) [@oldschool](https://community.cartalk.com/u/oldschool)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2009, 5:40pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/quality-of-wheel-bearings-made-in-china/31957/2 "2009-06-16T17:40:32Z")
No exact experience with wheel bearings but the track record for many other items from China is well known. ---
**Author:** ![Tester](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tester/32/15976_2.png) [@Tester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tester)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2009, 6:18pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/quality-of-wheel-bearings-made-in-china/31957/3 "2009-06-16T18:18:27Z")
The majority of the parts I install are from CarQuest. And out of all the bearings I’ve installed in all sorts of vehicles, never had a problem with any of them. Tester ---
**Author:** ![TwinTurbo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8baadc/32.png) [@TwinTurbo](https://community.cartalk.com/u/TwinTurbo)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2009, 6:25pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/quality-of-wheel-bearings-made-in-china/31957/4 "2009-06-16T18:25:48Z")
Sometimes, the extra cost is simply branding/advertising costs for the better known brand. Other times, it is a reflection of the increased costs for better materials or more consistent processes that really reflects on the overall quality of the product. When faced with these decisions, I usually weigh the cost difference against the pain and suffering if it fails and the consequences of failure. That includes all consequential damages including; risk of injury, labor to do the job again, etc. If it were my decision, in this case, I’d spend the $5 extra for the name brand part. ---
**Author:** ![circuitsmith](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/circuitsmith/32/40376_2.png) [@circuitsmith](https://community.cartalk.com/u/circuitsmith)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2009, 6:57pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/quality-of-wheel-bearings-made-in-china/31957/5 "2009-06-16T18:57:19Z")
The Chinese are capable of making decent quality products. They can also make pathetic crap. I remember when Japanese products were considered to be cheap junk. ---
**Author:** ![Caddyman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/caddyman/32/23_2.png) [@Caddyman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Caddyman)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2009, 7:24pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/quality-of-wheel-bearings-made-in-china/31957/6 "2009-06-16T19:24:41Z")
Boy are we screwed…When a country depends on a global economic competitor and potential enemy to make it’s ball and roller bearings, there is not much hope for “An economic recovery”. Our “Business Leaders” have looted and pillaged our country. Our economy and standard of living are GONE and they are not coming back…$8 bucks an hour chump, take it or leave it… ---
**Author:** ![oldschool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e19adc/32.png) [@oldschool](https://community.cartalk.com/u/oldschool)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2009, 7:31pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/quality-of-wheel-bearings-made-in-china/31957/7 "2009-06-16T19:31:01Z")
But we have a solid economic base in semiconductors,aerospace and health care we don’t need to produce mundane products like ball bearings we are way past that :0) ---
**Author:** ![bloody\_knuckles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ee7513/32.png) [@bloody\_knuckles](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bloody_knuckles)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2009, 7:40pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/quality-of-wheel-bearings-made-in-china/31957/8 "2009-06-16T19:40:55Z")
I work in import/export. Frequently the same factory makes both parts. Each brand has it’s own level of quality and specification. While it’s true that they are sometimes the exact same part in most cases there are some slight differences in quality. Over the long haul you will most likely see better life from a higher quality brand. Anyone who has used “white box” rotors from China knows what I am talking about. ---
**Author:** ![Caddyman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/caddyman/32/23_2.png) [@Caddyman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Caddyman)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2009, 7:46pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/quality-of-wheel-bearings-made-in-china/31957/9 "2009-06-16T19:46:55Z")
There are only 3 ways to create wealth: You can mine it, manufacture it or grow it. Everything else is just passing existing wealth around… ---
**Author:** ![hellokit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/6a8cbe/32.png) [@hellokit](https://community.cartalk.com/u/hellokit)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2009, 8:02pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/quality-of-wheel-bearings-made-in-china/31957/10 "2009-06-16T20:02:24Z")
For years, Chinese steel, and other metals, have been of inferior quality. Now, they are just as good as the metals made in USA and Europe? I’ll have to see sustained proof. I’ve gotten different types of steel(?) products which have the strength of about grade 3. Grade 3 is a mild, soft, steel. Parts made of grade 3, or even grade 5, can fail and cost you life or limb. I have seen that the steels are getting better; but, I don’t think that they are what they should be. Where is our US Government’s test, and control, on these sub-standard import products? Where have they been? ---
**Author:** ![ok4450](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e9bcb4/32.png) [@ok4450](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ok4450)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2009, 8:31pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/quality-of-wheel-bearings-made-in-china/31957/11 "2009-06-16T20:31:58Z")
Unforunately, Chinese crap is being inflicted on the public in just about every area and it’s always a coin flip as to whether or not the product is any good. As far as I’m concerned their electrical and metallurgy abilities are pretty suspect. My wife recently spent more bucks than I would prefer to buy a couple of outside iron porch lights for our house. Both units are Chinese made, crooked as an eel’s path, and look they were welded up by drunks. Apparently J.C. Penney has no problem with foisting off junk. ---
**Author:** ![oldschool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e19adc/32.png) [@oldschool](https://community.cartalk.com/u/oldschool)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2009, 10:06pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/quality-of-wheel-bearings-made-in-china/31957/12 "2009-06-16T22:06:20Z")
I agree fully.My comments were in reference to a dialogue I was having over the weekend about the U.S. not having a sound production base,in paticular I thought that the battery that is being produced by a Korean company (for a full electric automobile) should be produced here in the U.S. I feel that products like ball bearings do have a place in the U.S. manfacturing mix. ---
**Author:** ![oblivion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/3ab097/32.png) [@oblivion](https://community.cartalk.com/u/oblivion)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2009, 10:41pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/quality-of-wheel-bearings-made-in-china/31957/13 "2009-06-16T22:41:57Z")
Well said!