Front Wheel Bearings '50 Chevy

My right front wheel bearings are a bit troublesome. I re-packed them today, but they will need replacing. Have you guys seen the prices on these???? Very expensive...What do you guys do??...Do those that have sub-framed have any laying around??...Advice please!!Thanks

 

I'll tell you how I did it.

Go to www.tocmp.com and look up the original part numbers you need.
Note that there is a part number for the whole unit as well as for the individual pieces (cup, cone, ball/race). Write it all down.

Do all you can to figure out interchange information.
I use the partsamerica website.

As an example, I just looked up a front wheel bearings for a '50 styleline. Link below:

http://www.partsamerica.com/ProductList.aspx?parttype=184&ptset=A&searchfor=Wheel+Bearing,+Front

The link should give you a list of what they have. Click around.
There are a couple of things to note from this:

A) a bunch of pertinent dimensions of your bearing (ID, OD, various widths, etc.)

Conceivably, you could take this information down to a local bearing house and get them to match something. Make sure its built for the sort of side loads that automotive application puts on bearings. This is probably the most direct (and likely expensive) way. You might find a great alternative though. You never know. Let us know if you do.

B) universal part number (ie B52 for your front inner). Now you have another number you can use to search at other auto supply places that don't list back to 1950...

C) partsamerica has an awesomely useful "see all vehicles this part fits" button. Check it out. Bearing fits chev passenger vehicles including corvette from 1946 through 1957.

Now that you know a bunch of part numbers and applications for the bearing you need you can go to ebay and set up an auto search. Something like (wheel bearing, chev*, style*, corvette, fleet*, bel*, 210, 150)+(front)+(1946, 46, 1947, 47, 1948, 48, 1949, 49, 1950, 50, 1951, 51, 1952, 52, 1953, 53, 1954, 54, 1955, 55, 1956, 56, 1957, 57) -truck

the search may need some tweaking (and you need to add the original gm part numbers), but thats the way to do it cheap, period. I got TWO front inners for my 53 listed part numbers only (with no application info) for like $20. My front outer was listed as being for a 1925-36 chev only. I knew from the part number that it wasn't. I bought it cheap since I guess no one was building one of those at the time. It worked great.


phew. and thats my secret. you owe me.

and by the way, this works for way more than just bearings.

 

Thanks ..I will get on it...your the man!

 

Check out www.classicparts.com. They list replacement roller bearings for 47 -57 Chevy 1/2 ton pickups. These bearings are used with the original front hubs. I'm pretty sure that the pickups used the same front wheel bearings as the pre-55 Chevy cars. So, these bearings should work. It would be a good idea to double check this, though.

 

They're not THAT bad... and a lot less than a subframe...

 

That's pretty cool! I just used it to determine a hub swap I want to make is likely to work since the bearings are the same inner and outer.

Thanks for sharing you secret!

 

Did anyone find the part numbers for the roller wheel bearings to replace the front ball bearings on 1950 Chevy cars? I'd like to do this for my '51 Pontiac.