A wheel bearing kit is new bearings, sometimes with a seal, fitted with the hub you already have, such as the two tapered bearings and seal in our 2WD Hilux and Hiace front kit. A hub assembly is the bearing and hub as one pre-set, sealed unit. Your model code usually decides which; for some cars we list both.
If your model code is on one of the listings below, that's your part.
| Wheel bearing kit | Hub and bearing kit | Hub assembly (hub unit) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| What you get | New bearings, sometimes with a seal. Our 2WD Hilux front kit lists an inner bearing, an outer bearing and a seal; our IRS rear kit lists one 42 x 78 x 45 mm bearing | A new hub plus a bearing kit. Our Falcon IRS listing says "1x hub 1x wheel bearing kit" | The bearing and hub flange as one unit |
| What you keep | Your old hub | Nothing from the old hub | Nothing: the whole unit is replaced |
| Can the bearing be serviced? | It depends on the bearing. Tapered single-row bearings like the Hilux kit's are packed with grease, fitted with a new seal and adjusted on the car. A sealed double row unit comes greased for life with its clearance already set | Not stated in the listing | No. Hub assemblies are non-serviceable, and most can't have their bearings or seals replaced |
| Example in our range | 2WD Hilux and Hiace front kit (pn260) | Falcon and Territory IRS rear hub and bearing kit (pn463) | Mazda CX-5, CX-9 and Mazda 6 front hub assembly (pn1860) |
Source: bearing makers' hub unit and wheel bearing technical guides (see Sources), and our product listings for pn260, pn230, pn463 and pn1860, read 30 September 2026.
The model code decides kit or hub, not the car's name
The same car name can take a kit in one generation and a hub assembly in the next. In our Mazda 6 front listings, a GH Mazda 6 (2008 to 2012) with ABS and one of the petrol engines on its list takes a front wheel bearing kit for Mazda 3 or Mazda 6 with ABS. A GJ or GL Mazda 6 (2012 on) with an engine on its list takes the front hub assembly. "Mazda 6 front wheel bearing" isn't enough to order on.
Sometimes both types fit the same car. For the Falcon (BA, BF, FG and FG X), Fairlane, LTD, FPV and Territory (SX and SY) rear with independent rear suspension, we list a rear wheel bearing kit with IRS and a rear hub and wheel bearing kit with IRS, and their fit lists are word for word the same. There, the choice is whether your old hub goes back in or a new hub goes in with the bearing.
Hub unit generations 1, 2 and 3
Hub bearing units come in three families:
- Generation 1 (HBU1): a double row bearing with a plain round outside. It's held in place by a tight fit, not a flange.
- Generation 2 (HBU2): the outer ring has a flange with threaded holes or studs to mount the parts around it. These are generally used where the outer ring turns.
- Generation 3 (HBU3): flanges on both the inner and outer rings. The outer flange usually bolts to the fixed part of the car, and the turning inner flange carries the wheel end.
Hub bearing units come greased for life, with the clearance or preload already set and the seals built in: pre-set, pre-greased and pre-sealed. Generation 1 is the bearing alone, with no flange. The bolt-on hub assembly in the table above is generation 2 or 3.
How to tell which one your car takes
- Find your model code. GH or GJ on a Mazda 6, KUN26R on a Hilux. The code, front or rear, and ABS are what our listings split on.
- Read the listing title. Ours say "Wheel Bearing Kit", "Hub and Wheel Bearing Kit" or "Hub Assembly".
- If the wheel is off, look at what holds the bearing. A unit with two flanges, one bolted to the knuckle and one carrying the wheel, is a generation 3 hub assembly. A hub that slides off a spindle with an inner and outer bearing and a seal takes a bearing kit. A plain round bearing held tight in the knuckle is generation 1. Remove tightly fitted bearings with a properly guarded press or bearing puller, and wear safety glasses: bearing makers warn never to cut them off.
- Still not sure? Check the listing's fitment, or send us your VIN or registration and we'll confirm it from the make, model, year and engine.
When to get a mechanic
The axle nut and wheel nuts must be tightened to the vehicle maker's specifications with a calibrated torque wrench, not an impact wrench, and bearing makers warn against taking a hub assembly apart. Tapered bearing kits are also adjusted on the car. We don't publish torque or adjustment figures, so if you don't have the workshop manual, a torque wrench and (for a pressed-in bearing) a press, book a mechanic. Our listings say the parts "should be fitted by a professional and fitted to vehicle specifications", and we agree.
Not sure it's the bearing? Hums and rumbles usually come from tyres, electrics or the driveline. When the bearing is the cause, the noise is there in a straight line but gets louder when you turn the steering wheel slightly. Our Toyota wheel bearing guide lists the other signs.
Which Bearings Express part fits
- Pick the 2WD Hilux and Hiace front kit (pn260) for a 2WD Hilux or Hiace front up to 2005 with a code on its list. Its M12649 and LM48548 bearings are tapered roller bearings.
- Pick the Mazda 3 or Mazda 6 front kit with ABS (pn1812) for a GH Mazda 6 front with ABS and an engine on its list.
- Pick the Mazda CX-5, CX-9 and Mazda 6 front hub assembly (pn1860) for a KE or KF CX-5, a TC CX-9 or a GJ or GL Mazda 6 with an engine on its list.
- Pick the Mitsubishi Challenger and Triton front hub assembly (pn1861) for a PB or PC Challenger or an ML or MN Triton on its list.
- Pick the IRS rear wheel bearing kit (pn230) for a Falcon or Territory IRS rear when the old hub is going back in.
- Pick the IRS rear hub and wheel bearing kit (pn463) for the same cars when you want a new hub as well.
Got a Toyota, Patrol, Colorado or D-Max? See Toyota Hilux, Hiace and Prado kits, GU Patrol swivel hub kits or Colorado and D-Max front wheel bearings. Everything else is in wheel bearing kits and hub units.
Questions people also ask
Is a wheel hub the same as a wheel bearing?
No. The hub is the part the wheel mounts on, and the bearing lets it turn. In a hub assembly they come as one part, so you replace both together.
Can I replace just the bearing in a hub assembly?
No, in most cases. Most hub assemblies use a non-replaceable, unitised bearing or flange, so the bearings and seals can't be swapped and you replace the whole unit.
Does a hub assembly come with wheel studs?
Most do, but some don't, and bearing makers don't recommend reusing old studs on a new hub. Our hub assembly listings don't say, so ask us before you order.
Are front, rear, left and right wheel bearings the same?
Not necessarily. Our Mazda CX-5 front hub assembly and the Mazda CX-5, Mazda 3 and Mazda 6 rear hub assembly (pn1859) are separate parts. Our Toyota Camry, Aurion, Harrier and Kluger rear hub assemblies are sold as a left (pn1825) and a right (pn1826).
How much does a wheel bearing replacement cost?
We can't quote workshop labour. Each product page shows the part's current price, and a mechanic can quote the fitting.
Do I need one kit or two?
Each of the kits and hub assemblies above does one wheel. Several have a pair listing if you're doing both sides, such as the pair of IRS rear wheel bearing kits (pn232) and the pair of IRS rear hub and bearing kits (pn464).
Related reading
- Toyota Hilux, Hiace, Prado and Fortuner wheel bearing kits
- Nissan Patrol GU swivel hub kits
- Holden Colorado and Isuzu D-Max front wheel bearings
- How to replace your wheel bearings
Sources
- SKF, "SKF hub bearing units for automotive and industrial applications" (1st edition), pages 4 and 5, https://cdn.skfmediahub.skf.com/api/public/0901d19680537e49/pdf_preview_medium/0901d19680537e49_pdf_preview_medium.pdf, read 30 September 2026.
- Timken, Light Vehicle TechTips LV2 "Hub Assemblies: Frequently Asked Questions", https://www.timken.com/resources/timken-techtip-lv2-hub-assemblies-faqs/, read 30 September 2026.
- Timken, Light Vehicle TechTips LV4 "Wheel Bearing Replacement", https://www.timken.com/resources/lv4-wheel-bearing-replacement/, read 30 September 2026.
- Timken, Light Vehicle TechTips LV5 "Symptoms of a Worn Wheel Hub Bearing", https://www.timken.com/resources/techtips-lv5-symptoms-of-a-worn-wheel-hub-bearing/, read 30 September 2026.
- Timken, part pages for M12649 and LM48548, https://cad.timken.com/item/all-categories/tapered-roller-bearings-2/m12649 (and the matching page for LM48548), read 30 September 2026.
Checked against SKF's hub bearing unit catalogue, Timken's LV2, LV4 and LV5 tech tips and Bearings Express product listings on 30 September 2026.
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