Since the 1990s, the wheel hub has progressively merged with the bearing assembly into a single flanged unit: it locates the wheel on the correct axle centreline, carries brake disc and wheel bolt loads simultaneously, and in most modern cars incorporates the ABS reluctor ring within its sealed bearing pack. The flange is the interface point between the rotating wheel assembly and the suspension knuckle, which means that corrosion, impact damage from kerbing, or fatigue cracking in the flange itself can produce wheel wobble, disc run-out, and brake judder that are easily misdiagnosed as disc or pad problems. A tell-tale symptom of hub flange distortion is vibration through the brake pedal and steering wheel during deceleration that persists even after discs and pads have been renewed. Critically, hub outer diameter, bearing inner diameter, wheel bolt-pattern, ABS encoder ring pole count, and spline profile for the driveshaft must all match the OE specification — getting a single dimension wrong can compromise ABS function, cause premature bearing failure from misalignment, or prevent the driveshaft from seating correctly. Timken and SAMPA supply wheel hub assemblies across a wide range of European platforms including the VW Group, Fiat Group, Toyota, and Opel families.
Use the make-model-year-engine selector to narrow the list, then verify the OE reference against the number stamped on your existing hub flange. Key dimensions to confirm are the wheel bolt-circle diameter and bolt count, the bearing bore size, the ABS encoder ring pole count (if fitted), and whether the hub accepts an external driveshaft nut or is a non-driven axle. These parameters can all differ between front and rear positions and between driven and non-driven variants of the same model.
OEM wheel hub assemblies from suppliers like Timken or SAMPA are produced to the vehicle manufacturer's material specifications for flange hardness, bearing preload, and ABS encoder accuracy. Quality aftermarket alternatives replicate those tolerances. Budget units may use lower-grade flange forgings that are prone to micro-cracking under repeated brake-torque loading, or ABS encoder rings with incorrect pole spacing that causes ABS faults or traction control errors shortly after fitting — issues that only become apparent once the vehicle has accumulated some mileage.
If the cause of failure is impact damage or flange distortion from kerbing, replacing only the affected side is generally fine. If the failure is corrosion-related or the bearing shows signs of fatigue wear, inspecting the opposite side carefully makes sense, since both hubs will have seen the same road conditions. High-mileage vehicles where both sides are at a similar service age are candidates for axle-pair replacement in one visit, particularly if workshop access to the hub is labour-intensive.
Brake vibration or judder that persists after new discs and pads have been fitted is one of the clearest signals of hub flange run-out caused by distortion or fatigue. A rhythmic thumping or grinding noise from a wheel corner, uneven tyre wear on one side, or an ABS warning light appearing after a kerbing incident all warrant a hub inspection. Lateral play at the top and bottom of the wheel, or roughness when the wheel is spun on the vehicle with the brakes released, confirm that the hub bearing is worn beyond service limits.
Showing 100 of 2,454 Wheel Hub OE numbers. Enter the OE on the main OE search to jump to any reference.
