1996 Geo Tracker Spindle & Hub same as 1998?

[fixkick]

and driving with steering pulling
bad.
driving and the bearing scream , fix me, bad.

[fixkick]

I do hope you find a matched set of hub main, hub spindle needles and match your matching axles.
They axles have a new P/n44102-60AA1 96-98
the old axles were (1995 example) 44118-60A00
left side, example of 2. axles, my guess to MATCH NEEDLES????? OMG Ive never tried mixing those parts ever, not me... so.....????
as you can see the axle p/n are not even close, a minor revision is like A01, or A02, but the prefix changed opps., and that means to me BIG revision
smacks of that.
YMMV
our YUMV, your used parts can vary...

[Borntobewild]

buy a 96-98 hub,
it will fit.
if car is stock it fits.
the GM does not sell them now, in fact , they only list Chevrolet trackers now, 98 or newer, the word GEO is but a dream to them it seems. now.

Okay thanks.
I'm heading into Oregon tomorrow to buy the entire knuckle assembly off a 1997 Tracker, 4x4, without ABS.
I need the spindle also, not just the hub but I guess that is the same as the 1996 also?
For now if everything's right I just plan on bolting the knuckle on, (inserting the axle of course), swapping out caliper bracket, installing new pads, hopefully the rotor is in good shape or replace with a new one...and go from there.

Then replace both wheel bearings later to avoid this mess again.

The saga continues...
$60 dollars of gas the last couple days chasing the "ghost" part...Washington coast a couple days ago and half way to Mt. Hood, Oregon yesterday.
Drove all the way out to Orient Auto Sales yesterday to by the aforementioned 1997 hub/spindle/knuckle assembly and first thing I did was turn it upside down and there was the BUSHING!

What's going on here?
A 1996 model at the Washington coast mfg date 8/2017 with the "bushing and yesterday a 1997 with the "bushing"!!!
I'm starting to think I have a rare one of a kind.
Or perhaps just buy a bicycle and [part my '96 Geo out since the right spindle does not exist!

I believe I read on your bearing page you have a 1996 that you torqued to 155 pounds...
Did your 1996 have the needle bearing versus the bushing like mine has?
I haven't been able to find a bearing spindle yet!
Would that 1997 knuckle/hub/spindle I looked at yesterday and pictured below have worked on my car that had the "bearing type" spindle on it or would I have to change out the axle also?
What is the difference between the spindle with bushing and the one like mine with the needle bearing (if that's the right terminology for the bearing)?
I cannot find a spindle without the bushing no matter what year I look at.
It was a nice, stormy rainy day to be driving all around Orygon yesterday though chasing a ghost.

I've seriously had thoughts of scraping this one (part'ing it out) and loosing a lot of money...I can't fix it!

[fixkick]

ok, I read every page in the EPC(world parts cat , 89-2004)

the facts are here, and explains why finding used parts is a HAIR PULLER, its the vin serial that mattters. and door counts. and you never told me 4doors. not yet.
is your car fitted with needles. I assume yes,. no photos presented, but id guess are there. (if the inboard hub is totally destroyed, i can see why be impossible to tell but ive not looked at it.
looking matters always.
is your car 4doors?. seems so but you never said, what is your VIN so I can decode all that, post the VIN and put X' on last 3 digits, for privacy. no big deal here,


here is the rule on all inner hubs , suzuki rules only,.,.. the suzuki book shows needle options on 2wd, that is JAPAN brain fart there. there are no live axles in 2wd.. oops.


4WD


4wd, 2 and 4 door rules to follow, wish had your vin or photo car, all i know is tracker 96/4wd...little else.

then needles.. are using on 4door T4100158~ or T4108881~ only 4wd and only 4doors. the tilde ~ means and UP, the 2 serial numbers or due to 2 different body classes used 4doors, and is,.
I do know the reason for 2 Vins above, the left is G16 engine, right is J18 engine (SPORT). so only the left vin serial applies to you. 158 and up (my wild guess is the 15,800 car up made at cami? ) (so 96s are only found by VIN !!!)
T means 1996 year model.

the only 2door with needles is 1997, and only ABS , very limited this... had to find, with ABS. ABS was and expensive option there, and rare, and may be suzuki ERRATa

The 4door is the hubs to find, and only if newer 96s. later Vins
so 97 and 98 4door are prime targets.

now the real p/n from real suzuki, inward hub with bearing.

43441-60a20 $167 at Suzuki drawing ID 34-1.
https://www.suzukicarparts.com/parts/199...eid=214820

tiny needle bearing.
09263-28030 (used on other suzuki too)


https://www.suzukicarparts.com/parts/199...eid=214820


the outer bearing in the main hub , outboard, is a crush bearing, see my wheel bearing pages, it covers this special bearing 100% .

so in conclusion, no VIN ,no JOY.

IF GM was not dead, they'd ask that 1st thing,
if at SUZUKI, the do ask but GEO VINs are useless there. but i can decode them, of posted. so.................................

[fixkick]

mine was
2CNBJ1866T69022xx (17digits)
2cn means CAMI (not japan japan starts with J)
B means tracker,
J means 4wd
1866 means 1= 1/2 ton class, 8= util truck 6= 16v engine and last 6 is check digit (useless , mostly it tells view , whole code is not corrupted)
T means 1996
the 6 after T means. cami, made, some tracker are 1/2 cami and 1/2 japan due to strikes or Cami refits, (yes tricky)
902xxx is serial num.

this is all there is in the vin. note transmission not encoded.
'
how all this helps you.

looks like 97/98 4door only is prime donors. (4wd sure)

[fixkick]

this is no big deal.
let me explain,
on newer cars, even only 5 years old
some parts changed 3 times in one year. (not only for safety or smog,, some go obsolete)
In the modern world, only VIN matters.
Suzuki EPC too, shows vast changes mid years, mid vin ranges. lots. not not even close to how car are today. Imagine owing a VW diesel car now,? and what parts were changed, to pass smog.
after the lawsuit.
omg, complex.

good luck on your scavenger hunt, it can be fun, my wife and I drove all over hell and back to find a crankshaft not wrecked. (or block not cracked)
even up to the deep deep woods of the upper OLYMPIC peninsula.... we begged on craigs list. bingo.
one other trick is use ALL OF CRAIG. and look country wide !!! then ask can you ship. many wont.

[fixkick]

to end Chapter 11, we joke
Suzuki now charges 5 times normal parts prices.
they sell TPS that is $25 for $300 .
they sell hubs for $170, worth, $35 , my jeep is $35 with bearings, so..//

[fixkick]

direct answers
I believe I read on your bearing page you have a 1996 that you torqued to 155 pounds...., my bearing pages answers that and why.
http://www.fixkick.com/hubs/FW_BEARINGS.html#old

Did your 1996 have the needle bearing versus the bushing like mine has? my 96 2door now, the 97 4door yes. 91 no,
I haven't been able to find a bearing spindle yet! (see above post)
Would that 1997 knuckle/hub/spindle I looked at yesterday and pictured below have worked on my car that had the "bearing type" spindle on it or would I have to change out the axle also?
I do not know, that answer the let me trick the parts list in to telling me that, i have way. the question is , is the bushing same ID as needle, and is the axle same.
the axle changed only on the generational boundaries, 95/96 and 1999, so the axle must is same. on all 4wd variants. those 3 years.
it gets confusing due to they last JAPAN axles and CAMI axles that are same but different P/N..

What is the difference between the spindle with bushing and the one like mine with the needle bearing (if that's the right terminology for the bearing)?
Bearings have 1000s of types, even a bushing is a bearing, balls, needles rollers, tapered rollers go to TIMEN bearing USA and read there?
A bushing is brass or just plastic, sleeve.


I cannot find a spindle without the bushing no matter what year I look at. Huh
you skipped 4wd, and 4doors.
that is the problem.
and for sure VIN codes.

[fixkick]

the outer bearings are, 2 pieces double tapered roller bearings, that are CRUSH style.
and are pre loaded full time all the time,
123-180ft/lbs

the place you stop (torque wrench) in that range is totally dictated by where the set screws land.
if not run like this, the bearing HAVE NO LIFE SPAN. (even less that 1000 miles)

the chart is here (that max life seen here, is that spec above for preload) Suzuki does not make this rule at all it's TIMKEN rules. applied, (or even KOYO)
The Suzuki engineer had to covert distance, to torque by using the nuts thread pitch angle, to foot/lbs. the bearing actually CRUSHES !
when it does the gap gets to the right magic spot by DESIGN.

http://www.fixkick.com/hubs/life1.JPG

it's not a boat trailer, not in the least. (just did mine yesterday, )