I’ve only had one rear bearing fail so far.

The front bearings don’t tend to fail, if you use OEM. It’s the integral ABS sensor.

The rears being longitudinal roller bearings and also just following along while the front does the forceful turning work probably makes them less susceptible to anything other than wheel to wheel or wheel to substantial object contact.

edit: the only reason I replaced my rear bearings once was to install long racing studs.

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Rear stud replacement
 

I'm about to start rebuilding my 04 RX-8 and one of the things I have to replace is the rear driver side studs, two are broke. How do I go about replacing them, what's a good video source to for me to watch, and is there anything else that needs to be replace while I have everything out? Oh and does anybody know where I could find a Mazda Super-LSD or any LSD that works well and is it worth it?

Please I bought a used Rx8.Can you tell me if they are OEM ? NSK 49BWKHS30
https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx8...28d3beb01a.jpg

NSK are OEM ones.

I just had OEM one fail on the racetrack week ago, 2010 with 40k miles, last 10k miles car was track car mostly


https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx8...4d8cde12c.jpeg
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx8...d3e194336.jpeg

that's a pretty catastrophic failure. what tires do you run on track?

I know I was surprised my self as well.
Nitto NT-01 mostly and current set is actually 200 street tire Falken 615K+.

The only thing I can think of is that this is salvage car that I bought on insurance auction and it was hit on this side - drivers wheel was pretty damaged from the impact and I had to replace it. I got the car 6 years ago and have put 10k miles on it mostly to/on/from track. There could have been small stress fracture from that accident that finally gave way on the track week ago ?

https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx8...7dbaf5d803.jpg

If it broke the wheel that means it took a good hit. I can't see that as a normal failure??

I will definitely check out that area on mine though... no wheel wouldn't be pretty

just wanted to post quick update, aftermarket beck/arnley hub bearing failed after 2 years on the front right. I replaced it with another beck/arnley but I also discovered some play on driver side which was also replaced by beck/arnley hub only year ago when I had oem hub cracked. I think I did 6-7 events since replacing driver side.

first DE of the year yesterday

https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx8...cc5796c877.png

https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx8...dc7ae49db7.png

The original Mazda OE hubs were still tight when I swapped them out with same the first time just as a better safe than sorry approach 8 years or so after driving my RX8 off the dealer lot.

I still say a set of Mazda OE front hubs purchased on the Mazda Motorsports pricing plan is worth whatever extra they cost over aftermarket.

because they rarely just fail, but are likely slowly getting loose from the get go until they eventually fail …
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Here are some photos I took today of a Timken HA590096 and Mazda F151-33-04X. Noteworthy is on the Mazda part's hub face is printed the Timken part number. There are however some obvious differences. I have experienced early failure in the form of excessive play with aTimken bearing (and Moog, and various parts store versions) previously which could be bad luck, or there actually is some difference. I believe I heard or read that someone tore down a non-Mazda (possibly not a Timken either) bearing and the bearing was built like that of a NC Miata instead of the OEM RX-8 bearing which is beefier, however I don't have any first hand knowledge if that is the case or not.

I have also experienced failure like shown in post 30 with the Mazda bearing, twice. However this was after running the bearing for a ton of events on 315 hoosiers.

https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx8...bd868bfcbb.jpg
Timken HA590096
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx8...588f53c58b.jpg
Timken HA590096
https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx8...3494830c16.jpg
Mazda F151-33-04X
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx8...7019a55d78.jpg
Mazda F151-33-04X

thanks for the info Dallas.
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Are you sure you labeled your pictures correctly. OEM bearings have NSK logo and part number on the back like in your first two pictures. bottom two pics look like aftermarket?

The photos are labeled correctly and are bearings I have purchased within the last year.

I suspect there are minor differences in different production runs.

I hammered out some that came on a 05 from the factory which had NSK embossed on them this passed week.

Interesting. OEMs from my S2 both had NSK plus part number on the back. Aftermarket ones had those dimples on the back plastic cover and no part number. I just got two new mazda OEM ones and they too have NSK plus part number on the back like your first two pictures.

I think what happens with aftermarket bearings is that their seals are not as heat tolerant (track use) as OEM ones. Seals overheat on track leak the fluid/grease out of bearing and then it is just a matter of time before bearing goes due to the lack of lubrication.

Here is my last beck/arnley hub that leaked out and started having play that I caught early :
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx8...caa62f094.jpeg

Hello
Im located in europe, last year I ordered 2 timken HA590360 off rockauto
I received oem mazda hub, per label on the back of the bearing
1 abs encoder failed for unknow reason
I ordered one HA590360 off rockauto again, but this time no mazda label on the back, studs are differents (can't use my longer wheel studs)
quality seems lower
If you can help me to source reasonable priced oem hub, please let me know. Getting from dealer or japan is 400 usd for 1
Not sure if I can order off mazda motorsport
Thanks

I’m pretty sure that Mazda Motorsports is USA only, sorry.
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