In the near future I am going to replace my furnace blower motor, fan wheel, and capacitor. Are there any significant differences between a Carrier OEM replacement motor versus a generic? My main concerns are maintaining a low motor noise level as well as a reasonable service life.

I am running a Carrier 58pav135-20.

Also, should I replace any additional parts other than what I've described?

Thanks.

The most significant difference will be cost. A typical aftermarket motor will be 1/3-1/2 the cost of OEM. Performance will be no different, but the "generic" replacement won't offer the wiring convenience of the OEM. Select a motor that has the same specs as the original, and replace the capacitor as well. Why are you replacing the wheel? If balance/vibration is the issue, dirt build-up may be the culprit. If this is the case, remove the wheel from the housing and spray out the dirt with water.

Thanks, that actually helps a lot. The wheel appears to be fairly clean, but I will hose it out first. When the motor starts, I can see the wheel wobble. I am not sure if that is because of the motor, or whether the while is warped or imbalanced. No way to tell until I get the whole thing apart.