EXHIBIT 5.1

                              May 27, 1998

Transportation Components, Inc.
Three Riverway
Suite 630
Houston, Texas 77056

Gentlemen:

We have acted as counsel to Transportation Components, Inc., a Delaware
corporation (the "Company"), in connection with the preparation of its
Registration Statement on Form S-1 (Registration No.333-50447) (the
"Registration Statement"), filed by the Company under the Securities Act of
1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), with respect to the offering and sale
by the Company of up to 5,500,000 shares of its common stock, par value $.01 per
share (the "Common Stock").

We have examined originals or copies of (i) the Amended and Restated Certificate
of Incorporation of the Company, as amended; (ii) the Bylaws of the Company, as
amended; (iii) certain resolutions of the Board of Directors of the Company; and
(iv) such other documents and records as we have deemed necessary and relevant
for purposes hereof. We have relied upon certificates of public officials and of
officers of the Company as to certain matters of fact relating to this opinion
and have made such investigations of law as we have deemed necessary and
relevant as a basis hereof.

We have assumed the genuineness of all signatures, the authenticity of all
documents, certificates and records submitted to us as copies, and the
conformity to original documents, certificates and records of all documents,
certificates and records submitted to us as copies.


Transportation Components
May 27, 1998
Page 2

Based upon the foregoing, and subject to the limitations and assumptions set
forth herein, and having due regard for such legal considerations as we deem
relevant, we are of the opinion that:

      1. The Company is a corporation duly incorporated, validly existing and in
good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware.

      2. The issuance of the Common Stock has been duly authorized, and when
issued and delivered by the Company against payment therefor as described in the
Registration Statement, such shares will be validly issued, fully paid and
nonassessable.

The foregoing opinion is based on and is limited to the laws of the State of
Delaware and the relevant law of the United States of America, and we render no
opinion with respect to the law of any other jurisdiction.

We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion with the Securities and Exchange
Commission as Exhibit 5.1 to the Registration Statement and to the reference to
this firm as having passed on the validity of the issuance of the Common Stock
under the caption "Legal Matters" in the prospectus contained in the
Registration Statement. By giving such consent, we do not admit that we are
included within the category of persons whose consent is required under Section
7 of the Securities Act or the rules and regulations issued thereunder.

                                    Very truly yours,

                                    Bracewell & Patterson, L.L.P.