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Technical Is there any good quality wheel bearings being made

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by junkyardjeff, May 17, 2018.

  1. junkyardjeff
    Joined: Jul 23, 2005
    Posts: 8,588

    junkyardjeff
    Member

    I always had a wondering issue with a truck and it was getting worse so I jacked it up and both front hubs were on a little loose side so I tightened them but have done it a few times so I am thinking the wheel bearings I put in it are not that great of quality. Are there any good quality bearings out there.
     
  2. Bird man
    Joined: Dec 28, 2009
    Posts: 894

    Bird man
    Member
    from Milwaukee

    American made ones pretty much exist as NOS only. I feel much better about most any first world bearings than anything from China.
     
    3340 likes this.
  3. junkyardjeff
    Joined: Jul 23, 2005
    Posts: 8,588

    junkyardjeff
    Member

    I might see if I can find some good original bearings from the junkyard or do some research and see what bearings each parts store has.
     
  4. southcross2631
    Joined: Jan 20, 2013
    Posts: 4,413

    southcross2631
    Member

    Try NAPA or a bearing supply house. I just bought fork head bearings for my Victory and pinion bearings for the 9 inch rear I am building and they were all American made. From a supply house.
    The big box auto parts houses all like to sell Chinese bearings , but usually can get good bearings if you ask for them.
     
    zzford likes this.

  5. Boryca
    Joined: Jul 18, 2011
    Posts: 709

    Boryca
    Member
    from Detroit

    You can usually cross reference any number to a Timken or National bearing, both made in the US, and high quality. You pay for it though, and you need a good parts house to be able to cross, most of the chain places don't take the time to look in the books, even though they have the capability. There's some web tools too to cross reference numbers, but they're not always reliable.
     
    tractorguy likes this.
  6. zzford
    Joined: May 5, 2005
    Posts: 1,823

    zzford
    Member

    Take the old bearing to a bearing supply store. They can measure yours and set you up. Be sure to bring the races too.
     
  7. squirrel
    Joined: Sep 23, 2004
    Posts: 55,931

    squirrel
    Member

    it's probably something else.

    Are they ball bearings, or tapered roller bearings? Tapered roller bearings are designed to run a tad loose, in front wheel bearing applications.

    I re use the old bearings whenever I can....
     
    winduptoy and Atwater Mike like this.
  8. Ntn, skf and Timken are all made in North America
    Ntn and skf have a manufacturing plant in the gta

    Industrial supply places or a bearing suppliers will get you better bearings then auto parts places

    We get some bearings from our local supplier as an example 8 double shelded bearings for Raymond load wheels are 1.75 each

    From our bearing supplier for skf or ntn are about 20 bucks for the set
    Not a huge difference in price but the quality is evedend in weight and assembly.
     
  9. Engine man
    Joined: Jan 30, 2011
    Posts: 3,480

    Engine man
    Member
    from Wisconsin

    Don't bet on them being made in the USA. I've had Timken that were made elsewhere.
    From Timken's website.
    "With more than 15,000 employees operating from 33 countries, our associates and our products keep industry in motion and make the world more productive."

    National claims to be made in the USA. I've had bad experiences with their oil seals. I know they know they have problems because every few months they change the suffix on the part number because of a design change.
     
  10. I have also heard for other sources that Timken bearings are now made in China. I guess you need to see what is stamped on each bearing.
     
  11. squirrel
    Joined: Sep 23, 2004
    Posts: 55,931

    squirrel
    Member

    Some bearings from most brands are made overseas. The better brands (usually associated with higher prices) usually have better quality control, no matter where they have their parts made.

    But we still don't know what's causing the wandering...there are so many possibilities.
     
    XXL__, zzford and Boneyard51 like this.
  12. Boneyard51
    Joined: Dec 10, 2017
    Posts: 6,440

    Boneyard51
    Member

    Jim I agree with you , that the wheel bearings would have to be mighty loose to cause wandering. But , I never set up my timken tapered bearings “ loose”. I would always take all the “ play” out on my set ups, with a varying amounts of “ pre-load”. Bones
     
  13. 26Troadster
    Joined: Nov 20, 2010
    Posts: 787

    26Troadster
    Member

    hate to tell yall this but half of the timken bearings are made in china. when i order parts here at the shop some will be made in u.s.a. and the others are not, but these are not for autos.
     
    samurai mike and Boneyard51 like this.
  14. Boneyard51
    Joined: Dec 10, 2017
    Posts: 6,440

    Boneyard51
    Member

    That’s what wrong in our country today, closing factories,here and sending the labor overseas, bringing back to our shores junk parts. Doesn’t look like it going to change. Bones
     
  15. Blues4U
    Joined: Oct 1, 2015
    Posts: 7,589

    Blues4U
    Member
    from So Cal

    First off, there is a massive problem with "counterfeit" bearings going on, and has been for some time, and the problem has infiltrated typical industrial bearing supply sources. Because of my job I keep in touch with what is going on in the maintenance industry, and that includes both mobile machinery and stationary plant equipment, and along with a shortage of qualified technicians, counterfeit parts (especially bearings) is a major problem. The counterfeit parts can sometimes be used parts that are cleaned and resold as new, or they can be new parts, but made to sub-standard quality with forged brand names applied, including counterfeit packaging & boxes. So, your best chances of getting quality name brand parts is to get them from a good industrial bearing supply house that has been doing business for a long time and has good sources, but even then you may still get counterfeit parts.

    In any case, I doubt that is the problem with the OP's truck. When a bearing fails it will spall, break apart in chunks coming out of the bearing surfaces, starting small and growing in size as the problem progresses. This causes more than a loose feel, the bearing will have a vibration and will be noisy (we've all had wheel bearing failures and know what that sound is). Since the correction was tightening the bearing up, I'd say the problem was incorrect assembly to begin with, with improper preload on the bearing; or improperly setting the bearing cones or cups all the way into place, resulting in those parts moving under load and decreasing the preload. Proper installation includes not only fully seating the bearings into place, but tightening the adjustment nut beyond typical setting while rotating the assembly, then backing it off and creeping back up into place; then if the lock pin holes don't line up you always turn the nut in, or increase the preload, to line up the holes, never back off.

    As far as pulling used bearings out of a junk yard, IMO that's a terrible idea, I'd rather take my chances with new bearings (that may be counterfeit) than run used bearings pulled from a wrecking yard.
     
  16. Blues4U
    Joined: Oct 1, 2015
    Posts: 7,589

    Blues4U
    Member
    from So Cal

    If they're legitimate Timken bearings, even made in Asia, they should be good quality parts. I hate to get political here, but we've driven manufacturing out of the country with policies that always carry unintended consequences. We have nobody but ourselves to blame, and if we keep electing the same politicians that got us into this, we'll keep getting the same results.
     
  17. squirrel
    Joined: Sep 23, 2004
    Posts: 55,931

    squirrel
    Member

    I thought it was because we're all cheapskates...we'll gladly pay $10 for a bearing made who knows where, instead of $40 for a bearing made in the US, and distributed through the normal channels.
     
    gggholson, jvo, redo32 and 1 other person like this.
  18. Boneyard51
    Joined: Dec 10, 2017
    Posts: 6,440

    Boneyard51
    Member

    Yep! On both! Bones
     
  19. Blues4U
    Joined: Oct 1, 2015
    Posts: 7,589

    Blues4U
    Member
    from So Cal

    It's $40 because of policies that drive the cost up....
     
    zzford likes this.
  20. Truck64
    Joined: Oct 18, 2015
    Posts: 5,325

    Truck64
    Member
    from Ioway

    I bought a complete set of SKF for front axle that were made in Japan, to replace a set from Romania that were really starting to show their age. They were obviously precision made with good materials.

    Correct installation is key for long bearing life. Bearing manufacturers once estimated about 80 per cent of bearings on trucks and trailers on the road are installed improperly. One reason everything is going to unitized hub assemblies. I don't have a problem per se with "foreign" bearings but it sure is a crapshoot these days, and not a confidence builder. Very dangerous.

    As mentioned if the originals are still serviceable then re-installation is a better bet. Tapered wheel bearings will last just this side of forever, if the runout is held to a few thousandths. Use a dial indicator on the hub.
     
  21. You'd be amazed at how many counterfeit parts there are in military manufacturing, we weed them out all the time.

    I have a set of SKF rear axle bearings in my Ford from NAPA, 7k miles on them and 1 side the seal has DSTB. I'm taking it apart later.
     
    Blues4U likes this.
  22. squirrel
    Joined: Sep 23, 2004
    Posts: 55,931

    squirrel
    Member

    Yup, and I enjoy living in the first world.

    :)

    .
     
  23. Blues4U
    Joined: Oct 1, 2015
    Posts: 7,589

    Blues4U
    Member
    from So Cal

    Unfortunately, the long term effect is to drive the 1st world down to meet the 3rd world. I.e. the topic of the thread....
     
  24. Truck64
    Joined: Oct 18, 2015
    Posts: 5,325

    Truck64
    Member
    from Ioway

    "Done $hît The Bed"?? Not familiar with the term but I think that's correct?

    Most of us lived in the "first world" growing up but those days are looong gone. Very sad.
     
    bobss396 likes this.
  25. zzford
    Joined: May 5, 2005
    Posts: 1,823

    zzford
    Member

    Not all stuff made in China is crap. JET machinery is mostly from China. It all depends on the standards set by the distributor.
     
  26. Distributors, buyers, U. S. companies, whoever orders the parts from China or wherever offshore are only going to get good parts if they are willing to have a quality control presence in the source country and verifying inspection in this country. Believing their certifications isn’t going to put good products in the consumers hands. It’s a little like; in God we trust, all others pay cash.
     
  27. Truck64
    Joined: Oct 18, 2015
    Posts: 5,325

    Truck64
    Member
    from Ioway

    Absolutely correct. They have successfully landed rovers on the Moon, they manufacture precision chips etc. Everybody bitching is most likely venting over one of their computers. Heck I'm just old enough to remember when an item marked "Made in Japan" was sort of a bad joke. The toys were among the first - squirt-gun fake flowers, inexpensive cutlery and dinnerware etc. The only thing "Made in China" was 4th of July fireworks. Japan made inroads with Black & White Televisions. Radios. And then the rest of it soon followed.

    But, the bearings we get here suck.
     
  28. junkyardjeff
    Joined: Jul 23, 2005
    Posts: 8,588

    junkyardjeff
    Member

    This is the second or third time I had to tighten up the front bearings so they are going to be replaced soon,they most likely came from one of those discount parts stores so I am going to see what bearings the better parts stores have this weekend. Its not all over the place when hitting a bump or groove in the road now.
     

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