87 replies to this topic

[tiger99]

You should never use those, and they should not be sold. The spacer should only be supplied with the pair of bearings it was supplied with as a matched set, as it is used to take up manufacturing tolerances in individual bearings. If you fit a standard spacer, the running clearances will almost always be too tight or too loose, both of which will result in a short bearing life. Too tight, in particular, is likely to lead to a serious accident when the bearing overheats badly and the stub axle collapses.

 

A large proportion of the bearing problems reported here are probably due to one size of spacer being supplied with arbitrarily paired bearings.

[Pete649]

I am utterly amazed Swiftune are making such things.

Edited by Pete649, 26 September 2013 - 05:43 PM.

[tiger99]

I guess it was a misguided attempt to solve a problem.

[59 Speed]

Sorry to bring up the past but I have just gone out to the garage and checked to see which front wheel bearings I have installed.

I bought them from Mini Mine several months ago - cannot fault their service and other products but as it's already been said on this thread, you get what you pay for, and £12 per side is obviously cheaper than near £50.

I have the correct hub nut tightening washer, which has come in useful already as tightening the nut against the standard tapered washer didn't pull the bearings together, it just tightened the nut against the washer, with the flat washer it pulls the bearings together at the correct torque and it feels much more secure.

My questions are:
After hearing reports that these bearings fail pretty quickly, will I get any warning (rumble) from the bearings or will they just collapse?

Should I risk it?

Or change them for Timken ones?

I have seen pictures of a Mini where the bearings completely failed, and after nearly ten years of building by Mini it doesn't bare thinking about.

Thanks in advance,
Ian

Ps it will be on wide 7x13's and only used on the weekends so wouldn't be covering a huge amount of mileage.

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Edited by Smackfiend, 24 October 2013 - 03:16 PM.

[Pete649]

I have seen pictures of a Mini where the bearings completely failed, and after nearly ten years of building by Mini it doesn't bare thinking about.
 

 

I think you have just answered your own question.

[jaydee]

On 13x7 i think these will last a max 100 miles.

 

If money is tight, I've tested successfully powertune, 1000 miles covered in 3 days. They're still working and still on the car. Powertune bearings are cheap.

Edited by jaydee, 24 October 2013 - 09:00 PM.

[Nuttoni]

On 13x7 i think these will last a max 100 miles.

 

If money is tight, I've tested successfully powertune, 1000k miles covered in 3 days. They're still working and still on the car. Powertune bearings are cheap.

 

You've covered 1000k (1,000,000) miles in 3days?! Damn, that's impressive :-D

Edited by Nuttoni, 24 October 2013 - 08:49 PM.

[Nuttoni]

But thanks for the info, Jaydee, I fitted some Powertunes just yesterday, i was wondering how well they'd hold up

[jaydee]

 

On 13x7 i think these will last a max 100 miles.

 

If money is tight, I've tested successfully powertune, 1000k miles covered in 3 days. They're still working and still on the car. Powertune bearings are cheap.

 

You've covered 1000k (1,000,000) miles in 3days?! Damn, that's impressive :-D

 

 

Yeah truly impressive!!

[Rosslin Racing]

I would like to add that the grease supplied with some of these bearing kits is also a major factor, when hot it turns to lard! killing a bearing within a few hundred Kms, 

Imm italy showed this, some people had change wheel bearing twice on the journey down, I sold all the sets I had with me as many had to change to get back home! 

[minimat]

mini-its are advertising Timken front bearings for £21.40 so why are they twice the price everywhere eise?

[Pete649]

mini-its are advertising Timken front bearings for £21.40 so why are they twice the price everywhere eise?

 

Anyone fancy spending £21.40 to find out? 

Edited by Pete649, 26 October 2013 - 06:19 PM.

[jaydee]

Beware there are chinese copies of for all of the major bearings brands..

[Vipernoir]

mini-its are advertising Timken front bearings for £21.40 so why are they twice the price everywhere eise?

 

I'll bet that they don't have TIMKEN etched into the bearings...

[minidaves]

I bet all 3 bits have matching numbers