32 replies to this topic

[rally1380]

Question is in the title really.

 

Both my front bearings have gone so wondering if the extra £30 each for timken bearings is really worth it?

 

Car runs negative camber so obviously strains the bearings more, but the price difference seems a bit steep.

 

Not an everyday car, and used mainly for competition.

 

discuss......

[tiger99]

Yes, or SKF if you can find them, and please avoid the Chinese trash. They are false economy and can prove to be dangerous as a search of the forum will show.

 

The negative camber has very little effect on the bearings, it is mostly the use of wheel spacers, or wheels with incorrect offset, which will do the damage, as well as completely ruining the handling.

[Vipernoir]

Yes.

 

There is a reason the cheap ones are cheap, and I've broken set of them in less than 200 miles of road use.

 

Timken only here.

[rally1380]

Sweet.....buy cheap, buy twice i suppose?

[rally1380]

Just phoned my local motor factors.

 

they have 'first line' bearings for £23.50 + vat.

 

Anyone used these before?

 

not been put off timken, just looking at other options.

[tiger99]

The price says that they are Chinese junk. And, the manufacturer is not a regognised beraing manufacturer either....

Edited by tiger99, 16 January 2014 - 02:02 PM.

[icklemini]

Local factors I use sell two types...
One is "vtech" boxed and the bearings are "unbranded".
The other type are FAG boxed and are Timken marked bearings.

The difference between the feel of the two types is quite noticable with the Timken ones being far better...

Cost is about £50 for the timken bearing...

[myredmini]

I have used minispares own brand bearings, fitted correctly with castrol high melting point bearing grease. When fitted I used the correct large washer first to pre-load them, then fitted new conical washers and hub nuts, re-torqued and not had a problem so far and done a few thousand miles. I had fitted a cheap bearing prior to this and it failed within 200miles and was droning its brains out. When removed it was evident the bearing was at fault. Didn't look too healthy!

[Tahiti Joe]

I'm also using Minispares own bearings, one side has done about a thousand miles and the other has done over ten thousand, most of which were over rough terrain whilst travelling around Europe last summer. Can't fault them, especially considering there roughly a third of the price of the Timken ones. I always use a good quality grease during assembly though, I'd advise this no matter what brand your bearings are!

[59 Speed]

Just phoned my local motor factors.
 
they have 'first line' bearings for £23.50 + vat.
 
Anyone used these before?
 
not been put off timken, just looking at other options.

I bought some first line bearings (green box, yellow writing) for the rear of mine a while ago from my local motor factors.

When I opened them up the bearings were marked as Timken.

I'd ask them to get a set in so you can open them up and see.

Ian

[rally1380]

 

Just phoned my local motor factors.
 
they have 'first line' bearings for £23.50 + vat.
 
Anyone used these before?
 
not been put off timken, just looking at other options.

I bought some first line bearings (green box, yellow writing) for the rear of mine a while ago from my local motor factors.

When I opened them up the bearings were marked as Timken.

I'd ask them to get a set in so you can open them up and see.

Ian

 

 

Hi Ian.

 

Cheers for that but unfortunately too late.....already emptied my wallet with minispares buying timken!!!!!

 

Others above 'seem' to know best and i listened.  Every day's a school day.

 

cheers though.

[tiger99]

Acturlly, you have probably saved yourself lots of grief and money, and gained peace of mind, as something much too cheap to be a genuine Timken will not be, even if apparently correctly marked. My understanding (and in my industry we know a LOT about bogus parts) is that a Timken bearing will always come in a Timken box, at or close to a Timken price. The vast majority of Chinese counterfeits are positively dangerous,  and some look very like genuine items. "First Line" are DEFINITELY NOT a recognised supplier of genuine Timken bearings. See here:

 

http://club.triumph....t/m-1346603935/

 

I will NEVER buy Minispares bearings, not because I know that they are bad, but they fail miserably to conform to the first principles of running a proper supply chain for safety-critical parts by concealing the source of supply from the customer. With stuff like that it is ESSENTIAL that there is full traceability all the way through the supply chain, and I for one will never risk lives by using "anonymous" parts. Also, I seriously doubt that Minispares have the ability to test bearings from every single batch, and can their supplier be relied on to apply proper QA in the factory? Such questions need to be answered openly and honestly, and thus far they have not been, which is sad, as the Minispares bearings "may" be good, it is just not provable. On the other hand, certain other suppliers are known to be supplying dangerous Chinese junk, some of which don't even fit correctly....

[Vipernoir]

Working in the nuclear industry, we are super-careful about quality control.

 

A circular warning went out a few years ago about CE markings.

It appears that CE doens't actually stand for European Conformity (the forced-upon us replacement for the good old BS Kite Mark) when things are counterfeited in China.
According to the fakers, it stands for Chinese Export !

 

I'm extremely sceptical and suspicious about anything made, cast or machined in China, and even more suspicious of their quality standards.
Yes, the test pieces and the first batch will be of good quality, but then...

[59 Speed]

Acturlly, you have probably saved yourself lots of grief and money, and gained peace of mind, as something much too cheap to be a genuine Timken will not be, even if apparently correctly marked. My understanding (and in my industry we know a LOT about bogus parts) is that a Timken bearing will always come in a Timken box, at or close to a Timken price. The vast majority of Chinese counterfeits are positively dangerous,  and some look very like genuine items. "First Line" are DEFINITELY NOT a recognised supplier of genuine Timken bearings. See here:
 
http://club.triumph....t/m-1346603935/
 
I will NEVER buy Minispares bearings, not because I know that they are bad, but they fail miserably to conform to the first principles of running a proper supply chain for safety-critical parts by concealing the source of supply from the customer. With stuff like that it is ESSENTIAL that there is full traceability all the way through the supply chain, and I for one will never risk lives by using "anonymous" parts. Also, I seriously doubt that Minispares have the ability to test bearings from every single batch, and can their supplier be relied on to apply proper QA in the factory? Such questions need to be answered openly and honestly, and thus far they have not been, which is sad, as the Minispares bearings "may" be good, it is just not provable. On the other hand, certain other suppliers are known to be supplying dangerous Chinese junk, some of which don't even fit correctly....

Quality wise the "Timken out of First Line box" rears were a much better quality than the front "cheap as chips" £12.50 jobs off eBay.

The fronts are even being swapped without even turning a wheel due to the worry of a bearing failing.

So I bought some Genuine Timken ones from Mini Spares in the sale before Christmas, but they did not come in a Timken box, and as you say: "My understanding (and in my industry we know a LOT about bogus parts) is that a Timken bearing will always come in a Timken box" I feel I might need to message Simon to make sure these are the genuine article.

[Carlos W]

So I bought some Genuine Timken ones from Mini Spares in the sale before Christmas, but they did not come in a Timken box, and as you say: "My understanding (and in my industry we know a LOT about bogus parts) is that a Timken bearing will always come in a Timken box" I feel I might need to message Simon to make sure these are the genuine article.

Mine are stamped timken, but said something about genuine Rover on the box!