Wheel bearings

[briankk]

A few days ago, the LF corner of my '90 Loyale wagon started making expensive noises, so I took it apart to see if it was a problem with the bearings or the axle. It was the axle, I went to my local AP and bought a new one.

 

Got the bearings while I was there. Box said it was a Timken, bearing inside was a Koyo. Disclaimer on back said the bearing was "selected" by Timken, made in Japan..

 

I've seen a couple of online stores selling "Timken" bearings at a slight premium, I texted a rep an APW and asked what brand of bearings lived in their Timken boxes, may as well have asked him about the mating habits of gophers, the guy didn't know a Timken bearing from a Thompson SMG..

 

Might want to keep this in mind next time you buy a "Timken" bearing, it might be a phony, look in the box before you pay the money..

[GeneralDisorder]

Koyo makes a better bearing than Timken ever did. High quality japanese. I doubt if timken even has any bearing factories left in the states anyway. Its just a brand now.....

 

Next time go to a bearing house and get 6207-2RS-C3. Sealed, pre-greased, and about $8 each.

 

GD

[SmashedGlass]

A few days ago, the LF corner of my '90 Loyale wagon started making expensive noises..

 

I sprayed a bit of coffee out of my nose at "expensive noises" :-p

 

GD, Timken does in fact still manufacture bearings; we get them for all of our military equipment such as the M1 Abrams, M2/M3 Bradley, M113, etc. But it could be that they've moved to only making their own brand as for heavy applications(?)

[GeneralDisorder]

I sprayed a bit of coffee out of my nose at "expensive noises" :-p

 

GD, Timken does in fact still manufacture bearings; we get them for all of our military equipment such as the M1 Abrams, M2/M3 Bradley, M113, etc. But it could be that they've moved to only making their own brand as for heavy applications(?)

 

 

Could be - I haven't seen a small Timken bearing in a while. Perhaps for a certain size range it is no longer cost effective to avoid shipping them in from Japan, China, etc.

 

GD

[briankk]

Koyo makes a better bearing than Timken ever did. High quality japanese. I doubt if timken even has any bearing factories left in the states anyway. Its just a brand now.....

 

Next time go to a bearing house and get 6207-2RS-C3. Sealed, pre-greased, and about $8 each.

 

GD

 

I don't know anything, pro or con, about Koyo bearings. Thats not the point. The point is that the bearing in the box should be the same brand as name on the box.

 

I hand packed the Timken/Koyo bearings with Amsoil synthetic wheel bearing grease, I couldn't find any Valvolene synthetic.. The new Cardone axle is guaranteed for 3 years, I hope not to have a look at the bearings before the axle dies.

[bratman2]

I have KOYO bearings in the front of my Brat for a couple of years now. No problems, KOYO are a good bearing.

[briankk]

I have KOYO bearings in the front of my Brat for a couple of years now. No problems, KOYO are a good bearing.

 

Glad to hear that. Now I'm thinking I should do the other side too, just because.,,

[ferox]

...the bearing in the box should be the same brand as name on the box.

 

This happens all the time with all kinds of aftermarket parts for these cars, especially from Rockauto. It is probably more true for ea81s, but I get old stock in new boxes all the time. A couple times I have received geniune Subaru parts in Beck/Arnley boxes.

 

So far I have always been pleased when I get old stock or even new from Japan because inevitably it is better quality than what I was expecting. It's not a universal rule, and I buy US whenever possible, but my point is don't be surprised if you run into this more as you replace parts on your Loyale.

[Petersubaru]

the word "loyale" has been removed from many parts houses for the mid 80's..as if they never existed..the parts guy behind the counter asks me for a corresponding vehicle to obtain some very simple parts...

[MilesFox]

This goes along with who is manufacturing what, and which brands will use another's manufactured part with their own name on the box, for the matter of supplying the market in their brand with a part that they are not manufacturing.

 

This is true in the case of a fel-pro subaru enginegasket set, whre there are felpro mfg'd cork and paper gaskets, and some of the specific seals are sourced from mexico/canada(national seal) for cam and main seals, and japan (NOK, oem) for the valve cover gaskets, grommets, and oil pump seals. Felpro makes their own perma-torque head gaskets for ea subarus, buyt supplies fuji heavy mfg'd gaskets for ej22

 

Of all of the major brands, names that exist after several economies, aquisitions, etc, most of the actual parts/products come from the same handful of manufacturers/factories.