China bearings?

[Anonymous-0]

Seams like it wasen't too many years ago when I would buy a bearing it said made in Japan, I wasen't too happy. Now days the bearings, and most everything else from Japan isn't bad. Now I see China is importing bearings to the US. Has any one had any bad experiences with their bearings? Do you think China has the quality control figured out yet on their bearings? I like to buy US products, but seams like most everything is imported from somewhere else. A good expample is the water pump I bought from Napa and fornd out it was made in China.Stan

 

[oldrustycars]

I changed wheel bearings on my 1989 Olds, with 175,000 miles on the original bearings. New ones came from China, only ones I could find on Saturday. They failed twice in 10,000 miles. They were warranteed, but could have caused a wreck. I installed them by the book, including torquing everything to spec. I've had many problems with Chinese crap parts, the auto parts always takes them back, but people will start getting killed by cheapo parts. Think China will stand behind their garbage? Not likely.

 

[Jerry Coulter]

Got a wheel noise in my 6 ton Carriage 5th wheel camper. Repacked the bearings and found all China bearings. The ones on the front axle were failing so I went to my NAPA store and came back with replacements - - - made in Japan. Hope they're good!

 

[Anonymous-0]

My son was looking for a pto bearing for his 302 JD. Called around and they had "good" ones for one money. Didn't know where they were made though, and they had cheap ones-made in China. He decided to go to JD and get one. It was the same brand as the "good" ones the bearing place had. It was made in Romania. It was the same price as the bearing place.

 

[Anonymous-0]

I don't like to do things more than once unless abslolutely necessary, and changing the same bearing more often than once every decade or so falls into that category for me.

My advice? Spend the extra and get Timken bearings. They're made in the U.S. (or sometimes Mexico) to exacting standards, and I've never had a problem with their replacement bearings.

Ya get what ya pay for.

My 2¢ worth.

-- Geo. D.

 

[Davis In SC]

Quality does not matter, all that counts is price.. We are being bombarded with cheap junk from China.. All those Chinks can do is copy, sure they can make a part that look the same, but that does not mean it will last.. We are in a real serious delimna, almost nothing is made here anymore, everything comes from the low-price bidder.. We are in the manufacturing business, and almost all of our work has gone to China.. Unless something changes soon, all we are going to be able to buy, is imported junk..

 

[Spook]

I just read where Ford is looking at having engine blocks finish machined at a foundry in Brazil, and assembling the engine here. That would eliminate about 80% of the jobs in an engine plant. GM and Chrysler are probably looking at that too. I think the manufacturing decline is just starting. Unless you are in a national defense related business, I don't know that any US manufacturing business can survive. It's kind of like the American Indians vs. the whites, we might win a battle here or there, but the war is lost already.

 

[RAB]

Looks like you are worrying about bearings too much, the memory is going or nothing better to post. You posted this just recently:

I am replacing the bearings on my flail mower blade drum. It is a standard flange self aligning type bearing. I found the same bearing on EBAY, but it is made by a company called JIB made in China. Any one had any dealings with this bearing co.? I don't think many bearings are made in the US anymore. The price is about 1/3 the price from the local bearing supplier.Stan

You got 7 replies. I would have thought we had heard enough about cheap inferior parts on this thread. Or didn't you read your previous post?

Cheap American bearings were probably inferior as well. I have never bought a cheap inferior Japanese bearing (not knowingly, anyhow). I have only been buying bearings for about 40 years, so maybe a generation behind you but all the bearings in my 1960's Honda motorcycles held up good and replacements of the right specification were certainly not cheap.

The Chinese do have quality control figured out. They will improve only when they have to. It puts extra costs on the product to test it and build to a better quality product. Why change if they don't have to?

EVERYTHING that is imported comes from somewhere else or everything that you buy which has been made somewhere else is IMPORTED.

It is now the way of the world. Quality and price are two main factors. Too many use price as most important parameter. China makes good quality too. It also floods the market with the low quality junk that imorters elsewhere buy 'cos it gives a good turn-over and fast profit. 'Cos too many people think cheap price is better than high quality. Or maybe the masses are unable to read/understand the specifications. Whatever it might be, they are there waiting for people to buy.

Everyone knows it is cheap labour behind the China boom yet they fit low quality bearings in the US with high labour fitting charges and then fit them again when they fail. They are then very expensive bearings. It is not just the cost of the bearing, but all the things like other damaged parts, labour charges, down-time, hiring in charges, lost work, crops or other incidentals.

Like I said previously. Your call. Your choice. Please don't post the same again. Let's hear of the cheap bearing failures that can be attributed to poor quality. That way other people will have something to go on when they decide to buy new bearings.

 

[dhermesc]

"GM and Chrysler are probably looking at that too"


Actually GM is already having some engines built in China - not just the block.

 

[Anonymous-0]

Looks like your memory is better than mine. I thought I posted this on another sight, anyway sometimes people miss things. Sory I took up your time. Stan