Head Bearings: AllBalls vs. Timkens

[MrM0t0]

I understand that the ALLBalls are made in China vs. the Timkens being French(?).

Has anyone discovered any real difference in quality or performance other than the Timkens appearing to be a better finished product when compared visually side by side as in an earlier thread?

 

[kamal]

I'm guessing that AllBalls source their bearings worldwide? I seem to remember the ones in my kit were Mexican assembled?

Timken, HO in Canton, Ohio, is a huge global company with manufacturing plants worldwide. https://www.timken.com/en-us/about/Pages/Timeline.aspx

I replaced my steering head bearings with an AllBalls kit last winter. The supplied bearings seemed to be of an OK quality, with no obvious roughness or poor assembly. As these bearings only really have to bear load (very little turning) I wasn't too concerned. If I was replacing wheel bearings or some important internal bearing I would be a lot more picky.

Al.

 

[MrM0t0]

Thanks Al. Excellent analysis.

 

[Justin]

I'm guessing that AllBalls source their bearings worldwide? I seem to remember the ones in my kit were Mexican assembled?Timken, HO in Canton, Ohio, is a huge global company with manufacturing plants worldwide. https://www.timken.com/en-us/about/Pages/Timeline.aspx

I replaced my steering head bearings with an AllBalls kit last winter. The supplied bearings seemed to be of an OK quality, with no obvious roughness or poor assembly. As these bearings only really have to bear load (very little turning) I wasn't too concerned. If I was replacing wheel bearings or some important internal bearing I would be a lot more picky.

Al.

I am usually very picky with Bearings for wheels myself. If you do use AllBalls for wheels, make sure you pull the seals off and repack them. They are notorious for not putting enough grease in them which causes most of the failures.

 

[MrM0t0]

I'm guessing that AllBalls source their bearings worldwide? I seem to remember the ones in my kit were Mexican assembled?Timken, HO in Canton, Ohio, is a huge global company with manufacturing plants worldwide. https://www.timken.com/en-us/about/Pages/Timeline.aspx

I replaced my steering head bearings with an AllBalls kit last winter. The supplied bearings seemed to be of an OK quality, with no obvious roughness or poor assembly. As these bearings only really have to bear load (very little turning) I wasn't too concerned. If I was replacing wheel bearings or some important internal bearing I would be a lot more picky.

Al.

I am usually very picky with Bearings for wheels myself. If you do use AllBalls for wheels, make sure you pull the seals off and repack them. They are notorious for not putting enough grease in them which causes most of the failures.

I'll be sure to do so. Thanks for the tip.

 

[Candyman]

I used all balls for replacing the factory head bearings right after I bought my bike. No complaints, but no side by side comparion to offer.

 

[dcarver]

I used Timkins, just because it's a PITA to do the job twice, my time is worth more than the cost differential between the two bearings.

 

[RossKean]

I used Timkins, just because it's a PITA to do the job twice, my time is worth more than the cost differential between the two bearings.

While I agree that its a job you wouldn't want to do twice, is there any expectation that a set of steering head bearings will really wear out? I can see a problem if they were running without any grease or were not torqued correctly but this isn't exactly a high-speed, high-load or high-wear bearing.

 

[gumba]

I don't like Timkin for a steering head app. Had lots of Timkins on BMWs. They all had divots in short order. Timkens are meant for high velocity rotation (wheel bearings). A Timkin in a steering head app. always ends up in the same place. And who in the **** wants to measure torque with a fish scale.

 

[kamal]

FWIW.

As we are discussing FJR steering head bearings here. I would add that the original ball bearings, races and seals were in perfect shape. If I hadn't already purchased the tapered-roller set, I would have said 'piss on it' and just re-packed and re-torqued the originals.

Al.

 

[dcarver]

It probably makes no difference in this application. Agreed.

 

[wheatonFJR]

Does anyone have any photos of dorked up or worn bearings from their FJR?

I wanna see what "bad" looks like...compared to new and spherical.

 

[Queensland Ken]

I have a few more pics somewhere on the hard drive.

An 07 with about 13K kms when I changed out to tapered rollers last year.

The ball bearings had their case hardening cracked / worn as well, well greased.