16 replies to this topic

[tiger99]

It seems to me that 3000 miles is the average life of a cheap, nasty Chinese bearing, as other people also seem to have them fail at about that mileage. Very disappointing.

Timkens are usually marked as such on the outside face, which is visible without completely dismantling everything. But I fear that the counterfeiters will be applying similar markings, so it may not prove much.

[Tamworthbay]

It seems to me that 3000 miles is the average life of a cheap, nasty Chinese bearing, as other people also seem to have them fail at about that mileage. Very disappointing.

Timkens are usually marked as such on the outside face, which is visible without completely dismantling everything. But I fear that the counterfeiters will be applying similar markings, so it may not prove much.

The Timken lettering is laser etched on (I think) and is very clear, I saw some 'timken' ones at MITP last year in a clear plastic bag and the writing was very feint and looked almost like it had been printed on. It is possible they have changed the way they mark them, but I have never seen genuine Timken in a crappy clear bag with no info, grease etc. they were £18 which is enough evidence for me that they were dodgy. But I bet some poor bigger went away thinking they had a bargain. It was a stall with loads of cylinder heads in rows in case anyone else remembers it.