22 replies to this topic

[tiger99]

For peace of mind, what you need to find out is where the bearings are actually made, and what quality control is applied at the factory, if you can. If they will not tell you, go elsewhere. But if it turns out that they are made by the likes of Timken or SKF they should be ok.

[Steve220]

As I mentioned earlier, they're going back. I had in my head that a-series spares only sold timken.

[Shooter63]

While timken are the name everybody wants the question to ask is where are they made now, no timken bearings are made in the USA and the British factory is now a housing estate with production moved to Poland, timken bearings are made all over the world, India and China included, most of the steel is made in china/India.

Shooter

[Spider]

While timken are the name everybody wants the question to ask is where are they made now, no timken bearings are made in the USA and the British factory is now a housing estate with production moved to Poland, timken bearings are made all over the world, India and China included, most of the steel is made in china/India.

Shooter

 

As is with so much of the manufacturing today.

 

I think the last few sets of Timkens I was supplied for a Mini had the Cups made in France and the Cones either in the US or UK.

 

To me, that's not a bother, even if they were made in China. What I've found is 99% of the time, if it is a well established brand, like Timken, then regardless of where they are made, the quality is always the same, that, in this instance, they can make two bearing parts in different factories and parts of the world I think speaks some on this. These guys have way too much riding on it not to be so.

 

It's when we get a Chinese factory that is also owned, run & managed by the Chinese that I run the other way.

[Pete649]

Why does the B&B bearing have 'Genuine' written on it? That would make me suspicious.

[JBW]

A lot of manufactures have products and parts from all over the world, but its all to do with quality control, in the White goods industry, Indesit had dishwashers manufactured in China, the quality was exactly the same as the Italian produced ones, but some other brands just had there name put on a Chinese dishwasher and they were, as we'd expect poor quality, I suspected they even came from the same factory, as parts were interchangeable, (apart from the electronics).

I've had First line bearings manufactured by Daewoo, (not on a Mini) and they've lasted OK, despite heavy cornering.

[gazza82]

First line have got a factory near Banbury with B&B on the sign, can see it from the m40!

 

Bet that's actually just a warehouse/distribution centre .. I see it a lot too ..

[tiger99]

As someone said above, it does not matter WHERE they are made. It does matter WHO makes them, because that determines the quality control that is applied. You can be very sure that Timken factories in Poland, China, South America, Timbuktu or Mars will be turning out immaculate products, However "Fred in the Shed" or his counterparts in China will not.

 

There has been some suspicion in the recent past that someone like Fred in the Shed was pairing up possibly good bearings and spacers without measuring them accurately, and someone in China was counterfeiting Timken bearings. The supplier SHOULD be able to demonstrate a solid paperwork trail if proper QA has been applied. Certain Mini suppliers have not wakened up to the fact that they should be doing that with ALL safety critical parts.

 

If customers would consistently INSIST on knowing where stuff comes from, much of this nonsense would end. It is good that the suspect parts are going back. I hope that the next customer, and the next, ....etc, also send them back, Then the supplier might begin to get the point.