Bearing brands

PTmowerMech

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Searching through an ungodly amount of bearing brands for a set of 6206 RS C3 (30mm X 62mm X 16mm (or Height 0.627 ID 1.18 OD 2.44) bearings for this badboy. Knowing price ain't always a good judge of quality. So was wondering if anyone had a particular brand of bearing as their go to?
There's so many brands.
 

bertsmobile1

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My wholesaler supplies Japanese NTN bearings that seem to last at least 2 times longer than the unbranded ones I get from Stens and that is after I remove the petrolium jelly & apply real Timken bearing grease .
 

PTmowerMech

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My wholesaler supplies Japanese NTN bearings that seem to last at least 2 times longer than the unbranded ones I get from Stens and that is after I remove the petrolium jelly & apply real Timken bearing grease .

The ones I went with are PGN. It looks like they're Japanese also. I looked at their website and seen something about Japan.
 

StarTech

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You really need to be introduced to my bearing supplier and they are just the state over from you. Of they don't free shipping but with USPS that is only around $9 per order. And they do offer a flat rate shipping. Now of I buy in pack of 10 each.

6206-2RS KOYO (Japan) bearings
1667994013564.png

6206-2RS Spinco (house brand Chinese) bearings
1667994080035.png

But as Bert said I do pop the seals and replace the grease with EP2 grease here. And they are lasting a lot long than junk Amason bearings I tried.
 

PTmowerMech

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You really need to be introduced to my bearing supplier and they are just the state over from you. Of they don't free shipping but with USPS that is only around $9 per order. And they do offer a flat rate shipping. Now of I buy in pack of 10 each.

6206-2RS KOYO (Japan) bearings
View attachment 62764

6206-2RS Spinco (house brand Chinese) bearings
View attachment 62765

But as Bert said I do pop the seals and replace the grease with EP2 grease here. And they are lasting a lot long than junk Amason bearings I tried.

Recently I got introduced to some info about Chinese steel and how it's not very good. I'll have to do some checking to find that info again. But the end result was that Chinese steel just isn't that great at all. I want to say it's in their heat treating.

A supplier would be fine. But they're just suppliers. I'm hoping to find a manufacturer who makes quality, at a reasonable price. That way I can look for that brand in my normal places. Like Amazon.

Amazon sells what their sellers sell. Does Amazon actually sell anything?
 

StarTech

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When it comes to sales most rarely sell products they manufacture themselves in the retail market places like Amazon and Walmart. One of the problems with Amazon is the third party vendors that are selling crappy products. Some are fly by night operations; otherwords, set, sell a lot, and then disappear before all the returns start.

As for my bearing supplier this all they do as they are a distributor and the Spinco bearings are manufacture to their specs. Now they have added a Mower seat site but that is a separate company division. The problem there is that I need three point mounted seats and they have none.

And most Chinese steel is junk but not all that why you must buy from a company that does their homework, demands quality over quantity, and stand behind the product with a good warranty.

It was same crap said about the Japanese products years ago. Now they are considered some the best products out there.
 

PTmowerMech

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I'm trying to avoid junk. I can somewhat recognize junk on Amazon. But Amazon could very well have a supplier that sells a quality brand. The brand I went with, I could order this brand from Amazon, Ebay or Walmart. Where they're sold, I don't think is a good way to judge if they're junk or not. Price is a fairly good way (being way cheaper than the others). But price isn't a rock solid way of judging, because I seen this same brand (&the same size I need,) for double the price I paid for it. Had I bought the PNG's for the higher price, just because the price was high, I would've been wasting my money.

You make a good point about your supplier making sure they're not selling junk.
 

StarTech

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This why you must hone your procurement ability when in business as you are the one that controls the internal quality you sale.

And I understand the PNG are lower in cost @ 2.29 ea but I had quality issues with the ones that came from Amazon and that why I am sticking the SpinCo and and Koyo bearings. IT is my business rep that is on the line if they fail early.

And the SpinCo bearings are 4.67 ea and I had good luck with over the last 6+ yrs I have been using them. It just I will install the Koyo on the commercial units.

Now I do have a question. Where these 6206 bearing being used?

According my inventory I never had used them yet...Notice the "yet" as I might just need them tomorrow.

1668014236838.png
 

PTmowerMech

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They're going on a Badboy 6000 ZT spindles. 60"

The bearings you use (Koyo and SpinCo), do you have to replace the grease before you install? If so, why not find a brand that has a better quality grease?
 

mcostello

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I worked at a sub division of a bearing seller. They ordered a pallet load of 6202 bearings got them for .050¢ each, probably cannot buy the bearing box from a reputable manufacturer for that.
A customer came to the counter and said, I have been using Chinese bearings in a dirt bike professionally racing it. A Chinese bearing costs 1/3 less than a good brand and gets worn out every 2-3 races. A good bearing costs more and lasts the whole year and gets replaced with winter teardown while still good.
 
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