Timken bearings Made in China?

[olddog]

I just bought a set of wheel bearings at Auto Zone - because they carried Timken. I pulled the bearings out of the Timken box and it says right on the bearing. Made in China. Its the same exact Chinese piece of crap that I just took off, which failed in 15K miles. Has a number on it, but it does not say Timken, or any other name, on the bearing.

What is going on here?

[Rick Parker]

MAYBE someone else switched product and returned them??? Didn't realize Timken was reboxing or marketing foreign made product.

[Racer_X]

might go to a better store like NAPA and get a Timken part to see if it's also china. I just ordered a bunch of brake parts from Rock Auto using big name brands like Raybestos, Bendix, Wagner and most all of their stuff is now marked made in china also. talk about pissed off. Can't even get the good stuff anymore.

Can't buy American when even American suppliers are repackaging china crap.

[scottj]

Timken has been manufacturing in China for years. I've read, 6 manufacturing plants, 8 sales offices, and an engineering training facility... said to better serve the Chinese market.

[tnewland]

Yeah, Chinese of America!!!

[Learjockey1]

You may have to go to a bearing supply house and ask for the German FAG or Japanese NSK's. I admit having problems with the Chinese stuff, however, Japan used to be this way. 95% of the time when I buy Chinese, I have fitting or finish problems afterward. I will spend more for the American or European because I only buy once. Most people want the cheapest price and do not understand you do not get something for free. Here in Germany, selection is not always great the but the parts and tools are the "good stuff" and I just pay up and buy once and move on to the next task. Less drama that way.

[joyridin']

Timken shut down many of their plants int he USA in the last few years. Made in China is now the norm, not the exception.

Most of their automotive bearings are still Made in USA alond with their large industrial bearings.

[redmt]

Originally Posted by Racer_X

might go to a better store like NAPA and get a Timken part to see if it's also china. I just ordered a bunch of brake parts from Rock Auto using big name brands like Raybestos, Bendix, Wagner and most all of their stuff is now marked made in china also. talk about pissed off. Can't even get the good stuff anymore.

Can't buy American when even American suppliers are repackaging china crap.

Even Napa carries a second line made in China. Pretty much junk.

[crASH]

I used to do a good deal of business with Torrington's automotive bearing business. Then Timken bought them. Torrington had plants scattered throughout the Carolinas and Georgia and also some manufacturing in the northeast (Torrington CT I think, where they originated). Geez, I hope they haven't shut it ALL down in the US.

[olddog]

I contacted Timken.


My Question:

I purchased rear wheel bearings at Autozone. The box says Timken on it, but the bearing only has 514003 China, on it. Is this a Timken bearing?

This is the exact same bearing that I am replacing, which failed in 15,000 miles. Do you sell a better quality bearing for the same application?

Answer From Timken:


This bearing is not made by Timken.

Due to all applications being prior to 1980, the original supplier obsoleted the part number in 2006, however we were able to get a US based supplier to quote this part, and our purchasing records show the country of manufacture is China. There is not another part number or supplier available.

[ZOERA-SC7XX]

China if famous (or infamous) for highjacking trademarks and patents, including unauthorized using of trade names. Get used to it. There's not a product in this world that they don't make a knock-off of. Even the new Russian Mig fighter is being reproduced in China, although the original has just as many problems. Quality is non-existant in China. You can't even be sure that domestic items aren't made there and sold as 'Made in USA'. Unscrupulous American businessmen contribute to this atmosphere where the only thing of importance is CASH. Beware of cheap priced auto parts.

[joyridin']

I can assure you Timken manufactures bearing in China and India. I used to visit one of the manufacturing facilities before they moved it overseas. This one went to India if I recall. Same difference in my book.

[stallion112]

See my reference to counterfeit bearings. It has been a major problem in the bearing industry for many years.


Need help finding Timken Bearing for AC

[Dirty Harry]

olddog,
I feel your pain. I picked up a Dorman freeze plug last night and, guess what? Stamped right in it-China. Recently I bought a new Reese ball mount for the hitch on my truck. My trailer immediately picked up a swaying it had never had. I measured the "made in China" tow bar and it was 3/32 undersize, compared to the old one. A couple winters ago I changed the thermostat in my wife's car. The new one said it was made in Israel. Five days later, a ride home on the flatbed for the wife's car-stuck thermostat. I still had the old one, so I put it back in and it's performed flawlessly ever since. I am very tired of cheap knock-off parts. If it's made in US, I'll pay a premium for it, just for peace of mind.

Hope to see you at LCS.

[olddog]

A friend has a 4-wheeler that he can only find bearings made in China. He was having a lot of failures. He pulled the seals on a new bearing and found very little poor quality grease. He flushed it out and packed it with a good grease. It has outlasted the others by a factor of 3 and its still going. So I am going to do that to these bearings.

If nothing else it could be converted to a full floater, but how much money do you put into a 9" before you just swap in a newer IRS?

[olddog]

Originally Posted by Dirty Harry

Hope to see you at LCS.

I'll be there with or without the Cobra.

So far I have wasted $36 shipping parts to me and back to the supplier, when they don't fit. Not to mention the time spent cleaning, removing burs and surface rust just to find out they don't fit. I could go on and on. It sure is a pain to find quality parts to rebuild the Trac Lock. If I had it all to do over I would have just bought a new carrier.

[ZOERA-SC7XX]

The good side of this (if there is one) is usually you can get a lifetime of use from your old a American made bearings if cared for properly. After a car is junked, the bearings are often good enough to reuse. Kinda makes you want to save all you have (label them).

[4RE KLR]

So did we decide that Timkin bearings are no longer the same quality they once were?

I am looking at putting new bearings in my F250 4x4 crew cab and everyone is pointing me to Timkin bearings. If they are no good and go bad in 15K miles, I may be better off with the ones I have now. They are just starting to make a little noise now.

__________________
Ferrari Killer
Steve

Must Sell Right Now

.

[Rick Parker]

In the last couple of weeks, I've been redoing a T-5 WC gearbox. The Timkin roller bearings were in solid black un named boxes. Some of the races were made in Brazil, the cones from Canada.

[ZOERA-SC7XX]

Find a junkyard that saves its stuff and get your wheel bearings there. They're most likely better than what you can buy new these days. No one cares if a DVD player shifs the bed, you just toss it in the garbage, but a wheel bearing does lots of damage.