Wheel bearings 1982 GS1100E

[metalfab]

I am rebuilding an 82 1100E, and I have gotten to the wheel bearings. Hindsight was to order a new set of bearings, and I have had them for months. I started preping to remove the old bearings, and the old ones feel really good, and they are Japanese "Nachi" brand. The replacements are Chinese. I was replacing them because they are so old, then I had a thought what am I doing taking out Japanese parts and installing Chinese parts, this might be a mistake. Now I don't know what I am going to do. I am thinking I might clean and regrease the originals. Any thoughts?

[rphillips]

For me there is no difference in a "Good"..."new" bearing & a "GOOD"..."old" bearing, both are "GOOD" bearings....Old adage "If it ain't broke don't fix it" always made sense to me.

[Grimly]

Koyo every time.
Keep Chinese bearings in the scrap bin, where they belong.

[allojohn]

You almost certainly damaged the old ones to some degree removing them. You're buggered either way...

[GS1150Pilot]

I'm not sure he actually removed them yet?

[allojohn]

i'm not sure he actually removed them yet?

doh! .

[metalfab]

No they are not out yet. I am leaning towards keeping the originals. I can use suction and get the side seals out, then clean and re grease the original bearings. There is 3 in the rear wheel so I will have to take at least one out. If I heat the wheel I can probably get one out without damage.

[roeme]

I always put my finger on the inner race and feel how the bearing turns, compared to a new one (play, noises, force required) and then decide wether I want to go through the necessary work.

I think nowadays it's not as important where a new bearing is from; but rather what you've paid for it. Last I checked, they're not pricey anyway...(SKF)

[Grimly]

I think nowadays it's not as important where a new bearing is from; but rather what you've paid for it. Last I checked, they're not pricey anyway...(SKF)

I don't see the point of saving a quid on a bearing, when a decent make (SKF, Koyo, etc) are so relatively low cost anyway.
I've seen too many cheap-ass bearings fail, when a decent one wouldn't have.
Also, when it comes to motorcycle wheel bearings, a failure in the wrong place or time could be serious.

[bwringer]

Trust in your finger.

If they feel fine (and you haven't bashed them out already) then they are fine.

[roeme]

I don't see the point of saving a quid on a bearing, when a decent make (SKF, Koyo, etc) are so relatively low cost anyway.
I've seen too many cheap-ass bearings fail, when a decent one wouldn't have.
Also, when it comes to motorcycle wheel bearings, a failure in the wrong place or time could be serious.

Fully agree.

(I need to fill 15 chars).

[salty_monk]

Leave them... I have done that a few times too.

[eil]

Agree with everyone else here, if they're fine, leave 'em.

I personally am not too afraid of installing chinese wheel bearings as long they were from a reputable bearing dealer. They know bearings and they don't want to sell crap. Plus these motorcycles put a tiny tiny fraction of the load on these bearings compared to what they are designed for. But that's just me. Still, better bearings are not much more expensive.

[bwringer]

Agree with everyone else here, if they're fine, leave 'em.

I personally am not too afraid of installing chinese wheel bearings as long they were from a reputable bearing dealer. They know bearings and they don't want to sell crap. Plus these motorcycles put a tiny tiny fraction of the load on these bearings compared to what they are designed for. But that's just me. Still, better bearings are not much more expensive.

Same. Motorcycle wheel bearings fail from improper installation or contamination, not from being Hecho en China. They're standardized industrial products made for far higher loads and worse conditions that motorcycles put them through.

Also, guess where 99%+ of the expensive Euro-brand bearings are actually made?

[Grimly]

Opinions are...
I was (relatively briefly) involved in the bearing industry and while I was there I absorbed a lot of knowledge that forever changed my attitude towards bearings.
You carry on fitting sub-standard, shoddily-made cheap crap if you like but I'll continue to buy Koyo or SKF secure in the knowledge that a bearing failure will be one of the last things bugging me. Seems to me that a buck or two extra for a pair of good quality bearings isn't much to pay for peace of mind.
If I buy Koyo made in China, I can be sure they're made to the same tolerances that the ones I made were. Similar for SKF, but Koyo were fanatical about QC.
I've no doubt there are other bearings made in China that are every bit as good as their forebears in Europe or the US, but there are countless others that are utter crap.
I've said enough, and not meaning to bore anyone, but hey, it's your neck.
Oh, and the same thing applies to crap Chinese brake components.