Bearings.

[John47]

Has anyone else come across this problem? I'm changing out the bearings in my ride on mower deck.
The top bearing is a 6203 ball bearing. The first ones my wife picked up for me were marked 6203, and yet they were about 7 mm over sized on the ID! She picked a couple up yesterday with the Murray part number on the package.
Yep 6203 ball bearings and yet 2mm UNDER size on the ID!!!

I've fitted thousands of bearings in my working career for cheap $10 up to over $1000 large bearings, from simple ball to triple rollers, and yet NEVER come across this anomaly!
Both Koyo and HBC list the same size for the 6203, ID 17mm OD 40mm and width 12mm.

 

[Keith01]

Probably counterfeit. Bearings are getting to be a huge issue for cheap knock-offs. Check to see that the boxes or labels look 'right'. Poor printing or missing logos or poor spelling. Often the metallurgy and dimensions are wrong. Not so bad on a mower deck, but how would you like a wheel bearing on the family car to fail?

Or it could have been a packaging mistake....twice.

Good luck, third times a charm.

Keith

 

[slowrev]

I got 2 seals that were marked wrong.
Took one back he gave me another one, opened it looked at it , I then pulled out the old seal with the number still on it and showed him. He opened the catalog and found that all he had were mismarked. The seal had the right number on it but was wrong seal, he ordered me one and it was right....Just can't get good help in Mexico I suppose...

 

[BTDT]

I got 2 seals that were marked wrong.
Took one back he gave me another one, opened it looked at it , I then pulled out the old seal with the number still on it and showed him. He opened the catalog and found that all he had were mismarked. The seal had the right number on it but was wrong seal, he ordered me one and it was right....Just can't get good help in Mexico I suppose...

You think maybe all the good Mexican help is ....uh,..in the, uh, (U.S).

 

[DieselPower]

Wouldn't be the first time I have run across this with cheap import bearing's. I now only buy SKF bearing's (might also have something to do with the fact my brother works at SKF and I get allot of them free ). Can't say I have ever had a problem with SKF, NSK or Timken before.

 

[scott_vt]

mornin John,
I think you will find the best bet is just mike up the OD and ID and check the width and go from there. That way there cant be a mistake ! Then go down to your local NAPA dealer for cross reference.

 

[John47]

mornin John,
I think you will find the best bet is just mike up the OD and ID and check the width and go from there. That way there cant be a mistake ! Then go down to your local NAPA dealer for cross reference.

Thats where the last wrong sized pair came from Scott! Even the Napa 6203 designation has different sizes marked on the plastic package.
I ordered a 10 pack of SKF's from a California company. Works out at under two bucks each! Genuine 6203's too!
A 6203 is 17mm by 40mm by 12 mm
I wished those Chinese would stay with International standards of numbering bearings though!