Chinese SKF Bearings!!!

[KWentling]

I saw these at work last night. We were asked to make a new spindle for a piece of equipment and the customer brought in the bearings for it. Unopened SKF boxes. Inside were tapered roller bearings with SKF markings, as well as "Made in China". He bought these at the local NAPA store. I hope they are better then the Chinese bearings I've had experience with. The inboard bearing had a really small radius compared to the original. It would not have shouldered on the original spindle. Something else to beware of. SKF bearings have always been quality bearings. Right up there with Timken. Pirated maybe?

Kim

 

[jonyyuma]

Farmed out for them. Ours have changed from korean to chinese too.

 

[some zilch]

skf has been using china bearing for years..............

 

[wrenchturner]

Thanks for the information about the SKF bearings. I fully believe in Timken bearings and always ask for them. I only hope Timken is smart enough to not make bearings made in China. Timken, are you listening?

 

[KWentling]

skf has been using china bearing for years..............

Those were the first I've seen. The company I work for goes through more than a million dollars worth of bearings in a year, the vast majority of which are SKF. We are a SKF trained facility. I'm not generally involved in that end of the business, but I will ask one of our mechanics if he has seen any Chinese ones.

Kim

 

[tulenutn2o]

Those were the first I've seen. The company I work for goes through more than a million dollars worth of bearings in a year, the vast majority of which are SKF. We are a SKF trained facility. I'm not generally involved in that end of the business, but I will ask one of our mechanics if he has seen any Chinese ones.

Kim

You still will go through a Million dollars worth.............. but twice as many bearings and the labor to replace them.

 

[KWentling]

You still will go through a Million dollars worth.............. but twice as many bearings and the labor to replace them.

You might be right! That would be a problem.

Kim

 

[RobertN]

Ha! The Timkens in the back of my motorcycle say made in Brazil...

Thanks for the information about the SKF bearings. I fully believe in Timken bearings and always ask for them. I only hope Timken is smart enough to not make bearings made in China. Timken, are you listening?

 

[KWentling]

So I asked our purchasing agent about it tonight. She had not heard of legitimate Chinese SKFs in the US. She called our supplier. He says all SKF ball and roller bearing sold in the US are made in the US or Sweden. He called his boss. Seems the investigation will begin tomorrow. It looks like they may be pirate. SKF does manufacture bearings in China, but they are not to leave Asia except in an assembled product, according to him. This is also not the first case of pirate SKF bearings. They are looking into big ($10,000 each) Chinese SKFs that aren't supposed to be here too.

Kim

 

[ModMech]

I pulled over 100 bearings from Class 8 KWs that said SKF - China in them ove a 18 month period, all at avout 400,000 miles when the seals failed after routine fluid changes (something in the seal/lube didn't get along I guess). Over 50% of the bearings showed advanced (for 400K) wear, spalling and pitting which was not normal for on-highway light loads at moderate speeds and excellant (more than "by the book") maintenance intervals.

I too ask for Timkin bearings or Brower/BCA as a second choice, never SKFs after my past experience with them.

I will add that there is a HUGE problem with pirated parts, from many sources affecting most major brands you can think of.