Decisions On Which Bearings To Use >

[SurGie 54]

Im about to put my 205 beam together and im really not sure which bearings to use ?

 

I have bought a set of those oilite ones that was from the group buy on here a while ago. The inner ones are a little too small in the inner circle but nothing a polish wont sort out. The bigger ends are not tight they just have a small amount of movement, like side to side but very small. The original type of roller bearings when fitted have movement due to the rollers but i think they both have the same amount of movement.

 

Then there's my funds to finish the conversion off which has about gone, im thinking I might sell the oilite bearings on ?

 

(this is not a for sale add BTW)

 

I just cant decide which root to go, can any of you guys see me through to making the decision ?

 

Cheers

Edited June 7, 2011 by SurGie

[rallysteve 22]

I think you will find that when the oilite bearings are inserted into the beam they will close up slightly meaning they will have to be reamed back to size anyway, as I found with my phospher-bronze coilover bushes from Crapbrake. Hopefully someone on here will have used them and can pass judgement on how easy they fit into the tube

 

Personally I think it would be a much cheaper and easier option to go with the standard rollers

 

All the best

Steve

[Miles 331 1 Cars]

Std ones all day long, If looked after these see a good 10 years of service life

[philfingers 5]

i always fit grease nipples too, fill with grease once they're all built up, then they last even longer, means there's no space for water to get in

[tri_longer 25]

I'm in the process of building a beam at the moment and will be using standard needle bearings. I did wonder wbout fitting grease nipples, but (daft question time) where abouts do you actully drill and tap them in the tube?

[rallysteve 22]

On the bottom between the two bearings. Just make sure that wherever you put the nipples they are clear of the torsion bars, mine are fairly close when jacked up but fine when loaded.

 

Steve

[tri_longer 25]

OK, second daft question, how does the grease get to the bearings from where you pump it in? Do you just rely on the movement of the car to hope it slides into place?

[rallysteve 22]

There are mixed opinions on this. As with some other things which have grease nipples there can be a surprising level of pressure behind the grease as it is pumped in, this should be more than enough to force it past the (very thin) lip seals on the roller bearings. The other main reason for fitting them is that it lets you fill all of the space between the inner and outer bearing with grease, therefore meaning there is no chance of water ingressing past the outer bearing and sitting in the void.

 

Hope that makes sense

Steve

[tri_longer 25]

Sure does thanks Steve.

 

For how much they cost I may as well fit a set

[rallysteve 22]

My thoughts exactly

 

Steve

[SurGie 54]

I'm in the process of building a beam at the moment and will be using standard needle bearings. I did wonder about fitting grease nipples, but (daft question time) where abouts do you actually drill and tap them in the tube?

 

 

Im thinking of putting my grease nipples, 1 on the right and 1 on the left side of the beam next to the main bearing, then one next to the inner bearing. So then the grease will get all round the shaft, what do you guys think of fitting them this way ?

 

I'm using THIS stuff inside the beam. Its the best iv found and it's a high pressure, water resistant and anti seize grease. Its very tacky, so perfect for the inside of beams.

 

I am leaning towards fitting the roller bearings tbh

 

Here are the ones i have VV >

 

 

Cheers

[Miles 331 1 Cars]

Grease nipples waste of time on std bearings, They are sealed bearings and having had a beam with them in the beam was full of grease and was still dead when taken apart which is the only good thing as it did come apart without any issues at all.

[Baz 421]

+1 I had a beam a few years ago that had grease nipples fitted, no different to a normal beam in my opinion, similar wear anyway. Every little helps though, but you may as well just pack a few tubs worth of grease in there when building for the same effect. You can limit it if the beam's full of grease(what a mess!) but you're never going to stop condensation though.

[Rippthrough 98]

The needles just push the grease out of the way anyway from the small oscillations, you have to rely on the oil seeping from the grease to get the lube back in (I.e, you want something fairly thin, rather than thick, tacky grease) something fortified with lots of moly or titanium disulphide would help somewhat, but grease never stays where you want it

[Tom Fenton 1,536]

When I fit grease nipples I put a nick in the oil seal of the bearing nearest to the nipple. This lets grease into the bearing and the other seal holds it in. You can then pump it up full (takes some doing).

 

As Phil says the grease isn't ideal for needle roller bearings, but my theory is that at least with the nipples you can push some fresh grease across the rollers now and again, as opposed to greasing them when built and that is it, unless you strip the beam and re grease, but how many folk realistically do that?

[Rippthrough 98]

^^Just have to watch you don't push the outer seals out with the grease pressure, seen that done before on a similar double bearing setup for a formula car

Edited June 8, 2011 by Rippthrough

[SurGie 54]

I doubt that with the sticky 'marine' red grease and only having a little nic on the inside bearing seal.

 

It does help loads in the building of the beam in the first place, with the seal having the right amount of space between beam and arms.

 

Is it good to stick some grease around the edge where the seal goes to, or leave it dry ?

 

Im thinking like how oil filters go onto blocks.

[Rippthrough 98]

I doubt that with the sticky 'marine' red grease and only having a little nic on the inside bearing seal.

 

 

You do it's possible to create a couple of thousand psi of pressure even with a cheap hand grease gun very easily?

You need to be careful if your not used to using them.

Edited June 8, 2011 by Rippthrough

[SurGie 54]

All sorted now, i have fitted oilite bearings.

 

For one the dont half it snugly when the arm axle goes into the beam and two, when there is too much friction the oil will seep out of the bearings. They also let grease in as they dont have any seal lips around them.

 

Next job is to paint the beam and torsion bars.