O/T - Trailer wheel bearings.

Terry Keeley · Jul 2, 2020

Got a light, local use only trailer. Had to wait five days for a "real" re-build kit so figured I'd just grab a "quality offshore" sub from the local Power Fister, aka the Kanuckistan version of Horror Freight.

Are these actually made in China? Or some other place I haven't heard of yet?

DDoug · Jul 2, 2020

That's what the purchasing agent in Brooklyn said into the phone to the Chinese supplier, on what label to put on it.....

Milland · Jul 2, 2020

Terry Keeley said:
Are these actually made in China? Or some other place I haven't heard of yet?

Chaina is what China is calling the new islands they're dredging in the South China Sea to extend their territorial water claims.

It's the Chaina Islands, you sea...

[I'll show myself out]

[No I won't]

redlee · Jul 2, 2020

PowerFist = Trouble.
Nothing but junk from them AFAIC

eKretz · Jul 2, 2020

That's about as good as the cup my daughter got from the Dollar Store that says it's made in "The Neverlands" on the bottom.

Cole2534 · Jul 2, 2020

Terry Keeley said:
Got a light, local use only trailer. Had to wait five days for a "real" re-build kit so figured I'd just grab a "quality offshore" sub from the local Power Fister, aka the Kanuckistan version of Horror Freight.

Are these actually made in China? Or some other place I haven't heard of yet?

I sure as hell won't be googling that at work.

Sent from my SM-G981V using Tapatalk

Bill D · Jul 2, 2020

eKretz said:
That's about as good as the cup my daughter got from the Dollar Store that says it's made in "The Neverlands" on the bottom.

Probably made by lost boys in never never land. Who also make nick knacks for Disney.

Bill D · Jul 2, 2020

I think Sylvester Stallone made a movie about mob run truckers who worked for Fist trucking.
Bill D

on edit:
F.I.S.T. (1978) - IMDb

72bwhite · Jul 2, 2020

and why would one want to claim a product is from china
when it's not?
it's not like made in china is seen as a testament to high quality.
could be a case of Peking to Beijing.

dana gear · Jul 2, 2020

Power fist is one of those bearings(in the very loose sense of the word) that will fail somewhere in resume speed Iowa.
But not before spinning on the spindle and taking it out as well and that's only if it's doesn't spit the hub off entirely.

MrSteve · Jul 2, 2020

dana gear said:
...But not before spinning on the spindle and taking it out as well and that's only if it's doesn't spit the hub off entirely.

Another satisfied customer?

I think I’d take my chances on the old bearings (or just drag it around on its frame) before seeing if those were good for a whole week!

projectnut · Jul 3, 2020

Not exactly the same brand, but about 12 years ago I was in the same situation with a little larger trailer. This one is a dual axle model with 10,000 lb. capacity. The only bearings I could find were made in China. I needed the trailer now so unfortunately I installed them. They didn't last 500 miles.

I got the job done, but barely. When I got the trailer home all 4 hubs were warmer than they should be. I disassembled everything and found the rollers on all the inner bearings had started to disintegrate. I went to the local NAPA store and ordered all new inner and outer bearings, seals, and cups. I specified the new bearings had to be made in the USA. It took about a week to get them. I think they had to look through their entire inventory to get some old enough to still be made here.

They ended up costing 3 times as much as the junk Chinese ones, but I wasn't willing to take another chance. They're still on the trailer, and have been inspected and repacked a couple times. 12 years and over 20,000 miles later they're still running fine.

atex57 · Jul 3, 2020

A farmer local to me bought 3 wagon running gears for his chopper boxes. Inside of 2 years I sold him all new bearings one set at a time. The original china bearings appeared to have case hardened rollers instead of through hardened. The rollers would crack the case when hitting a bump and grind themselves up in a short time. No problems since with new quality bearings.

Ed.

michiganbuck · Jul 3, 2020

Trick with poor trailer bearings is that you grease them up real good and set the preload at .002 loose so when warm they are just set. Yes you have to draw tight to seat the shells tight, then back off to .oo2 loose. Then you park the triler behind the barn and never move it. Brearings last for years with dong that, almost forever and goats get good exercize jumping up on it,.

pavt · Jul 3, 2020

Power Fist? Is that what they do to you until the "safe word"?

Servicar rider · Jul 3, 2020

Somebody finally knocked off the Chinese? Wonder what they will think of that? Have you tried a file on them to check for hardness?

Terry Keeley · Jul 3, 2020

Servicar rider said:
Somebody finally knocked off the Chinese? Wonder what they will think of that? Have you tried a file on them to check for hardness?

Should have but didn't think of it.

I'll give them a quick local run and see if they'll work, again it's just for a small lightweight trailer...

CarbideBob · Jul 3, 2020

Outside of very high dollar (think 300 dollar plus per bearing) are any of these still made in the USA?
Name me the location of the plant you have been to in the last few years.
Bob

Milland · Jul 3, 2020

CarbideBob said:
Outside of very high dollar (think 300 dollar plus per bearing) are any of these still made in the USA?
Name me the location of the plant you have been to in the last few years.
Bob

Considering what a strategic target the German ball bearing plants were during WW2, it's interesting that we've abandoned our own production. I guess if there's another major war the planners here all think it'll be online? Or, over so quickly that it'll be won or lost with existing stock.

Eh, I'll just get ready to welcome our new cockroach overlords...

DDoug · Jul 3, 2020

CarbideBob said:
Outside of very high dollar (think 300 dollar plus per bearing) are any of these still made in the USA?
Name me the location of the plant you have been to in the last few years.
Bob

JamesTown new York
But I think they may only make high dollar stuff.

O/T - Trailer wheel bearings.

Titanium

Diamond

Diamond

Titanium

Diamond; Mod Squad

Diamond

Diamond

Diamond

Titanium

Hot Rolled

Aluminum

Stainless

Stainless

Diamond

Stainless

Cast Iron

Titanium

Diamond

Diamond

Diamond

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