Best bearing brands

[sub-hatchtim]

What's the best brand of rod and cam bearings these days?
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58' pg/sg silo fridge westy
58 Dove blue singlecab
76 911S

[stevemariott]

[Lingwendil]

I used clevite (from mahle) rod bearings, silverline mains, and double thrust mahle cam bearings on my 1776 build, and didn't have any issues with fit on any them.
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73 super beetle thread http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=649622 Back on the Road!

Modify your Kadrons for SVDA http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=8115884#8115884

Cast iron VJU4BR8 SVDA reference thread- https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=...mp;start=0

Need replacement filters for original Kadron aircleaners? WIX #42087 is a perfect fit, as is Napa Gold #2087!

[bugguy1967]

I have a bunch of nos Glyco cam bearings that I'm selling. The only other options are new Glyco/Federal Mogul ones or Silverline. You get what you pay for. The Silverlines need sanding to fit correctly so you don't spin your thrust bearings.
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"A petrol engine can start readily, run smoothly and give every appearance of being in good order, without necessarily being in good tune." - Colin Campbell, "The Sportscar Engine"

[Lingwendil]

[ept000]

I have had the same issue with Silverline bearings. I hate to sat it but one solution is to assemble the rod with the bearing and give the rod a tap with a dead blow right at the seam both ways and they free right up. There is a deformation from forming the tank that needs to get flattened out.

I hated to say that out loud but sometimes you have no options....

[jimmyhoffa]

[Zundfolge1432]

[Lingwendil]

[heimlich]

Sealed Power is a Federal Mogul brand. I've ordered samples for builders from them before. I can import them for you if you'd like. If you build a lot of engines it would be beneficial.
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[modok]

all the 2930cp I've used the last few years are definitely old stock. OLD boxes man.

If there is a NEW run of them that's great!

[jimmyhoffa]

Hey guys I forgot to post how this worked out. I don't have the VERY best measuring tools but the MAHLE and Sealed Power / Federal Mogul bearings appear to have about the same eccentricity and round up pretty well in a torqued rod. The FM bearings are a few tenths looser than the MAHLE so if you like the tri-metal idea and need the clearance for some reason or another these are probably a really good option. I'd like input there. These appear to be a quality tri-metal, so since the new run is dimensionally tidy, I'd think these would be the holy grail street engine bearing for the moment, no? (so long as you can get your clearances dialed with crank journal diameter luck or rod tweaking, of course)

These are in SCAT H-beams with ARP-2000 hardware, 3/8", stretched ~.006" at about 50 ft-lb. I don't really pay attention to torque but the stretch is right and the rod bore is round within a tenth.

First, I mic'd out the Mahles as close as I could with the "wrong" micrometer.
Mahle Center, .0548" -ish.

Mahle End, .0543" -ish.

Then, for this whole activity, we'll call across the center of torqued Mahles "0"

Now, across near the split of the Mahles, about .0003" bigger:

And across the other way, about .0002" bigger as well:

Now, FEDERAL MOGUL / Sealed Power time!
FM center, .0544" -ish

FM near end, about .0538" -ish

Straight across torqued FM bearings, about .0003" looser than straight across MAHLE:

Angle near ends FM bearings, about .00015" looser than across their middle:

I get that the accuracy of my measurements can't be certified due to the labeled accuracy of my instruments but hopefully this is still useful. Someone at my last job very intentionally stole my Sunnen dial bore gauge and I will absolutely never forgive them and carry that grudge to my grave. Whoever you are, if you're out there, you can suck it. 👍
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1974 Chenowth 2RL #1244 Street Legal
My other car isn't ridiculous.

[Lingwendil]

Appreciate the follow-up, I may pick up a set to have on hand.
_________________
73 super beetle thread http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=649622 Back on the Road!

Modify your Kadrons for SVDA http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=8115884#8115884

Cast iron VJU4BR8 SVDA reference thread- https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=...mp;start=0

Need replacement filters for original Kadron aircleaners? WIX #42087 is a perfect fit, as is Napa Gold #2087!

[modok]

Thanks for the info, I'll definitely order some of those new bearings.
Tri-metal bearing with that extra half thou clearance should be the better choice most of the time.

[jimmyhoffa]

I just pulled the trigger on 2 more sets of them from RockAuto,

42930CP or 4-2930CP. They're $23.79 now because of reasons.

It'll put me right at .002" rod bearing oil clearance which is probably good for my offroad engine with near-the-top main bearing clearances.
_________________
1974 Chenowth 2RL #1244 Street Legal
My other car isn't ridiculous.

[chrisflstf]

Ive found that Rock Auto and Napa both have alot of the more original parts, rather than just chinese crap. Tune up components, shocks, brakes

[Lingwendil]

Same, Napa is great, I live less than a mile from one too. Often if I order parts from them they are ready for pickup by the time I'm on my way home from work.
_________________
73 super beetle thread http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=649622 Back on the Road!

Modify your Kadrons for SVDA http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=8115884#8115884

Cast iron VJU4BR8 SVDA reference thread- https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=...mp;start=0

Need replacement filters for original Kadron aircleaners? WIX #42087 is a perfect fit, as is Napa Gold #2087!

[Pruneman99]

Ordered two sets. Thanks for the info.

I have two sets of the Mahle, and they both measured out kinda tight. So these might be a touch looser. And the second set of mahle had the tangs kinda twisted, not flat at all.

[jeffrey8164]

I have a full set of standard Kolbenschmidt main and rod bearings from the early 90’s.
Boxes say made in West Germany. I have the cam bearings too but they have some pitting from what I can only assume was moisture.

Are these still considered good ones or do the newer ones have features and benefits the old Kolbenschmidts lack?
I still like the Elephant though.
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[jimmyhoffa]