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Old 04-17-2018, 12:38 PM   #1
rickbecker
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Timken Bearings

Anyone know if Timken Bearings are still made in the US??
 
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Old 04-17-2018, 12:52 PM   #2
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I just bought a set from Rock Auto. All stamped USA. $200 for 5 inner, 5 outer and all races (I bought a spare).
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Old 04-17-2018, 02:24 PM   #3
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Although I prefer USA made products ... me (for my last two Montanas 2005 and 2011) and literally thousands of other RV owners have been rolling down the hi-way on overseas bearings for several years. I don't recall many if any threads on the MOC with the subject of OEM wheel bearing failure due to the bearing itself. Currently ... American made steel is mostly made from iron and steel scrap instead of iron ore, so is our steel today what we once stood solidly behind? Who knows ...

Back to bearings, I personally think the seeking out of USA made Timkens kinda falls in line with the recent years MOC movement of the maintenance schedule of repacking wheel bearings every year. If you want to do it ... it's your call ... my opinion is we're getting a bit anal on the issue. Ever wonder how many over seas bearings are in your tow vehicle? Do you remember the last time your truck had the tranny fluid changed, the differential oil, the wheel bearings repacked (if not sealed), the brake fluid changed, chassis greased (if there are zerks)...
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Old 04-17-2018, 02:37 PM   #4
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I agree with dieselguy on that two meany other things two do!

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Old 04-17-2018, 03:04 PM   #5
Dave W
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rickbecker View Post
Anyone know if Timken Bearings are still made in the US??

Last time I looked, Timken has plants in 27 countries.

As far as failures, our HC arrived with one badly chipped inner bearing roller and two outers that were overheated and were blue. There was plenty of grease. I replaced those bearings with Timkens then again when I did the disc brake upgrade 18,000 miles later with another, brand new set of Timkens even though the take offs were like new. All were USA.

Others will use the Chinese bearings for the life of their towable RV that never have a problem but I sure don't need a cheap bearing failure in West Overshoe late on a Saturday afternoon

You can wander iRV2 as well as the Keystone forums and find other that have had similar or worse bearing failures.

Greasing - 12,000 miles or 12 months according to Dexter plus my professional training as well as the US Army beat the 12,000 miles into my head. 12 months is a CYA time frame, IMO, by Dexter.

Other then Timken, Bower, SKF, National Fafnir and a few other Western made bearings are just as good as the Timken brand. It's the ones that have nothing more then a standard industry part number and Made In China that I shy away from.
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Old 04-17-2018, 06:05 PM   #6
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I buy thousands every year and all the ones we buy are made here in the USA. I’m not buying wheel bearing but the ones we buy are made right here. We order them without grease in them.
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Old 04-20-2018, 10:53 PM   #7
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A little over three years ago, lost a Chinese bearing that I had repacked four months earlier. Had to replace the drum/hub assembly, backing plate/brake assembly, and several other parts. Cost was close to $500 for all the parts, (some parts were replacements for my emergency bearing stash), and shipping, plus the shortened life of the tire that had to be replaced later that year. As soon as my annual repack came around, I ordered all new USA Timkens, and I don't worry about bearing failure now. The failed bearing was still fully covered with good grease, and it appeared to be perfectly serviceable when I had done the the repack.
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Old 04-21-2018, 04:52 AM   #8
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Hi

According to the information I got from Motion Industries in Chicago Timken no longer manufactures in the US.

Phil P
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Old 04-21-2018, 07:18 AM   #9
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Originally Posted by rickbecker View Post
Anyone know if Timken Bearings are still made in the US??
Maybe, but not necessarily. They have, according to their web pages 15,000 employees operating from 33 countries. I'm not sure all their bearings are stamped with country of manufacture or if USA on them means where their offices are. I would not hesitate to use their products due to their reputation.
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Old 04-21-2018, 08:28 AM   #10
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We are just starting to produce steel in the U.S. again. So they may be made in the USA but the parts may come from China.
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Old 04-21-2018, 11:58 AM   #11
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All the wheel bearing used by keystone are made in china. Whether people replace with another brand is a personal decision. If you replace them every year, it is hard for a failure to happen, but anything is possible. I had a wheel bearing fail me in 1967 on the car I was driving, so failures do occur.
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Old 04-21-2018, 12:01 PM   #12
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Hi

According to the information I got from Motion Industries in Chicago Timken no longer manufactures in the US.

Phil P
Thanks Phil. I checked the bearing we have. They are made in the US in what was a Timkken factory. Timken sold it a few years ago to KOYO. We buy all of our bearings from Motion. It’s the same bearing Timken made but now it’s made by a foreign company. Does that make any sense???
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Old 04-21-2018, 06:11 PM   #13
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Milton Freeman the economist had a series on PBS years ago. He said something that has stuck with me. Something to the effect of real wealth is created when you make something. It could be a tomato a camper a house or in my case a power measure. Other people make money, the realtor makes money when he sells the house a carpenter has built but the carpenter created the wealth when he built the house. Now we as a nation manufacturer less and less.
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Old 04-21-2018, 06:22 PM   #14
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Hi

According to the information I got from Motion Industries in Chicago Timken no longer manufactures in the US.

Phil P
All I can say is that the Timken bearings and races I just bought are stamped USA.
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Old 04-23-2018, 03:55 AM   #15
Phil P
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Hello Lynwood

What they told me was Timken sold their factory and will no longer be making bearings in the US.

They also told me KAYO is moving that operation to Canada.

It doesn’t make any difference to me I haven’t been having the problems with the Chinese bearings that a lot of people have.

When I put new shoes on the Montana I looked at the outer bearings only and they were made in China I now have over 100,000 miles on the Montana without a wheel bearing problem.

Now frame problems are a different story. LOL

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Old 04-23-2018, 03:59 AM   #16
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All I can say is that the Timken bearings and races I just bought are stamped USA.

Hi

Like Lynwood says this change is recent you can still purchase Timken bearings made in the US but that will end when the stock runs out.

Phil P
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Old 04-23-2018, 09:02 PM   #17
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All I can say is that the Timken bearings and races I just bought are stamped USA.
Mine too

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Old 04-23-2018, 10:04 PM   #18
RonD
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Anyone know if Timken Bearings are still made in the US??
Bought some a few years back, made in China, but they looked fine and worked fine
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