I bought a cheap wheel bearing from a seller on EBay, for £13.95 . I fitted it into the hub this afternoon and it is nearly as noisy and has nearly as much play as the old, very knackered and very noisy one that I was replacing.

 

 Please could I have some advice on the best quality bearings to get for my 6N.

 

I seem to get a noisy front bearing, usually once every year or so, so I'd like to get the absolute best quality possible, without paying through the nose.

 

Suggestions gratefully received.

 

These seem to be of good quality. Has anyone had any experience of them ?

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2x-KRAFT-HEAVY-DUTY-FRONT-WHEEL-BEARING-KIT-SEAT-AROSA-VW-GOLF-JETTA-POLO-LUPO/263871818097?fits=Car+Make%3AVW|Model%3APolo|Cars+Year%3A1998|Cars+Type%3A1.4&hash=item3d6ffc6971:g:vUkAAOSwYwhbbq1O

Edited 17 August, 20188 yr by Polo3

if you want to do it once , buy from skf , fag or a vw dealer 

Thanks for the advice Steveo.

 

The Kraft ones that I posted the link to have a 4 yr warrenty, which is quite respectable.

 

But I've just ordered a FAG bearing kit.

 

Cheers

yeah not sure how a warranty would work out , you need to destroy the bearing to remove it if faulty , then wait around for them to tell you its your fault etc , then pay again to have a replacement fitted 

 

FAG are premuim quality and should give no trouble

Problem is, if it goes faulty under warranty, you've still got to pull it out and change it, all they do is give you another one. 

 

To be fair, genuine often aren't as expensive as you think. 

 

There's a VW garage just round the corner from me, but whenever I call them for a price, I'm usually gobsmacked by how much they charge.

 

This snippet of info about FAG was on the listing I viewed. Along with Steveo's comments, that clinched it for me.

"For more than 120 years, the Schaeffler Group with its brand FAG has been one of the leading manufacturers of precision rolling bearings for the automotive, mechanical engineering and aerospace industries."

 

Thanks for your comments. It's been a bit of a sharp reminder that you get what you pay for. Buy cheap, buy twice.

 

 

learned the hardway lol ....i dont mind trying non brand names on easy to fit stuff but the fronts are enough hassle to make it worth getting good stuff

12 hours ago, steveo3002 said:

learned the hardway lol ....i dont mind trying non brand names on easy to fit stuff but the fronts are enough hassle to make it worth getting good stuff

 

Good point .

At least it was bad enough to be able to tell it was knackered without putting it all back together.

A useful bit of press practise though  😀

I would go along with what has been said above about buying quality parts - any parts. Remember the old saying 'Buy cheap - buy twice'.

 

Providing that reasonable quality bearings are being fitted, I would suggest that there is some other problem which is causing you to need replacements 'every year or so'.

 

Poor fitting practice is a sure-fire way of reducing bearing life. Over the years, I have come across people driving in bearings with a hammer and punch, rather that using a press - particularly bad, is the practice of fitting the outer part of the bearing to the housing, by applying the fitting load (press OR hammer blows) to the INNER bearing - at NO time should the fitting load be passed THROUGH the bearing.

Other bearing fitting faults include incorrect preload (where preload is required), applying the wrong torque setting and using the wrong lubricant.

 

Regards

 

On 17/08/2018 at 21:16, Polo3 said:

For more than 120 years, the Schaeffler Group with its brand FAG has been one of the leading manufacturers of precision rolling bearings for the automotive, mechanical engineering and aerospace industries."

 

Yeah .. and where I work we deliver the material to them for this parts ...   top quality