Bearing Brands - are some brands really better than OEM Dexter?

[powerscol]

I have my new Dexter 7K axles, with 6K hubs (6 by 5.5 bolt) awaiting install. I usually like to carry a spare set of bearings with me. I have always like Timken USA made, but they are starting to outsource to China and elsewhere - not good. To be fair most other brands are doing the same.

Please no name bashing. Times have changed with supply chain issues, so companies have had to adapt. I just prefer USA made where possible, and do mind paying a little more. Its now becoming a lot more cost and I am wondering it its really worth it to be brand loyal?

from my Dexter build sheet
Bearing 1 031-029-02
Bearing 2 031-030-02
Seal 010-036-00

The above Dexter number cross over to secondary Dexter numbers for the following bearing/race sets
15123/15245 and 25580/25520. Theses numbers appear to be universal across the brands. For Timken they equate to set 43 and set 52. I hope I have this correct

Dexter seal 10-036-00 crosses over to National seal 412920 which matched Timken. Per the Timken site National makes thier seals.

Now to the discussion - Are the various other brands, Timken, National, SKF, NTN, etc all really superior to the OEM Dexter (whomever makes them for them)? Speaking of that does anyone know who makes the Dexter bearings?

In researching bearing failures here and elsewhere there appear always to be mitigating circumstances like improper install, lack of grease or maintenance, overloading, water immersion, grease quality, etc. I am not finding where just a bearing itself has failed!

This makes me wonder if it is worth paying an extra $30 to $40 for Timken set (one hub) over the stock Dexter OEM.

Pricing is all over the place too. For my bearing sets Iron Bear Trailer (where I got my axles) quoted Timken Set43 $29.14 and Set 52 $55.42 They have the USA made in stock. Local Napa quoted $103.99 and $90.99, but cant verify the USA made as they must order in. Amazon has the sets cheaper, but the seller verified the are NOT USA Made.

Which brings up another question. Given a specific brand like Timken - does it really matter where they are made? I am assuming thier overall quality control wold be the same - but who knows nowadays.

Thanks for any factual thoughts on this. Links on actual information would be helpful.

Safe travels

[MoonShadow_1911]

I have my new Dexter 7K axles, with 6K hubs (6 by 5.5 bolt) awaiting install. I usually like to carry a spare set of bearings with me. I have always like Timken USA made, but they are starting to outsource to China and elsewhere - not good. To be fair most other brands are doing the same.

Please no name bashing. Times have changed with supply chain issues, so companies have had to adapt. I just prefer USA made where possible, and do mind paying a little more. Its now becoming a lot more cost and I am wondering it its really worth it to be brand loyal?

from my Dexter build sheet
Bearing 1 031-029-02
Bearing 2 031-030-02
Seal 010-036-00

The above Dexter number cross over to secondary Dexter numbers for the following bearing/race sets
15123/15245 and 25580/25520. Theses numbers appear to be universal across the brands. For Timken they equate to set 43 and set 52. I hope I have this correct

Dexter seal 10-036-00 crosses over to National seal 412920 which matched Timken. Per the Timken site National makes thier seals.

Now to the discussion - Are the various other brands, Timken, National, SKF, NTN, etc all really superior to the OEM Dexter (whomever makes them for them)? Speaking of that does anyone know who makes the Dexter bearings?

In researching bearing failures here and elsewhere there appear always to be mitigating circumstances like improper install, lack of grease or maintenance, overloading, water immersion, grease quality, etc. I am not finding where just a bearing itself has failed!

This makes me wonder if it is worth paying an extra $30 to $40 for Timken set (one hub) over the stock Dexter OEM.

Pricing is all over the place too. For my bearing sets Iron Bear Trailer (where I got my axles) quoted Timken Set43 $29.14 and Set 52 $55.42 They have the USA made in stock. Local Napa quoted $103.99 and $90.99, but cant verify the USA made as they must order in. Amazon has the sets cheaper, but the seller verified the are NOT USA Made.

Which brings up another question. Given a specific brand like Timken - does it really matter where they are made? I am assuming thier overall quality control wold be the same - but who knows nowadays.

Thanks for any factual thoughts on this. Links on actual information would be helpful.

Safe travels

Personal opinion here...

Bearings are like everything else. You are buying the name and the company's reputation. For my axles, I bought the Dexter bearings and seals, I figured I'd there was a problem, Dexter would stand behind their brand, regardless of where they were made or sourced.

You phone is made in China with US parts of you have an iPhone or Korea if you have a Samsung.

Some of your truck (electronics and such), even though it's an "American made" vehicle, has components that were made in China and Japan.

Your computers are mostly, made in China parts, but assembled in the US.

The diesel fuel you use is refined here in the states, but from oil from overseas.

All of this is to say that most of us buy based on brand and how they stand behind their products. If Ford, Chevy, or Dodge, didn't stand behind their trucks, no one would buy them. It's the same with Nissan and Toyota.

[trailrydr]

Yup! Labor costs are a big part of all things being sold in the USA and/or world. Being made offshore....Its hard to live with that knowledge but its even harder to live without them and the affordable costs thereof...

Also, anymore, being made in the USA may only mean being ASSEMBLED. All part of the great world economy thing... im sure other countries would also like ALL their products produced and or sourced nationaly (in their country) too for a market reasonable price.

As it was stated, its pretty much about quality for the dollar for me too.

Heck may even have to travel to Mexico to get USA made medicine at a more reasonable price!

[SGT ROC]

The last time I re-packed my bearings (last spring) I got Dexter seals. My thoughts were that if they were no good there would be a lot of issues (currently) with grease on the brakes. To my knowledge there are not any issues. And the issue before was not the seals - it was other factors. I won't repack this year as we only put about 3000 miles on it. I will pull the drums to check the brakes though.

[Steven@147]

I remember back 2 or 3 years ago a thread on this forum was all about china bearings and as you found Timken is no guarantee they are USA made.

Our rig is a 2019, and has Dexter 7K axles, at one year old I took the bearings out to repack, all where china made bearings. On one wheel the inner bearing had a nick in the cage so I replaced both bearings and races in that wheel with a Timken set that had USA laser etched on the bearings. This 4 year mark I just repacked the bearings, all of them looked fine, cleaned, repacked and put back in. We have @ 17K miles on the rig. One wheel Timken USA the rest still china. So I'm not so sure there is that much of a difference in who makes the bearings. Price doesn't always guarantee quality either.

As for the seals, as long as its double lipped, but I just kinda like the Dexter 10-36 seals and always use them. I always carry a spare set of bearings and seals. My spare set of bearings are in Timken boxes but I believe they say China on them.

Now on some things I try to get USA made if I can, like the drum brake assembly. 5 nuts and change the whole assembly and splice 2 wires. I held out for Dexter that has a USA sticker on them. I just replaced one and got a spare Dexter USA assembly. Leaf springs, are a whole different ball game, I ordered a spare 3500 # spring to carry just in case, directly from Dexter, got it and it has China on it.

[redfernclan]

I was told years ago by a machinist friend that the China made bearings were just as hard as the US made ones, they just didn't hold them to as close a tolerance. The patriot in me still thinks US made bearings are better, but after turning wrenches for 36 years, I will conceded that the China made ones are "good enough" in most applications.

[geotex1]

Dirty secret here guys, Dexter does not make bearings. Never has. They source them by specification and who has the ability to supply at the price they want to pay. So, if you buy from Dexter you might get a USA-produced Timken or a shiny SE Asia special. Half the fun of getting a loaded axle from them is discovering if you got the lucky pull with brand matched bearings and races or hit the jackpot with matching both sides!

The biggest factor here is the level of quality control. If you buy a generic Asia-produced bearing set out of thar monster barrel of them at the local trailer shop, you can be certain there's a reason they're so cheap and it include very little, if any, quality control in the raw materials or finished products. Buy a bearing with a big name on the box, you can at least have comfort that is was supposed to be manufactured to a specification and should have had some quality control. This is only as good as the policing by that big name though, and as I have multiple manufacturing lines throughout SE Asia, I can tell you it requires A LOT OF POLICING because quality is neither inherent nor a driving factor! Cheap is the accepted social norm...

I prefer USA or Mexico made Timken bearings, but it's hard to find them with next to no brick and mortar stocking the brand so you can open them and read the stampings... I have been mostly using SKF since they're more available (make NAPA house brand too) and seem to be effective at policing quality the European way.

[Gronk1]

After trying to find American made Timken bearings and failing, I went to my local RV repair/parts store & bought them (China). Bought bearings, races & seal. Buying from a mom & pop shop, in a small town rather than Etrailer or Amazon I'm sure I paid more. At least I'm spending local.
After five years, I'm still riding on China bearings, & the spare I bought is still in my toolbox.

[dryfly]

@Gronk1

None of us prefer buying poor quality products, especially considering the cost of trailers today. But what you are saying begs the question "do we really need the highest quality bearings considering the application we are using them in"?

In your situation, and probably for others, good maintenance is probably why you are getting good service out of your bearings.

I've always used Timkens, and I'm really not sure if they are USA made or not. I'll certainly look at SKF the next time I need any.

[Kevin2282]

I have always used Timken bearings and Timken double wiper seals when I get around to replacing the original Dexter bearings. I usually get mine from CARID as they usually have a good price and reasonable shipping. I have attached a file that lists the Timken bearing set as that is usually the most economical way to buy them

Timkin Number Sets.xls



Kevin