The Ford Barn - View Single Post - Poor quality transmission roller bearings

Tom Endy · 04-28-2020, 07:45 PM

I think the Model A kingdom is in big trouble. The only roller bearings being manufactured for the model A transmission are these extremely poorly designed bearings that all the suppliers are now selling. These poor quality bearings were slipped into them by the middle man without their knowledge. Most suppliers don't even know how to tell the difference between the good and the bad. If you install these in a transmission they will fail in 400 to 500 miles. I don't think the suppliers are doing anything about it.

I just overhauled a transmission for a Model A person because it was screaming and found it had the crummy bearings installed. The long roller bearing in the back end of the cluster gear had come completely apart. The transmission had been overhauled about three years ago. In order to complete the overhaul I installed some used roller bearings I salvaged out of another transmission that were of the correct design.

If I am sked to overhaul another transmission I will have to tell the customer that I will re-use the existing roller bearings if they appear serviceable or install the crummy ones that will prematurely fail. In that case all warranty bets are off.

Tom Endy

04-28-2020, 07:45 PM	#5
Tom Endy Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Southern California Posts: 3,131	Re: Poor quality transmission roller bearings I think the Model A kingdom is in big trouble. The only roller bearings being manufactured for the model A transmission are these extremely poorly designed bearings that all the suppliers are now selling. These poor quality bearings were slipped into them by the middle man without their knowledge. Most suppliers don't even know how to tell the difference between the good and the bad. If you install these in a transmission they will fail in 400 to 500 miles. I don't think the suppliers are doing anything about it. I just overhauled a transmission for a Model A person because it was screaming and found it had the crummy bearings installed. The long roller bearing in the back end of the cluster gear had come completely apart. The transmission had been overhauled about three years ago. In order to complete the overhaul I installed some used roller bearings I salvaged out of another transmission that were of the correct design. If I am sked to overhaul another transmission I will have to tell the customer that I will re-use the existing roller bearings if they appear serviceable or install the crummy ones that will prematurely fail. In that case all warranty bets are off. Tom Endy