Best wheel bearings:

[40ford]

Who is the best source for good quality rear wheel bearings for a 1940 ford?I have been checking around and understand there are cheap China junk out there with soft cages on the bearing assemblies?Am I correct on this observation?

[38 coupe]

I have had good results with the bearings sold by C&G.

[Tony, NY]

I'm sure you can get quality parts from dealers on this site. Van Pelts and Third Gen are a couple.

[51504bat]

Barnfind08 might have NOS ones

[1948F-1Pickup]

Originally Posted by 40ford

Who is the best source for good quality rear wheel bearings for a 1940 ford?I have been checking around and understand there are cheap China junk out there with soft cages on the bearing assemblies?Am I correct on this observation?

Up until Covid I worked technical sales for NTN Bearing. They own the BCA brand and all the old BCA manufacturing facilities in the US, which they still utilize.
That said, I’d have to know the part numbers because no manufacturer these days actually makes a full product line…. They buy from others what they don’t make themselves. It’s all based upon acquisition cost vs manufactured cost.

The weakness in today’s offshore bearing manufacturing is mainly in the roller hardening process, not in cages.
And the difference in BCA-manufactured in USA vs Timken-manufactured in USA is that the Timken hardening process was ever so slightly better (and more expensive)….. but not an advantage you would ever be able to enjoy in the real world because the hardening was waaay more than necessary.

[19Fordy]

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

Based on what you described above, why aren't the cages hardened?

Wouldn't a "soft" cage wear away under load making the bearing inferior to OEM?

[Krylon32]

I'm still a fan of NOS original Ford bearings. Nothing better. If your just repairing a seldom driven car, not a long distance reacher you'd probably be OK with some of the after market bearings?

[1948F-1Pickup]

Originally Posted by Krylon32

I'm still a fan of NOS original Ford bearings. Nothing better. If your just repairing a seldom driven car, not a long distance reacher you'd probably be OK with some of the after market bearings?

NOS “Ford” bearings are generally Timken…… unless it’s something specialized like a clutch release bearing….. I believe those were Aetna. (the ones over the parts counter were, anyway)

[1948F-1Pickup]

Originally Posted by 19Fordy

Based on what you described above, why aren't the cages hardened?

Wouldn't a "soft" cage wear away under load making the bearing inferior to OEM?

I don’t know that cages aren’t hardened. It isn’t to any significant number, that’s for sure. Cages are largely an alignment item. Not much load on them compared to rollers or races.

[Oldcarbearings]

BOWER actually made the wound journal roller bearings ,
As did HYATT &RBC Neither are manufacturing these kind/type of roller caged bearings.You can find,locate&source either HYATT/RBC on Ebay or UK made Berlis/Euro made Baltzer or UK made Pollard BUT they're expensive especially here in Australia,MOST wound journal roller caged bearings are made in china under the Baltzer brand (NEW) or KOBE.

[Oldcarbearings]

Here are both the FORD part numbers&BOWER/HYATT/RBC part numbers: FORD 68-1225,
BOWER J662456,
HYATT/RBC A1444,
SKF I-97597,
FORD sleeve for 68-1225 =B1225,
HYATT 37155,
SKF 992456.

[40ford]

https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=41768

[fordor41]

I use local industrial bearing dealer and specify USA brgs.

[38 coupe]

As referenced in the linked thread the rear hub bearings, commonly called rear wheel bearings, need to have a hardened cage. I have encountered bad original Ford rear hub bearings for two reasons:
1. Damaged rollers from failed axle surfaces
2. Rust

Bad cages on new bearings were a big enough problem back in the 90s that C&G had new bearings made with heat treated cages. The listing on their website even includes the Rockwell C scale hardness of the rollers and cages. I installed a new set of C&G bearings in a 37 sedan in 2008. That car drove 10,000 miles in the next 15 years. Earlier this year the hub were pulled to do brake work on the car. The hub bearings looked as good as when they were installed. I trust the new C&G bearings.

[1948F-1Pickup]

I'd probably use the NOS Ford bearings for the OP's job.
On the bearings that C&G offers, Rockwell 58 isn't particularly hard. Most taper bearing rollers are mid to high 60's.

[1948F-1Pickup]

Originally Posted by Oldcarbearings

BOWER actually made the wound journal roller bearings ,

I've never heard that term. I do know of journal roller bearings.
I assume you're referring to these.....

[petehoovie]

Originally Posted by 1948F-1Pickup

I've never heard that term. I do know of journal roller bearings.
I assume you're referring to these.....

[koates]

I purchased two new rear wheel bearings for my 1934 Ford and turned out that they were made in Germany and the end plates on the bearing cages were not hardened at all just soft steel. This is not acceptable and they are still sitting on my shelf. Run a file over anything you buy to check if they are hardened. Regards, Kevin.

[Oldcarbearings]

Ah!!!!!!..... these "German made" wound journal roller bearings "made by Baltzer" are in actual fact now been made in China !!!!!,
KOBE can be distinguished by there black/orange /red packaging,
ONLY look for: BERLISS/BOWER/FORD/HYATT/POLLARD/RBC!!!!!.