All Balls brand jack shaft and drive shaft bearings anyone use them good or bad?

[doofan1]

I have the kids 03 zl550 tore apart. decided to replace the jack shaft and drive shaft bearings as one of the drive shaft bearings was making noise. Anyway the local dealer wants $188.00 for 4 bearings. Seems way too much for these even the parts guys was kind of shocked. He recommend using All Balls brand and suggested I get them online.

Well the kits for all bearings on Ebay were 48.00 total. Way less then the Cat cost.

Has anyone used these? If so what have your results been?

I hate to put something in it that I will end up having to replace soon but for $140.00 less it might be worth it to try

Thanks

 

[indy_500]

It seems everyone and their brother uses all balls brand kits with good luck, I put one in my moms 03 classic 500 and after 2 seasons and 2k miles the clutch side driveshaft shaft bearing feels toast. I expected them to last a little longer, maybe I got a bad one, but for the price I'd give it a try.

 

[indy_500]

It seems everyone and their brother uses all balls brand kits with good luck, I put one in my moms 03 classic 500 and after 2 seasons and 2k miles the clutch side driveshaft shaft bearing feels toast. I expected them to last a little longer, maybe I got a bad one, but for the price I'd give it a try.

 

[doofan1]

Thanks for the input.

 

[Hoosier]

Thanks for the input.

When I looked into this I was told many times to avoid buying the junk Chinese bearings at any cost. It's more labor than part costs to do this job. I suppose the question is where you'll be if it goes - if just riding around the house no big deal, if on a trip it's a big problem. It's an 03 and you said it's your kid's, so maybe that means it's ridden shorter distances or closer to where you start from so that if it started to go it wouldn't cause too much of a headache.

 

[G]

Arctic wants a lot of money for bearings. Part of the reason for this is that they put junk bearings in for a few years and ended up with problems. So now they have gone off the deep end the other way. Put in the AC bearings and be done with it. A jackshaft bearing is not something you need trouble with especially out on the trail.

 

[doofan1]

Thanks for the input. I've tried to avoid the Chinese junk thats out there with everything I buy. It's getting harder to find anything made in the US. The bearings that came out of it were Fafnir made in USA but I'm told by a bearing distributor these are no longer made in US either. He also told me that the 2 on the chain case were only available through a dealer. I'm guessing this is because of the oring in the inner race?

I'll keep looking for an alternative. Don't want to cheap out but cant see spending extra money if there is a comparable available

 

[Hoosier]

Thanks for the input. I've tried to avoid the Chinese junk thats out there with everything I buy. It's getting harder to find anything made in the US. The bearings that came out of it were Fafnir made in USA but I'm told by a bearing distributor these are no longer made in US either. He also told me that the 2 on the chain case were only available through a dealer. I'm guessing this is because of the oring in the inner race?

I'll keep looking for an alternative. Don't want to cheap out but cant see spending extra money if there is a comparable available

If you have time, take them out and take them to a bearing shop. They can match them up with a high quality USA or Japanese replacement, much cheaper than OEM. Or check hardcoresledder.com. someone on there likely has the ntn part numbers or something equivalent

 

[mezz]

I would have to agree with grub, put in the good ones once & be done. when those bearings let go, it's never in an ideal area, plus, when they truly let go, it can cause a myriad of other damage, which of course, means more money. I always say, if it's worth doing, it's worth doing right.-Mezz

 

[renegade]

you can put on quality bearings without buying them at cat. Go to a bearing shop as hoosier said. Cat does not make bearings, they buy them too. Cut out the middle man.

 

[02edgehead]

ive used all balls with great luck. they even have a hole so you can get grease to push into the bearing as long as you line it up with zerk.

 

[doofan1]

Guys

Thanks again. I stopped by a bearing shop. They can get the two for the left side. The two on the chain case side are a different story. Apparently having the O-ring in the center of the race is the problem.

I'll keep searching I'm too stubborn to give up yet...

 

[skeeter2010]

Guys

Thanks again. I stopped by a bearing shop. They can get the two for the left side. The two on the chain case side are a different story. Apparently having the O-ring in the center of the race is the problem.

I'll keep searching I'm too stubborn to give up yet...

Do you have the bearing out? If so post a pic of the bearing
I have a hunch that the oring sits in a groove which is used as a grease passage when the bearing is insterted into a housing.

I looked up the bearing on ebay and that is a grease groove, that bearing is typically insterted into pillow block housing.
To me it looks like a very standard bearing, Measure the ID to know the size, If you went to a Flarm and fleet or fleet farm they sell just the insterts. Not sure I would use the bearing but for the research it would answer the question