Timken vs. National Bearings

[Allen N.]

I bought a bearing on ebay thinking I was ordering a

Timken LM48548

for the inner front wheel bearing on a 70. What I received is a

National LM48510

My research indicates they are both replacement bearings for the originals.

What is your opinion on the difference in the two bearings?

Thanks,
Allen

[Edward J.]

Re: Timken vs. National Bearings

Allan both company's make a quality bearing. timkin would a first choice for most here. we do not drive these cars much so these bearings will likely be the last set you'll buy.

[Joe L.]

Re: Timken vs. National Bearings

I bought a bearing on ebay thinking I was ordering a

Timken LM48548

for the inner front wheel bearing on a 70. What I received is a

National LM48510

My research indicates they are both replacement bearings for the originals.

What is your opinion on the difference in the two bearings?

Thanks,
Allen

Allen------

As far as part numbers go, Timken LM48548 is the same as National LM48548. Both of these are a tapered roller bearing without outer race (cup).

As far as part numbers go, Timken LM48510 is the same as National LM48510. Both of these are a tapered roller bearing outer race (cup) only.

For a complete bearing set (which is what you should be replacing) for the front, inner you need a Timken Set 5 or National A5

For a complete bearing set for the front, outer, you need a Timken Set 3 or National A3.

[Allen N.]

Re: Timken vs. National Bearings

Thanks Joe, that makes sense now.

[Terry D.]

Re: Timken vs. National Bearings

Allen,
Does it say Made in USA on the bearing? If they do and properly maintained they should last a lifetime. Neither company has made bearings for cars in the USA for years.

[Gary R.]

Re: Timken vs. National Bearings

Terry
I still get USA made Timkens for the front & rear axles as well as the differentials. I buy from both automotive suppliers and bearing houses.

[Terry D.]

Re: Timken vs. National Bearings

Gary
I would like the name and number of your parts store. I live a few miles from Timkins Corporate Office in Canton Ohio. When I was looking for bearings a few years ago my local bearing store told me nobody makes car bearings in the USA anymore. So I called Timkin and they said the same thing. So if what you say is true I will buy a bunch from your supplier. Do you bearings say "Made in the USA" right on the bearing?
Thanks
Terry

[Gary R.]

Re: Timken vs. National Bearings

Hi Terry
I don't think I can post information for business on this forum but if you want to contact me I can tell you where some of my suppliers are. To date the Timkens I got in are still marked USA on them. I was told some bearings are still made here but I don't know exactly which ones or for how long.

[Edward J.]

Re: Timken vs. National Bearings

Gary
I would like the name and number of your parts store. I live a few miles from Timkins Corporate Office in Canton Ohio. When I was looking for bearings a few years ago my local bearing store told me nobody makes car bearings in the USA anymore. So I called Timkin and they said the same thing. So if what you say is true I will buy a bunch from your supplier. Do you bearings say "Made in the USA" right on the bearing?
Thanks
Terry

Terry, I was just talking with my auto parts store rep. last week and he was telling the same thing. Timkin may still have some old stock, and my take is if you still purchase bearing any with another supplier you likely find the same. Timkin may still have there high quality control guide lines.

[Gary R.]

Re: Timken vs. National Bearings

I just checked the last diff kits I got in about a month ago, all usa Timkens.

[Terry D.]

Re: Timken vs. National Bearings

Edward
If anyone has old stock it would be a warehouse as according to Timken they haven't made bearings here for at least ten years. This from a VP of sales and distribution. Again if anyone knows where there are Made in the USA Timken bearings for C1's I would love to know where. This has been discussed before on this forum and it was the opinion of those much smarter than me that there was a bearing place in California ( name escapes me) that still had some made in Japan bearings that were better than what you can get now.

[Edward J.]

Re: Timken vs. National Bearings

Terry, if you have a local auto parts store that's been in your area for many years take a chance and see if he has stock on timkin bearings with the part numbers you need, open the flaps on the boxes and look for made in the USA. Gary's post almost makes me believe that the company timkin maybe parts made in the US and Assembled in China???

[Terry D.]

Re: Timken vs. National Bearings

Edward
I have done the search thing at old stores, no luck in my area. And since Timken is right down the road I figured they should know. I would be more inclined to believe made in china assembled here, buy what do I know? Maybe Joe can shed some light on this.

[Joe L.]

Re: Timken vs. National Bearings

Edward
I have done the search thing at old stores, no luck in my area. And since Timken is right down the road I figured they should know. I would be more inclined to believe made in china assembled here, buy what do I know? Maybe Joe can shed some light on this.

Terry-----

I'm afraid I cannot. However, I will say this much: I think that if a bearing is manufactured in a Timken factory, I don't think it really matters where that factory is located. Of course, I prefer USA made parts but that does not mean that foreign manufactured parts are necessarily bad. I also believe that foreign manufacturing operations of companies like Timken are going to produce parts to the same standards as their USA factories. If they couldn't I don't think they'd put their name on them---they'd put some other name.

[Allen N.]

Re: Timken vs. National Bearings

I have two Set 3 bearings and one Set 5 bearing that I bought from Doc Rebuild a few months ago that all have USA on them.

I just received one Set 5 bearing that I bought from Summit Racing, and it has USA on it.