Should I be concerned about quality of these new sealed wheel bearings?

Thanks to all
I have just gotten what should be the correct, and good Quality!, sealed bearings and
will measure them to ensure they require no machining for install!
This has been a great thread and I thanks everyone for their help
Dennis
Vancouver
 
marshg246 said:
I mentioned 123bearing.com They stock several brands of 4203-2RS and ship very quickly. One they call "generic" and they also have SKF, NSK, and others. 4203-2RS are very hard to find in the US, except for the 123bearing.com web site and the PGN website I also mentioned.

So, not as easy as some bearings to find, but not hard to find either. You can even buy many FAG, SKF, PGN bearings on Amazon and today name brand 4203 are available from several sellers there, but no 4203-2RS

Don Pender and I also sell them (generic).
Click to expand...
The PO of my bike said that it still had the original wheel bearings when I purchased it. That makes me feel like I should change them out on 50 year old bike, since I do plan on going on some long rides, but then again it only has about 17,000 miles...

if I do change them out, would the 4203-2RS be the right bearing for my MK III disc brake rear wheel also?

Doing one quick google search, I am only seeing the choice of Generic or Zen brand anywhere. If you sell Generic, you must have some faith in them... any insight? I have never heard of Zen, but at least it is a brand name... for a few dollars more X 4 + shipping.
 
Edfury828 said:
The PO of my bike said that it still had the original wheel bearings when I purchased it. That makes me feel like I should change them out on 50 year old bike, since I do plan on going on some long rides, but then again it only has about 17,000 miles...

if I do change them out, would the 4203-2RS be the right bearing for my MK III disc brake rear wheel also?

Doing one quick google search, I am only seeing the choice of Generic or Zen brand anywhere. If you sell Generic, you must have some faith in them... any insight? I have never heard of Zen, but at least it is a brand name... for a few dollars more X 4 + shipping.
Click to expand...
Wash 'em out, inspect, if ok, re-pack & enjoy
 
Edfury828 said:
if I do change them out, would the 4203-2RS be the right bearing for my MK III disc brake rear wheel also?
Click to expand...


For the Mk3 sprocket bearing, yes.
The Mk3 rear hub bearings are 6203 and 6204.
andover-norton.co.uk

Andover Norton Parts Drawings - Genuine Andover Norton Factory Parts - Commando Parts

Andover Norton Parts are the only Norton spare parts in the market manufactured to original drawings, within the factory-approved tolerances, from the correct materials, and with the correct finish.
andover-norton.co.uk
 
L.A.B. said:
For the Mk3 sprocket bearing, yes.
The Mk3 rear hub bearings are 6203 and 6204.
andover-norton.co.uk

Andover Norton Parts Drawings - Genuine Andover Norton Factory Parts - Commando Parts

Andover Norton Parts are the only Norton spare parts in the market manufactured to original drawings, within the factory-approved tolerances, from the correct materials, and with the correct finish.
andover-norton.co.uk
Click to expand...
Oops, I forgot about the hub bearings!
L.A.B. said:
For the Mk3 sprocket bearing, yes.
The Mk3 rear hub bearings are 6203 and 6204.
andover-norton.co.uk

Andover Norton Parts Drawings - Genuine Andover Norton Factory Parts - Commando Parts

Andover Norton Parts are the only Norton spare parts in the market manufactured to original drawings, within the factory-approved tolerances, from the correct materials, and with the correct finish.
andover-norton.co.uk
Click to expand...
Oops, I forgot about the hub bearings! Thanks for the reminder, L.A.B.

I think I'll hold off on the wheel bearings for now. I need to do more putting together and less tearing apart!

Later, it will be good to familiarize myself with that rear hub though, if for no other reason, easier roadside flat repairs!

And now I know a little more about bearing options if I do need any. Also, I went to the "Zen bearing" website. They make them sound good...who knows anymore though?
 
Thanks also Marshg246. You are helping me learn!

BTW, the value of what I am learning on the Access Norton Forum far exceeds the membership fee. Not to mention cost savings from inside knowledge, like my new aliexpress sprag. I saved a few years dues on that, lol!
In gratitude,
Ed
 
The poster was asking about the 4203 bearing and the one listed by Andover Norton is unsealed.
Two sealed single row bearings in the wheel but an unsealed bearing in the cush/sprocket carrier.
No thanks.

Which comes back to the available bearings that are 2RS in the 4203 size.
 
OP,
To add some clarity:

There was a time there was no exact size sealed replacement bearing available (for the double row in topic).

Some clever people found one close in size, with a bit of machining, it could be easily retrofitted. 💡🏁

Later on, some clever parts suppliers got some made, of the correct dimensions, that are a suitable replacement, with no machining. I got one from Don Pender, it works well.

Hope this helps.
 
What do we know about the bearing supplied by Don Pender?
And why do we think this is somehow different from the generic bearing the original poster got from the still un-named source?
It would help this loopy thread if the un-named source was named. Walridge??
 
I buy my bearings from a local industrial supply house. Take the old ones in or give them a number. Always name brand. Should point out that the "superblend" main bearings all seem to come from India and I've never heard of a prolem wit them.
 
Unsealed bearings fail from foreign material getting in the raceways. Sealed bearings fail from running in their own wear products. Pick your poison.

I prefer to wash, repack, and replace the unsealed variety. My originals went 85K miles before I replaced them, and they were still good!

Slick
 
Just use the bearing you have brought, clean them and repack the sealed bearings with hi performance grease and go, just keep an eye on them when doing general maintenance on your bike, as it is wheel bearings should be inspected, clean and repacked every 40K mile or less depends where you ride and the conditions you ride in, I been doing this on my Norton ever since new and if you look after your bearings you get long life out of them, the only bearing I had fail was the dreaded layshaft bearing in 47+ years, by the way that bearing failed at 12K mile on the dot, but lucky it went bang when I put it into gear while leaving home.
Even well branded bearing are sourced from unknown suppliers, it's the way the world has gone, the cheaper they can be produce the more money to be made and who knows what they be like till you try them.
I have used main crank bearings with plastic cages, done over 40k miles on them but decided I better replace them because the idea having main bearing in plastic cages, but they were still good before I pulled them out, they were only 1/4 of the price of the bearings I replace them with the so called super blend bearings.
I am sure a lot will disagree with me but hey you will never know till you try them and keep a eye on them when doing a service on your bike.

Ashley
 

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