Case Study: Parts is Parts? NSK saysDon't be fooled!
There are a lot of cheap bearings out there these days. The copycats make things that look like bearings, but what are you really getting? One of the most obvious answers is how well they stack up when you throw a little snow, salt, dirt and water at them. Basically exactly what happens to bearing in the field in Recreational Products applications.
Problem: A snowmobile OEM came to us and said that they were having a reliability problem with a 6909 sized bearing. They feared that the sealing capability of the off-brand bearing they were using might not be what it should be.
Solution: NSK took a few of their bearings and stacked them up against ours. We specified a couple of features that were designed to perform well in the environment, as we do with every Recreational Products application:
NSK’s DU2 seal is a non-vented contact seal that keeps junk out!
NSK‘s ENR grease is a high performance, wide temperature range synthetic with special rust inhibitor additives.
Result: We then tested the “Brand X” bearings against ours in a back to back mud slurry spray test at our Ann Arbor, MI technology center for 7 hours. It was clear that their bearing looked like it was sealed, but that was about it. NSK‘s bearing passed with flying colors. Which one would you want in your pride and joy, when you are out in the woods, miles from your truck?
NSK's Bearing: Excellent Condition
Competitor's Bearing: Severely Corroded
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