3 speed thrust bearing

[Ian McGowan]

Hi Tony & R yes, escaped my notice that; difficult to justify the big difference in price unless one is 3rd world and the other RHP sourced.

[Ian Williams]

Mark, I have not encountered a housing with such a substantial lip turned over the cover. Make's me wonder if this is a particularly early unit and Austin then changed the design to the type most of us will be familiar with, perhaps just another of life's little conundrums to keep us amused.

[Tony Betts]

A quick update on RHP and third world clutch thrust bearings.

On the left is one of the high quality UK made thrust bearings central 7s were supplying around 12 years ago. Price then £75.00 and yes if you can get these today for £125.00 they are excellent and well worth paying £125.00

But don't mix them with the bearing on the right. These are overseas bearings, and are in plain boxs.. It's what's called A NON DISCRIPT bearing. Otherwise unknown manufacturer.

This does NOT NOT NOT meen they are poor quality. But also it does NOT NOT NOT meen they are high quality. Because they are plain packaged you don't know we're they actually come from.

Not everything from overseas is poor quality, far from it.

It's simular to buying over here, you just have to know we're to go for the good stuff.

I don't know which ones are being sold by each cherished supplier, as I don't stock either myself.

But we're ever you get your clutch thrust bearings from, you shouldn't pay £125 for a non descript bearing.

Tony.

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[Ian McGowan]

Totally agree Tony. My approach is, I don't mind fitting non-descript bearings in Front hubs as it is not much of a job to change them and I always carry spares. On the other side of the coin I wouldn't willingly use anything but recognised quality bearings in the gearbox - I prefer not to rebuild the box every few thousand miles.

[Tony Press]

Unfortunately the bearings made in China are sometimes deceptively marked SKF et al - so be very careful-  if cheap they usually are !

The plain box bearing is very difficult to determine origin but again if cheaper then be wary.

Regarding bearing prices for genuine articles I am sure those of you who run a modern will be aware of the prices for spare parts- having just had a service for the Tiguan I think Austin 7 parts  are very reasonable.

If someone has had the foresight to collect old stock items they should be rewarded