Bearings-NTN BLUE SEAL-are they worth the extra $$$$$$?

[low slung]

Installing all new bearings in my fathers 1996 ET410 rear skid while i install a new camplast 1-inch track,are the NTN blue seals better than the standard black seal bearings for long lasting or are they a waste of my money?

 

[Sasquatch]

They are a better bearing! Are they worth the extra all depends. I used to buy them in 8 or 10 packs and the price was not bad. One at a time they are a little expensive.

The seals are a little better but when talking to my local bearing supplier he told me the bearings are made to a better tollerance.

As the biggest killer of bearings in a sled seems to be water and rust. Better grade of bearing rusts the same if ignored. The seals are not that much better that they are waterproof.

So if you pop the seals, clean and regrease them every spring then even the cheap ones will last a long time. A racer once told me the better grade (blue seals) had less rolling resistance so they where better.

In the end the best ones seem to be the ones that are cleaned and regreased at least once a year. The factory grease in mine had hardened to a kind of tar like substance in mine after one year. Rust was forming on the bearing. I cleaned and regreased them every year after that and they lasted to 8,000 miles and four years.

I have used both blue seal and black. I can't get the blue seals in bulk any more so now I use the black ones. Pop the seals, clean and grease. Seems to be working fine!

 

[low slung]

Thanks for the great input,blue may be the only way to go .

 

[yamadog1]

bearing

hi-performance engineering sells ntn bearing at $7.95 each, i don't think you can get them any cheaper, if so let me know.

 

[maim]

hmm....just did mine on my et410 this winter because one was growling under load. still on stock track though. heck it is still on stock sliders come to think of it.

 

[low slung]

I will have some pics tomorrow on my project and what to look for on the rear skid.

 

[apltx08]

I tried them all, NTN, KOYO, RBL, KML, NSK...

The key to success is LUBING them on a regular base, I have a needle and inject a small amount every so often and no matter the brand they'll last for ever, I buy "6205" RBL or KML at a local distributor for under $3.00 ea.

 

[low slung]

Here are my pics,the shocks in the rear skid are still good even after 12000KMs,springs have worn through some plastic blocks which will be replaced.Had to weld the front arm due to a crack and installed a grease fitting on the top of the upper front arm(with help from a hobbart welder and 1/4 nut).Also installing new sliders from yamaha.Hope to have the new track in by weeks end(gotta love the quick-change drivers on these older yamaha sleds,no need to open the chain-case).

 

[low slung]

Thanks to the Outdoors Ltd in gander i got my parts in one day,sled finished a hour ago,now i need snow :exc: .