Pivot Works linkage bearings. JUNK!?

Muscle-Milk-KTM 6/25/2019 11:58am
6/25/2019 11:58am
AHRMA361 wrote:
Get OEM seals and source the bearings from a bearing distributor. NSK, NTN, Koyo are all from Japanese suppliers and high quality bearings. INA, FAG, Timken...
Get OEM seals and source the bearings from a bearing distributor. NSK, NTN, Koyo are all from Japanese suppliers and high quality bearings. INA, FAG, Timken, SKF, Torrington are of the same quality level of the Japanese as well.

I wouldn't put china bearings on my wheelbarrow.
I believe some of the bearings are OEM protected, I know head race, wheel & engine bearings you can get at a good supplier but not totally sure with suspension.
Spooner
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Spooner 6/25/2019 5:18pm
6/25/2019 5:18pm
BobPA wrote:
A few years ago I would have considered Pivot Works to be the best aftermarket option. But, in the last few years I have noticed that...
A few years ago I would have considered Pivot Works to be the best aftermarket option. But, in the last few years I have noticed that their packaging, bearings, and seals bear a very close resemblance to that of the All Balls and Moose products. Which, in my opinion, are only good to spruce up a bike prior to a sale. Their bearing quality seems descent, but the seals do not hold up well IMO.
They are all the same company now...
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jbrown15
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jbrown15 6/25/2019 7:39pm
6/25/2019 7:39pm Edited Date/Time 6/26/2019 11:46pm
AHRMA361 wrote:
Get OEM seals and source the bearings from a bearing distributor. NSK, NTN, Koyo are all from Japanese suppliers and high quality bearings. INA, FAG, Timken...
Get OEM seals and source the bearings from a bearing distributor. NSK, NTN, Koyo are all from Japanese suppliers and high quality bearings. INA, FAG, Timken, SKF, Torrington are of the same quality level of the Japanese as well.

I wouldn't put china bearings on my wheelbarrow.
I recently replaced all of the bearings in my son’s YZ85. Went to my local bearing shop and replaced all of the bearings with NSK made in Japan bearings for half the price of Yamaha OEM bearings. All I had to do was bring all of the ones I pulled out of the bike and they just looked up what I needed from the markings on the OEM stuff.
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BD233
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BD233 6/26/2019 9:04am
6/26/2019 9:04am
I've used All Balls and Pivot Works...never had a problem. Don't over pack them and they last a season easy.
Never used OEM ones after the stockers were replaced.
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BobPA
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BobPA 6/26/2019 9:15am
6/26/2019 9:15am
BobPA wrote:
A few years ago I would have considered Pivot Works to be the best aftermarket option. But, in the last few years I have noticed that...
A few years ago I would have considered Pivot Works to be the best aftermarket option. But, in the last few years I have noticed that their packaging, bearings, and seals bear a very close resemblance to that of the All Balls and Moose products. Which, in my opinion, are only good to spruce up a bike prior to a sale. Their bearing quality seems descent, but the seals do not hold up well IMO.
Spooner wrote:
They are all the same company now...
That makes sense, the packaging is what gave it away.
neverwas 6/26/2019 10:22am
6/26/2019 10:22am
AHRMA361 wrote:
Get OEM seals and source the bearings from a bearing distributor. NSK, NTN, Koyo are all from Japanese suppliers and high quality bearings. INA, FAG, Timken...
Get OEM seals and source the bearings from a bearing distributor. NSK, NTN, Koyo are all from Japanese suppliers and high quality bearings. INA, FAG, Timken, SKF, Torrington are of the same quality level of the Japanese as well.

I wouldn't put china bearings on my wheelbarrow.
jbrown15 wrote:
I recently replaced all of the bearings in my son’s YZ85. Went to my local bearing shop and replaced all of the bearings with NSK made...
I recently replaced all of the bearings in my son’s YZ85. Went to my local bearing shop and replaced all of the bearings with NSK made in Japan bearings for half the price of Yamaha OEM bearings. All I had to do was bring all of the ones I pulled out of the bike and they just looked up what I needed from the markings on the OEM stuff.
This Our local bearing house carries high quality USA,German and Japaneses bearings that usually sell for less than the OEM stuff. Had a buddy with a Beta trials bike he was going to replace the big end bearings on the crank,the shop wanted $90 per bearing,he went to the local bearing house and bought the seam bearing for $12 a piece.
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YamahaJT1
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YamahaJT1 6/27/2019 4:13pm
6/27/2019 4:13pm
Anyone try these?

http://www.factory-links.com/

I have a full set of them, and they appear to "look the business" and I have an old friend that loves them, but certainly Chinese.. Nonetheless, I shied away and went OEM. Might install them over the winter.
mwr
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mwr 6/27/2019 11:14pm
6/27/2019 11:14pm
thrillbillie91 wrote:
Has anyone got any feedback on the rfx or prox bearing kits?
I concur with others that a) Chinese stuff like that sold by All Balls is junk and b) ProX stuff is generally really good and often made by the original OEMs. Even Ralf Schmidt, the USA TM importer, likes the ProX stuff and only a fool would put junk into those beautiful motors.
Boomslang 6/28/2019 3:22am
6/28/2019 3:22am
Timo_2824 wrote:
People who like to add grease, just be aware it's possible to over grease bearings. Too much grease will cause the balls/needles/rollers to slide instead of...
People who like to add grease, just be aware it's possible to over grease bearings. Too much grease will cause the balls/needles/rollers to slide instead of roll. This causes heat and eventually bearing/race failure. Most of the OEM bearings that people think need grease added are actually perfect...
Timo, I respectfully disagree with your theory. After thoroughly cleaning the linkage, needles and all components have been inspected for wear and are passed with a clean bill of health....grease is king.

I grease those things generously and when assembling, the racers will push out excess grease. I wipe all components (once assembled) with a clean cloth as not to leave any grease on the faces of the seals which will act as a grinding paste when combined with dirt from the track.


1
dirtwalker 6/28/2019 6:43am
6/28/2019 6:43am
Timo_2824 wrote:
People who like to add grease, just be aware it's possible to over grease bearings. Too much grease will cause the balls/needles/rollers to slide instead of...
People who like to add grease, just be aware it's possible to over grease bearings. Too much grease will cause the balls/needles/rollers to slide instead of roll. This causes heat and eventually bearing/race failure. Most of the OEM bearings that people think need grease added are actually perfect...
Boomslang wrote:
Timo, I respectfully disagree with your theory. After thoroughly cleaning the linkage, needles and all components have been inspected for wear and are passed with a...
Timo, I respectfully disagree with your theory. After thoroughly cleaning the linkage, needles and all components have been inspected for wear and are passed with a clean bill of health....grease is king.

I grease those things generously and when assembling, the racers will push out excess grease. I wipe all components (once assembled) with a clean cloth as not to leave any grease on the faces of the seals which will act as a grinding paste when combined with dirt from the track.


Agree. Over filling with grease can be an issue with wheel bearings etc that have ongoing rotations. But there is not really such a thing as overfilling slow speed bearings that move less than 180 degrees.
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RichieW13
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RichieW13 6/28/2019 9:20am
6/28/2019 9:20am
dirtwalker wrote:
Agree. Over filling with grease can be an issue with wheel bearings etc that have ongoing rotations. But there is not really such a thing as...
Agree. Over filling with grease can be an issue with wheel bearings etc that have ongoing rotations. But there is not really such a thing as overfilling slow speed bearings that move less than 180 degrees.
It's hard to imagine grease overpowering the rotation even in a high speed bearing. I'd love to see if anybody has proven it somewhere.
MotoMo165
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MotoMo165 6/28/2019 1:07pm
6/28/2019 1:07pm Edited Date/Time 6/28/2019 1:07pm
My buddy (who’s a top AM mechanic) says it’s impossibke to add too much grease because when you tighten the f out of them the grease will be squeezed out anyway. Any come backs?
dirtwalker 6/29/2019 12:15pm
6/29/2019 12:15pm
dirtwalker wrote:
Agree. Over filling with grease can be an issue with wheel bearings etc that have ongoing rotations. But there is not really such a thing as...
Agree. Over filling with grease can be an issue with wheel bearings etc that have ongoing rotations. But there is not really such a thing as overfilling slow speed bearings that move less than 180 degrees.
RichieW13 wrote:
It's hard to imagine grease overpowering the rotation even in a high speed bearing. I'd love to see if anybody has proven it somewhere.
Its not about initial bearing function. At operating temperature the grease is thinner and expands and if over filled will have to push out of the seals - typically damaging the seals or displacing them and then more grease gets out, dirt gets in etc....
Mr. Afterbar
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Mr. Afterbar 6/29/2019 12:29pm
6/29/2019 12:29pm
I pack as much grease into the needles as possible. Never had an issue.
BobPA
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BobPA 6/29/2019 12:33pm
6/29/2019 12:33pm
MotoMo165 wrote:
My buddy (who’s a top AM mechanic) says it’s impossibke to add too much grease because when you tighten the f out of them the grease...
My buddy (who’s a top AM mechanic) says it’s impossibke to add too much grease because when you tighten the f out of them the grease will be squeezed out anyway. Any come backs?
I’m going to recommend that your friend studies up on is mechanical engineering a bit....
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SoCalMX70
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SoCalMX70 6/29/2019 1:47pm
6/29/2019 1:47pm
Only recent experience I have is with aftermarket wheel bearings. All Balls lasted 2 races, front and rear. So far Pivot Works are holding up (5 races and a handful of practices).
inthebadboycorner 6/29/2019 4:58pm
6/29/2019 4:58pm
dirtwalker wrote:
Agree. Over filling with grease can be an issue with wheel bearings etc that have ongoing rotations. But there is not really such a thing as...
Agree. Over filling with grease can be an issue with wheel bearings etc that have ongoing rotations. But there is not really such a thing as overfilling slow speed bearings that move less than 180 degrees.
RichieW13 wrote:
It's hard to imagine grease overpowering the rotation even in a high speed bearing. I'd love to see if anybody has proven it somewhere.
High speed bearings overgreased will overheat and fail, having said that a wheel bearing would not be considered high speed, not even low speed.

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