View single post by Esprit2
 Posted: 03-24-2017 04:14 pm
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Esprit2

 

Joined: 05-01-2005
Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota USA
Posts: 573
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DonBurns wrote:
Are SKF 414871A or Flennor FS03299 bearings actually available? I have been searching online, been to two auto parts stores and the Ford dealership and can't find either. Does anybody know a source? The closest I have come appears to be someone willing to provide an equivalent from China.The SKF and Flennor bearings are both current. All of the following bearings are current...
414871A ........ SKF
FS03299 ......... Flennor
531 0098 20 ... INA
TKR 9841 ....... Timken
1500004 ......... Ford ... (1977-86 Ford Transit Van, UK)
QTT156 .......... Quinton Hazell (UK auto parts)
55207 ............. Ruville (X-ref, never heard of it before)
GT352.00 ........ SNR ... (X-ref, never heard of it before)

Many auto parts stores are pretty useless if you don't give them the exact part number they have in their computer, and Ford would only recognize their own part number or vehicle application (1977-86 Ford Transit Van, UK)... they won't cross-ref.

But any industrial bearing distributor should be able to provide at least one of the above bearings, or cross-ref to a similar quality bearing that they do carry. Just Google "Bearing Distributor in Fullerton CA". IMHO, it's worth asking for SKF specifically. Just avoid buying the cheapest bearing you can find, or a no-name brand from China.

While there are quality bearings coming out of China (Timken shifted all of it's production to China), there's also a lot of off-brand junk coming out of China. If you don't recognize the brand name, and it's a cheap bearing from China... don't buy it. It's not worth risking the valves in your "interference" 907 engine! One in particular, Bluebird Bearings. I've seen three Bluebird tensioner bearings, and they were all bad out of the box. They were stiff, difficult to turn by hand, and felt like they were full of gravel. I removed a seal from one, and there was precious little grease in it. I avoid Bluebird bearings.

In the USA, contact Delta Motorsports, or any of the independent Lotus parts specialists, and they can provide you with an appropriate tensioner bearing. JAE is not far from you, in Goleta, CA. They sell the Flennor bearing as their main line bearing, and can provide the SKF bearing if you specifically ask for it. I always ask for the SKF. Dave Bean is a little further up the road, in San Andreas, CA.

(602) 265-8026 Delta Motorsports, Arizona
(805) 967-6183 JAE, Calif.
(209) 754-5177 Dave Bean Engineering, Calif.
(215) 538-9323 rdEnterprises, Maryland

In the UK, contact Lotus specialists SJ Sportscars, Paul Matty Sportscars, Christopher Neill, PNM Engineering, etc.

In Australia, contact Lotus Marques (formerly The Elan Shop).

Regards,
Tim Engel

Last edited on 05-23-2019 03:56 pm by Esprit2