All Balls Linkage kit - Beware!

[bikerpet]

Updated and Edited. I've left in but struck out comments that I believe are unfair. Final conclusion - installer error.

50 hours ago (actually more like 40) I replaced my 350 hour old OEM Beta Evo linkage bearings with an All Balls kit.

Suffice to say that you get what you pay for, or less.

Today I pulled the linkage apart for a 50 hour service and found every roller in every bearing has lost an end guide tit. The resulting mess of debris and ground up metallic paste seized some bearings and badly wore others.

What absolute rubbish!
A total waste of time, effort and money. BUYER BEWARE!
These things are totally unfit for purpose.

Below is a photo of a typical roller and the mess of broken steel and steel-paste I recovered with a magnet out of the solvent.

 

EDIT:
I did some research looking for alternative bearings available locally and came across a Timken document (same image also in the Koyo document) which shows the design of a press tool for this type of bearing.

Note the bevel on the pressing flange. This would ensure the face of the bearing is not deflected down onto the roller ends.
On a caged bearing such as the OEM ones this probably isn't too important as the rollers don't extend into that part of the housing, but on a full complement bearing like the All-Balls this could be a problem.
My press tool has a flat face beyond the pilot spigot.

The Timken PDF also stated, "The bearing should be installed with the stamped end (the end with the identification markings) against the angled shoulder of the pressing tool.". I'm guessing this to be because the stamped end has not been thinned during the shell drawing process, so is sturdier. I didn't pay attention to which end of the bearing I was pressing against.

I recovered the bearing shells from the bin and looked at them with a magnifying glass.
Every bearing had signs of deformation on one end or the other, some on both (presumably from install/dismantle).
It is very obvious when you look for it why you should only ever press the flat, stamped end!

So I now put this failure down to my own mistakes and ignorance.
Needless to say, I'll be modifying my press tool and paying attention to the stamped bearing end in future!

In defence of All-Balls I'd say that I really like that they supply full-complement roller bearings, I think this is probably a better style of bearing for the high load/low rotation application in the linkage than the commonly available & OEM caged style. The bearing they use appears to be a clone of the Koyo 15BM2112 full complement drawn cup needle roller bearing.

So in summary, beware that these bearings might need very particular care when installing, might be poor quality or perhaps both.

Edited July 29, 2022 by bikerpet
New information

[gasgasman280-]

Common knowledge that all balls stuff is best described as total shyte 💩

[bikerpet]

29 minutes ago, gasgasman280- said:

Common knowledge that all balls stuff is best described as total shyte 💩

I have now joined the common population.

It surprises me that otherwise reputable stores would sell such rubbish.

Edited July 28, 2022 by bikerpet

[bikerpet]

I've now edited the original post to reflect my understanding that it was my own incorrect installation tooling and technique that is the root cause of this failure.

I hang my head in shame.

I wont say that this in any way reflects on the underlying quality of the kit - it may be perfect or it may be rubbish.
All I know is that my installation damaged the bearing shells, which caused the failure of the rollers.

[compactpete]

I've used plenty of all balls kits and have never found them any better or worse than others, including OEM

Edited July 30, 2022 by compactpete

[trapezeartist]

Full marks to bikerpet for having the integrity to admit he was wrong. Not many people would do that. 

[richt]

Also the reason full compliment needle roller bearings are fitted with the numbers facing outward is because of the manufacture process. The roller shell is formed at one end and stamped with the number then heat treated and hardened. While the unformed end is left soft for when the needles are installed then the shell can be swaged over. this end remains softer which means it cannot withstand any impact force when inserting them. 

[turbofurball]

8 hours ago, richt said:

Also the reason full compliment needle roller bearings are fitted with the numbers facing outward is because of the manufacture process. The roller shell is formed at one end and stamped with the number then heat treated and hardened. While the unformed end is left soft for when the needles are installed then the shell can be swaged over. this end remains softer which means it cannot withstand any impact force when inserting them. 

I never knew the reasoning - thank you

[basssound]

I've installed a full all balls kit in my 09 evo 2T and after 60 hours they are spot on, a lot of people slate them but I'm betting they are the same folk who jet wash the bearings to within an inch of their lives thus removing the grease. 

I did liberally grease every joint with water proof grease and I'm careful to not blast them with a jet wash. 

[richt]

Here's something else to consider, how much and what type of grease?

Thick heavy grease fully crammed in, This may stop crud getting in but the needles won't roll, then they get flats worn onto them so you've just converted them into bushes and are knackered.

Thinner lighter grease fully crammed in. The excess could easily run out through the seals but the seals are there to stop crud getting in so they should operate just like bearings.

They are not easy to clean and repack with fresh grease so this is a design issue, manufactures have stopped installing grease nipples which would allow you to pump fresh grease in and flushing out the old. 

Always use the same grease and never mix with other specs or brands, doing so can create problems,  i.e. turn it fluid or turn it into solid wax or cause chemical reactions with the bearing materials.