Thread: Enduro Bearings
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Old 01-19-17 | 06:03 AM
  #14  
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migrantwing
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Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 495
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From: UK

Bikes: '07 Carrera TDF / 2011 Ghost Race Actinum 5000

Thank you, TimothyH, for having a brain, along with wschruba!

I just checked Wheels Manufacturing and the cheapest shipping option is $32.25. Along with 2 x R6, this will come to nearly $50, which I'm obviously not going to pay, plus the fact they will probably take weeks to get here. My main options here in the UK are Generic Budget Chinese rubbish, which I don't really even want to lay money down on.

The other thing you mention is the grease used as Rheolube. Different sites, and I believe Enduro's also, state two or three different greases that are in the R6 bearings, Mobil XHP 222, CRC Marine Grease another being a Japanese grease, Kyodo or something similar. The online info is not consistent. So, when I open the packaging and the seals are wrong, there is white grease everywhere and the overall look of the product is shoddy, it made me wonder what I'd actually got.

http://endurobearings.com/technology/grease/

In my research, I have found Enduro bearings to be nothing more than a Japanese brand, EZO, just repackaged with Enduro seals and packaging, for which you are paying a premium. I cannot find Ezo equivalents anywhere. This was the reason for my first post (linked in my OP above). R6 bearings are not as popular as the 6000 and 6001 series that a lot of hubs use. Also, the R6 bearings come in an Imperial measurement for the most part, which is another thing that makes you do your research and can be confusing. Some sites, like Enduro, do state the more Modern metric sizes. Taught Metric when at school, Imperial measurements and converting to Metric are not my strong points.

I bought some rear hub bearings from SKF, the renowned Swedish company (although the bearings are made all over Europe now) and sourced them no problem for the princely sum of around $ 4 USD each with free shipping in the UK. They came with seals. The only option that SKF do for an R6 bearing comes as an open bearing (no seals) which also changes the width/depth of the bearing: 7/32 in / 5.55 mm (without seals) or 9/32in / 7.14mm (with seals). Also, the seals that can be used in conjunction with the open SKF bearing is an oil seal, this also changes the OD of the bearing, or an expensive NILOS seal. Two problems there straight away, they will not be compatible with my hub. I could run open bearings, but the UK weather will destroy them within a matter of weeks.

I don't mind using SRS, LLB, LLU, metal shields, NILOS seals, whatever. It's more the fact that I ordered ABEC 5 LLB sealed bearings and got SRS. Not what I ordered. The other thing that threw me was I was expecting clear, blue or green coloured grease, not for it to be chockablock with white lithium grease. Hence, the purpose of my post.

Thank you for your info and understanding. It's a shame idiots like fietsbob and AnkleWork don't actually read posts and ask questions to help people, instead of jumping to conclusions, being counterproductive, grumpy, bitter old men.

Last edited by migrantwing; 01-19-17 at 07:02 AM.
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