In relation to my previous post, https://www.bikeforums.net/bicycle-me...23x7-14mm.html I ended up buying 2 x Enduro R6 LLB bearings...they are absolute junk! Crappy white grease stuffed in them so they hardly roll and there is lateral play in both of them. I even emailed Enduro and asked them if they were genuine, to which the reply was yes. I don't know if the supplier I bought them off had dropped them, used them or just didn't store them correctly or they came that way from the factory, but they are awful. I won't be buying them again.

Not sure if this is what you are after.

Enduro R6 SRS, ABEC-5 Sealed Bearing

I've purchased from Wheels Mfg and never had an issue.

Some places state they are ABEC 3 rated and others state ABEC 5. Some have different types of seal, too. I ordered R6 LLB (LLB is the seal) and on the seals I have it says SRS. I think they're either counterfeit or the supplier has messed with them. All I know is that mine suck.

Define "play". All (non-angular contact) cartridge bearings have a small amount of runout, easily felt as play in an axle assembly that isn't installed in a bike. Once the QR/whatnot is tightened down properly, there should be barely any movement (none that would matter, anyway).

Also, don't take this as a critique of you, but how did you install the bearings? They are quite easy to damage, especially if you press on the inner race (or the outer, if it's being pressed onto an axle).

As for the grease: that's just the nature of small bearings. When they are new (or newly packed with grease), they are 'stiff', in a manner of speaking. Once the balls have plowed a path, internal resistance drops significantly. I've had no complaints with the basic bearings that Enduro offers, and typically go 6-12 months between repacking the grease. You can, of course, use whatever you want when it comes time.

You shouldn't worry too much. Six days ago you didn't know how to measure a bearing, or even how to go shopping on the internet. Maybe just install the bearings and see how they work.

Bearings are sold in multiple configurations. From a practical (bike) standpoint, there is no difference between LLB and SRS. If anything, Enduro's LLB shield is more prone to dragging, since it can be bent easily.

So Critical and only experienced that 1 bearing purchase ,
Or do you have a Back ground in Industrial and automotive service you did not speak Of..


Likewise I Have bought 4 Enduro 90% fill 6001, they're fine ..

You want to buy bearings Thru Phil Wood Co. instead?

They lean towards Tighter Seals, So you may not like the felt drag , that you wont notice riding, just when holding it in your hand.

Order SKF From Sweden..



...

I've bought bearings before, thank you very much. SKF don't do that particular bearing with seals else I'd buy SKF.

Some real pissy people on here tonight...again!

Guess you are an expert now , so you no longer need advice.

At least one person is being productive.

Thanks for the info regards the difference between the shields. I've never bought Enduro bearings before, so didn't know what to expect. I actually ordered R6 LLB but the seals say SRS. Also, the amount of grease that was in there was ridiculous. The whole packaging was shoddy and there was grease all in the packaging, too. I've never bought bearings like that before and just thought them to be a bit shoddy looking.

The reason I mentioned play is that the OEM bearings that I took out of the hub in order to replace them just didn't have much play at all compared to these Enduro ones, and they've been in the bike for a good few years. I have repacked the grease a few times in them but they started to grind a little, so opted to buy replacements.

I use a bearing press to install bearings.

We're not all as amazingly knowledgeable and have such a wonderful way of talking to people as you, Bob.

I kinda understand the OP's frustration...

R6 LLB are at the Enduro B2B website at R6 LLU/LLB ABEC 5 0.375x0.875x0.2188 - Enduro Bearings B2B. So we know they exist, at least on paper. Unfortunately you have to be a reseller to order direct from Enduro but those are the R6 bearings with LLB seals the OP is looking for.

I can't find these retail anywhere and I think that is the problem the OP is facing. There are tons of R6 LLB bearings out there but they are all ABEC-3. I don't know why they are listed on the Enduro site but not available anywhere.

The ABEC-5 R6 with SRS seals are at 608 SRS ABEC 5 8x22x7 - Enduro Bearings B2B. Same thing, different seals. These are available all over the place. Wheels Mfg sells them. $8 USD each. Not sure about shipping to the UK though.

Enduro's website says that they do come packed with Rheolube 374A which is Lithium based. I would go with the SRS seals and be done with it. A local guy who builds 2000 sets of wheels every year showed me how to set preload when I used the Enduro bearings to service my old Mavic Ksyriums.


-Tim-

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.

https://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.

You are asking strangers on the Internet for free advice, just ignore that which you do not find useful. That is the price of admission. Peace.

I have done exactly that, sir, and put them both on my ignore list. They both must have really high blood pressure Thank you for being one of the consistent nicer ones

Don't do this. It isn't right. It doesn't matter that other people insult you. Insulting them back, and using me to do it, isn't right.

Go to a professional wheelbuilder, someone who does nothing but wheels all day, every day, and ask them. They should be able to source anything you want.

I go to CUSTOM HAND BUILT BICYCLE WHEELS Built By Professionals - Prowheelbuider.com here in Atlanta.


-Tim-

I was merely thanking you, I wasn't using you to insult others.

It seems to me that one can find ABEC 3 R6 LLB, or ABEC 5 SRS. Both LLB and SRS seals are find for bike purposes, so the SRS (providing they're actually the ABEC 5) are an upgrade.

I'm a bit confused, though, about how you found out that they're filled with "crappy white grease". Aren't they sealed on both sides? The LLB seals have a steel ring inside them, and the SRS have a metal ring on the outside. How did you assess what grease was in the bearing? Did you remove a seal? Or are these only shielded on one side?

In any case, if it is the specified grease (Nye Rheolube 374b), it's actually an exceptionally good grease used in machine tools and elsewhere in high temp, high speed applications.

Sorry for the recommendation. I have always had good luck with Enduro bearings, but I order them direct. Radial bearings when properly installed will have a little play at the rim. They won't last long with a preload.

My mistake, after another inspection they are 2RS not SRS, or that is what it says on the seal. So, I'm guessing that 2RS and LLB are the same thing? If that is the case, then why two different annotations for the same thing? The seals are blue in colour. Yes, I removed a seal.

There is no metal snap ring on top of the seal. There is a metal ring within the seal itself and it also seems to have two lips on the inner and outer circumferences of the seals.So, after all that. I guess I have ABEC 3 R6 LLB although the seal is stamped 2RS. Thank you for clarifying a few things for me.

Don't worry about it, it's not your fault

Enduro makes a big deal about using LLB seals as being different from RS seals. Apparently, most RS seals just mate to a flat part on the inner race. Enduro's LLBs have grooves on both the inner and outer race, with the outer race being fixed, and the inner race having it's edge sliced a bit to have two sealing edges.

We may be overthinking this. My advice would be to install these and see if they ride ok. If not, then there's all the time in the world to worry about it.

Indeed

I had difficulty in sourcing decent quality replacements for the stock bearings that came with my wheels, so my previous post to this one, I asked for advice, most of which was helpful, some which was not and some members were their typical, unhelpful selves. All that, along with trying to make sense of what was out there, what the differences were and then getting something I hadn't actually ordered all added up to a lot of headache, confusion and annoyance. I had no such trouble ordering replacements for my rear hub: SKF 6000 2RS. 6000 series bearings are abundant, R6's not so. Also, I was reluctant to buy the Enduro brand of bearings as I know they are just rebranded Japanese bearings and had heard some 'not so good' things about them. It was more of a 'oh, that will do' purchase.

Thanks again