CGTBrad

1. Looking at PMC, they sell a wheel bearing kit. Would it be in my best interest to buy the whole kit, or just get the guy to re-use the parts?

2. Timken bearings? are they considerable better? Where can I get them, and how much will they cost?

3. Strut mounts. I guess I should get the URq mounts - To find them on PMC I searched for 1983 Coupe QT - $30 or so for each mount - does this sound right? Do i need to order bushings with them, or are they included?

StormChaser404

The UrQ mounts (new Green UrQ mounts) from PMC come with bearings pre installed...

CGTBrad

Sweet - was that the right way I searched for them?

StormChaser404

I searched by part number which is 857 412 323 B for UrQ mounts...

CGTBrad

yep... that's the one -

DBF

IIRC, the PMC kits come with 1 bearing, 2 cir-clips, 1 pinch bolt lock nut, 1 tie rod end lock nut, 1 upper strut lock nut and 1 hub nut. I personally think a guy is better off if he purchases the kit out right. That way you are ensured that about 95% of Murphy's Law is nullified right off the bat. Of course, there are other things that could stall the job, like frozen nuts, torn boots on tie rods and ball joints and so on. Any bearing job I have ever done have always been done as cheap as possible. As I have said in previous posts, I will be changing the front bearings on my car soon. I have the bearings (Ebay) and must now source the other parts of the puzzle. I too will bring my car to a wrencher for the job. I'm not doing it in my driveway!!

As for the Timken bearings, I got mine last week. To say they are better quality the *** or SKF, I don't know. All I can tell you is, they are old. I suspect they came out of a dank old storeroom somewhere because they have that old grandmother smell on the box! They were in the original packaging with no sign of corrosion or damage. I asked a couple of guys at work who are diesel mechanics and they said Timken are outstanding marine bearings. Only time will tell how they fair off in the coupe. Try their website.

I investigated urq strut bearings for my '82 and searched the same way you did. By the picture, it appears the mount and bearing are all one piece, as are the ones for our coupes and 4k's.

Hope this helps. BTW, it's time for a new sig pic. How about that slick car of yours parked by the gates of Graceland?!

Dan

CGTBrad

Graceland is in Memphis - There is nothing nice here to take pictures in front of except...
Well let's see, we have the worlds largest cedar bucket.

Jeff Doble

Well I can't say if Timken bearings are good or not but I can tell you SKF bearings are! It so happens that I work as an engineer for SKF so I have some bearing experience to speak from

Concerning old bearings you must be somewhat careful. Here's a cut and paste from a form letter we sometimes send to customers/distributors concerning the subject:

For closed bearings (double sealed or double shielded) that contain an SKF specified grease and are still in their original, unbroken packaging, the guaranteed shelf life is 5 years. After this time the oil may bleed out of the grease yielding it ineffective for lubricating the bearing. If the grease is a special grease specified by the customer, the shelf life depends on the manufacturer's stated shelf life of the grease. Generally, a minimum shelf life of two years can be expected in all cases.

Open bearings that remain in their original, unbroken packages are guaranteed for 8 years. The shelf life of open bearings is based on the corrosion protectant's ability to continue to protect the bearing surfaces. In addition, bearings older than 8 years may be made obsolete by newer bearings that benefit from improved design and manufacture.

All bearings should be stored in a protected area that is relatively vibration and dirt free and not subject to extreme temperatures or excessive humidity. Although these are the shelf lives of SKF bearings, SKF does not accept bearings older than 5 years (based on the bearing box date) for return.

JD

Jeff Doble

SKF bearings almost always have date codes on them to identify when they were manufactured. I can help decipher them if need be.

JD