Thread: Chinese and American trailer wheel bearings

Originally Posted by PhilipA

I try to use Timkin in my trailer but I have to question really if it matters on a boat trailer .

Regards Philip A

P.A You wouldn't say that if you had an experience like mine with cheaper quality bearings, I had my trailer wheel depart and overtake my tow vehicle. My bearings usually last as i pump home with grease regulary Also a boat on a trailer is a lot heavier than your usual box trailer, and you can be 100kms from home on a fishing trip.
I am not a tight arse, so I prefer to buy the better quality ones, I have been supplied bearings from boat dealers in the past and they were unknown brands, they failed and it wasn't from salt water immersion or incorrect greasing, it was from metal fatigue.

The original post was about them charging $1 more for the cheaper (inferior) quality home brand.

Originally Posted by Roverlord off road spares

Not talking Bonds, which is a brand. I said Home brand Aka Generic versus a brand. The SCA are not Timkin bearings made in China, they are their in house brand.

I understand the difference you refer to.

I'm just pointing out that people are still willing to buy products at a high price point regularly even if the cost to produce is now significantly cheaper eg. bonds from China vs Bonds from Australia..

ARB did something similar with their Thailand manufacturing facility. Aussies weren't willing to fit $2k+ worth of suspension or $2k worth of Bullbar to a $2k 60 series or MQ Patrol so they started making a cheaper range in Thailand and sell them at an appropriately lower cost in Australia. All their recent/current model product line remains manufactured in Victoria..

The market bears what it can, people will pay what they perceive as value (rightly or wrongly) - it's the very business model that defines models of vehicles and feature sets - colour coding, keyless, reverse cam, seat memory, Nav screens etc... Example: A Garmin is $400 and factory Nav is $4500... Pressing a button is free, pulling a door handle to unlock and open is $5k

There are people out there who have had a bad experience with SKF but like Timken and vice versa.. and I know there are people who have used other brands with great success... a lot comes down to personal experience with them and servicing methodology.

Others - total junk.....

I guess the biggest benefit to Timken and SKF is consistency in the product.

Mario, I know that Supercheap had a special on Timken recently so maybe it is still on. I went there and wondered if it was worthwhile getting 2 kits while they were cheap as they don't do parallel kits.

You can only go by your experience and your experience tells you Timken, as it does me.

Regards Philip A