Which bearings brand is the best?

If your vehicle is giving some of the tell-tale signs that your wheel bearings may be beginning to fail then it&#;s important to get them changed as soon as possible. Failure to do so can be costly, not only in terms of the issues that failing wheel bearings can generate but also for safety reasons.

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While wheel bearings are designed to last for up to 100,000 miles, for all kinds of reasons, they can wear out before they reach that kind of service life. Therefore, it&#;s important to check their condition and replace any bearings that are showing signs of wear.

Wheel bearings are part of a group of vehicle components that have a core safety relevance. This means inferior materials, variations in quality, or malfunctions can all have a dramatic effect. In extreme cases, it can even mean the loss of a wheel. For that reason, components of inferior quality or of untested origin shouldn&#;t be used.

The quality of the materials and the manufacturing process can have an effect on the longevity of wheel bearings. Different manufacturers have varying standards and this will be reflected in the price that you&#;ll pay for your wheel bearings.

All the wheel bearings we sell at CV Hubs & Bearings are carefully selected for their performance and durability. We only sell wheel bearings that we ourselves trust and recommend, meaning that whichever bearings you choose from our extensive range, you&#;re guaranteed the same high quality.

So, how do different brands compare to one another and which is the best brand overall?

Here we&#;ll take a look at some of the most popular and trusted wheel bearing brands and find out how they can be expected to perform.

What are OE parts?

HGV manufacturers don&#;t manufacture HGV parts, they manufacture HGVs. This means they mostly assemble HGV parts that are bought from HGV manufacturers. OE stands for &#;Original Equipment&#;, and this refers to the factory fitted part.

Vehicle parts manufacturers who supply parts directly to car and HGV manufacturers are referred to as OEM which stands for &#;Original Equipment Manufacturers&#;. An OE part refers to any part that is the same as a factory-fitted part, but it won&#;t usually be manufactured by the vehicle manufacturers themselves.

As OE refers to an original part they are considered to be the best in terms of their quality and durability. The OE must adhere to the original specification of the vehicle manufacturer.

FAG

FAG bearings have a long history. They originally started production in Germany in , before opening their first overseas factory in Llanelli, Wales in . They have since gone on to build manufacturing facilities right across the world.

The Schaeffler Group are manufacturers and distributors of the FAG Bearing brand. They are widely regarded as industry leaders, creating superior quality products. Their bearings are manufactured to OE standards and are easy to use. Their range of products is extensive, meaning that whatever your vehicle or particular needs, you&#;re likely to find a FAG product for the job.

FAG was the first company to mass produce wheel bearings, and has evolved to become one of the largest and most successful manufacturers of precision bearings for the automotive, engineering and aerospace industries.

The innovation of Friedrich Fischer continues today in products for commercial vehicles such as the FAG Repair Insert Unit (RIU):

&#; Avoids the cost of a complete hub.
&#; Time and cost-efficient replacement solution.
&#; Easy, trouble-free mounting.
&#; Pre-assembled and lubricated.
&#; Comes complete with fitting tool, technical brochure and fitting instructions.
&#; RIUs are available for DAF, MAN, Scania, Mercedes Truck, SAF, Schmitz Cargobull, Renault and Volvo hub assemblies.

The FAG SmartSET range of bearings is a ready-to-fit repair solution for trucks, buses and trailers. These can be fitted faster than conventional wheel bearings without losing anything in the way of precision. Supplied as a ready to fit wheel bearing set with both inboard and outboard bearing units, it&#;s suitable for all axled designs, both with oil and grease lubrication.

The FAG Truck Axle Module (TAM) is a complete wheel hub. It consists of a hub flange, integrated roller bearings and an ABS encoder ring. This is preassembled at the factory and ready for fitting.

At CV Hubs & Bearings, we stock a vast range of FAG bearings suitable for the widest range of vehicles. We trust them as a brand and can vouch for their quality and reliability.

SKF

SKF are a company founded in Sweden at the beginning of the 20th century and now operate globally. They are recognised for their high-quality manufacturing techniques, commitment to quality and innovation and the overall reliability of their products.

SKF Bearings are premium parts that are produced using high-quality steel and surface finishes, premium seals, factory-grade sensors and precision manufacturing techniques. They are rigorously tested to OE specifications, for their function, form and fit. They&#;re easy to install, lubricated for life and pre-adjusted. They also offer a broad range of hub bearings and kits making finding quality replacement parts easy.

SKF wheel bearing and hub assemblies include everything that&#;s required to complete the fitting. Depending on the particular kit purchased, it may include bearing and flange, axle-nut, circlip, O-ring, seal as well as other parts.

At CV Hubs & Bearings, we stock an extensive range of SKF bearings including a number of wheel bearing kits.

SKF Cassette Bearing VKBA includes every component required for a complete wheel bearing replacement. It comes complete with a 100,000 mile / 2-year warranty.

Another easy to use option is the SKF Truck Axle Module VKBA. It includes an SKF wheel bearing unit for optimised performance and every component that you need to complete a replacement.

Combining ease of use, an extensive range and a commitment to safety and quality, CV Hubs & Bearings have no hesitation in recommending SKF products.

Timken

The Timken Company is a global manufacturer of bearings and power transmission products. Founded in the US in it now has a presence in 42 countries. The Timken bearings range are manufactured from heavy-duty materials and can withstand high levels of stress and vehicle wear and tear.

Timken bearings are quick and easy to install and manufactured to OE standards. Their expert construction makes them tough to beat in terms of reliability and durability. Using high-quality steel alloys they are incredibly strong and dependable.

Timken Wheel Bearing SET is a closed bearing unit with integrated rotary shaft seals. Because it&#;s pre-loaded at the factory, this truck hub unit (THU) is completely maintenance-free and features a predefined bearing clearance.

The Timken Wheel-Pac&#; SET makes life easy. It&#;s a pre-set, pre-greased, pre-sealed integrated bearing assembly providing outstanding wheel end performance for commercial vehicle trucks and trailers. Wheel-Pac has been customised to suit the truck builder&#;s preferred hub design.

skf supply professional and honest service.

The Timken range has stood the test of time and is well-regarded across the haulage industry. For that reason, we supply an extensive range of Timken products to our customers.

Brands you can trust

Different brands have different strengths and weaknesses, but every brand that we stock at CV Hubs & Bearings have been carefully selected for quality. Every product we sell has to meet the highest standards of reliability and performance.

As a one-stop shop for bearings and related products, our reputation has been built on the quality of the products that we supply. Our continued dedication to innovative products and commitment to excellence has allowed us to grow from a small family business to now having our own purpose-built workshop and warehouse.

FAG, SKF and Timken all manufacture outstanding bearings and other products that can be relied upon to cope with the stresses and strains of heavy goods transit.

We&#;re always happy to offer advice and answer any questions you might have. Take a look at our range or contact us to find out more.

Bearing is an important component for machinery and equipment industry. Its main function is to support the mechanical rotating body, reduce the friction coefficient during its movement, and ensure its rotation accuracy. This article probes insight on comprehensive information such as the popularity of the bearing brand, the number of employees and the scale of corporate assets, and get the list of top 10 bearing companies in the world.

NO. 1: SKF Group

SKF stands for Svenska Kullagerfabriken in Swedish, it means Swedish Ball Bearing Factory in English. Founded in , SKF is the largest bearing manufacturer in the world now, with over 40,000 employees worldwide. SKF also is one of the world&#;s top 10 bearing brands. It has over 85 manufacturing units and has the largest industrial distributor network in the world.

The SKF Group (open in new tab) is a leading supplier of rolling bearings, bearing housings, bearing units, seals, lubrication systems, drives and motion control products in the world. SKF annual revenue for was 9.53 billion US dollars. It increased 16.8% compared to .

NO. 2: Schaeffler Group

Schaeffler Group is a one of the world&#;s largest manufacturers of rolling element bearings for automotive, aerospace and industrial uses in Germany. They have 3 famous brands which are INA, LuK and FAG. INA and FAG are among the top 10 bearing brands in the world. Their sales revenue is approximately 13.9 billion Euros in . The number of their employees is around 83,000.

Schaeffler Group is most known for its needle roller bearings. By , it has sold more than 100 billion of needle roller bearings in various types. The needle roller bearings are used everywhere, from electrified transmissions to lightweight robots.

NO. 3: The Timken Company

The Timken Company is a global manufacturer of bearings and power transmission products. It was founded in by Henry Timken in United States. It has around 20,500 employees (), and the revenue is 3.51 billion of US dollars in .

Timken not only manufactures bearings, but also produce gear drives, automated lubrication systems, belts, chain, couplings and linear motion products. The also provide a spectrum of powertrain rebuild and repair services.

NO. 4: NSK Ltd.

Founded in in Japan, NSK (open in new tab) is one of the world&#;s largest manufacturers of bearings, linear technology and steering systems. It is the first manufacturer in Japan to design and produce bearings. At present, NSK has established a sales network in more than 30 countries and regions around the world, and has around 70 factories, ranking among the top in the world. In the early s, NSK established a sales company in Michigan, USA. Starting from this, NSK officially started to establish and operate overseas business outlets.

NSK has two core business divisions &#; Industrial Machinery Division (Industrial Machinery Bearings, Precision Products) and Automotive Products Division (Automotive Bearings, Auto Parts). NSK implements a three-in-one management system with business divisions as the axis, production, sales, and technology. It implements the responsibility system of each division to formulate business growth strategies and profitability improvement measures.

NO. 5: NTN Corporation

Founded in , NTN corporation (open in new tab) is one of the world&#;s largest bearing manufacturers in Japan. Through over 100 years&#; development, NTN has become the world&#;s third largest comprehensive bearing manufacturer, the world&#;s second largest constant velocity joint manufacturer and the world&#;s largest automobile wheel bearing manufacturer. Its products are widely used in various fields of industrial sectors, such as orbital satellites, aviation, railways and automobiles, office equipment and food machinery.

NTN Corporation has over 23,300 employees (), and the net sales over 562 billion Yen in . NTN&#;s various bearing products are produced by high-precision machining and testing technology in units of 0.01 micron. From ordinary household appliances that require both high performance and low cost, to aerospace rockets that require normal bearing functions in harsh working environments, NTN bearings have laid the foundation for the development of machinery in all walks of industries and various uses.

NO. 6: JTEKT Corporation

JTEKT Corporation (open in new tab) was created in upon the merger of Koyo Seiko Co. and Toyoda Machine Works. Its parent organization is Toyota group. It has brands of JTEKT, Koyo and Toyoda, etc. It has over 50,000 employees globally.

Koyo is a one of the top 10 bearing brands in the world, and Koyo Seiko co., Ltd is one of the top 4 bearing manufacturers in Japan. The main products of KOYO bearings are: rolling bearings, deep groove ball bearings, high-precision bearings, self-aligning bearings, seated bearings, plane ball bearings, short cylindrical roller bearings, linear guide bearings, ball screw bearings, miniature linear guide bearings, crossed roller guide bearings, and reciprocating rotating bushing bearings.

NO. 7: IKO Nippon Thompson

Founded in , IKO is a professional bearing manufacturer with a history of more than 70 years. Now, IKO is a registered trademark of Nippon Thomson Corporation of Japan. &#;IKO&#; stands for &#;Innovation, Know-how & Originality&#;. It is a technology development-oriented industrial accessories manufacturer. Their products are mainly needle bearings and guide rails.

Their products are used in a wide range of industries such as automobiles, motorcycles, printing machinery, industrial robots and construction equipment.

NO. 8: Nachi-Fujikoshi Corp.

Nachi-Fujikoshi Corp. is founded in in Toyama, Japan. It is committed to the development of mechanical technology and machinery manufacturing. Its consolidated net sales is over 2,200 million US dollars (), and it has over 7,000 employees worldwide.

It has 3 major machinery manufacturing businesses including machine tools, functional parts, and materials. Nachi Bearing is one of the top 4 bearing brands in Japan, the other 3 brands are Toyo, IKO and NTN. Nachi&#;s main bearing products are deep groove ball bearings, angular contact ball bearings, self-aligning ball bearings, cylindrical roller bearings, tapered roller bearings, four-row tapered roller bearings, spherical roller bearings, thrust ball bearings and spherical roller thrust bearings. They are widely used in various industries.

NO. 9: NMB Technologies Corporation

Founded in , NMB Technologies Corporation (open in new tab) was formerly known as Nippon Miniature Bearing Co., Ltd. Now, it is a MinebeaMitsumi Group Company. It is a comprehensive component manufacturer mainly producing bearings, micro motors, semiconductor components and electronic components.

NMB Bearing is the world&#;s largest manufacturer of micro ball bearings. It high-precision bearing are widely used in the drive and transmission of video recorders, air conditioners, vacuum cleaners, automotive motors, medical machinery and computer peripheral hardware. Especially in high-speed and high-precision products, it is the industry leader.

NO. 10: RBC Bearings Inc

Founded in , RBC Bearing Inc (open in new tab) was formerly known as Roller Bearing Company of American (Roller Bearing Co., Ltd.) in New Jersey, USA. It mainly manufactures various bearings and related products.

In , RBC acquired California-based Industrial Construction Bearings (ITB) who was established in . ITB manufactures a complete range of thin-walled ball bearings, which are high-precision bearings, often made of special materials. It helped RBC successfully enter the aerospace and defense industry market, winning huge profits.

RBC&#;s main products include: ball bearings, end rod bearings, roller bearings, ball screws, thin-walled ball bearings, spherical plain bearings, tapered roller bearings and tapered roller thrust bearings, airframe control bearings, self-lubricating plane bearings and special bearings. These bearings are mainly used in aerospace, military technology, mining, transportation, packaging, robotics, semiconductor processing equipment, construction machinery and other fields.

Conclusion

This post has walked you through the top 10 bearing companies in world from some aspects. There are still some bearing companies who are larger or stronger than some of these bearing companies listed here. There are thousands of bearing manufacturers across the world. Different companies have different strategic positioning and advantages. If you are looking for miniature ball bearing manufacturers in China, Fitrun Bearing is your best choice to meet your high quality and cost-effective requirements.

Are you interested in learning more about Ball Bearings Supplier? Contact us today to secure an expert consultation!