OT $106 bearing adjustment

So....about that $106 disc bearing I bought last week. Today I stopped at the big farm supply store between here and the stockyard where I usually get that stuff. I took the pieces of the old bearing and one new bearing that I wanted another one of. Only difference between these bearings is the width of the outside race. One is a number W208,the other a W209. He had the 208,it was $21.90. Said he was out of the 209s but said he was just going to order bearings,he'd get a couple of extras for me. I told him what I'd paid at the auto parts store. He said he didn't know exactly what the price would be,but it sure wouldn't be that much.
On the way home,I stopped at the auto parts store to get some oil and filters and the manager waited on me. I asked him if the price I'd been charged was right? Showed him the reciept for the $21.90 bearing I'd just bought. He said no. Didn't know how much it should be but that couldn't be right. Said he'd check in to it. Meantime,when he totaled things up today he refunded the whole $106 and charged me 30 for it. Said it was probably some old stock that the former owner had anyway. Said he'd adjust it to what it should be when he found out. Made me feel a little better anyway. Unless he finds out the $106 was right.

I ran into a similar thing on the bearings for my hay rake. Factory bearing is out of this world... Napa was in the $50+ range, for a generic bearing. Figured out that a bolt, and a washer for a shim, and I could fabricate with generic bearing... Bought a handful on line, plus shipping for NAPA"s price. Complete assembly home made was less that $10 each. Yes, I did have to drill out the center of the washer, used as a shim, and I had to saw off the threads a bit on the bolt. Nothing that a cheap fermer like me couldn"t do with basic shop tools.

I sure miss Sacketts at a time like this. Got the cheap one today at Fowlers in Ithica. Russ has pretty much all the same things they had,just a little longer drive. Interesting to walk around the store and look at some of the old stuff that's been collecting dust for 40 years too. About like going to a flea market.

Yeah, every time you have a breakdown it's a trip out of the area, and/or several days wait for parts.

Oh yeah,

The new "screw yer neighbor" tactic. "Let's see if we can slip this one by him".

Seeing this more and more lately; especially from parts houses. Gotta watch 'em like a hawk.

Allan

Not sure if this is the bearing you need or not, but here is a really cheap one of that number.

We use a lot of those 1 1/2" round shaft bearings for the big Krause disc. Dad ordered some really cheap ones from a catalog. Even though they fit, they were crude and didn't last too well.

Seems like with all the cheap stuff flooding in - there is a wide range of quality versus price.

I don't see how in the world anyone can make something as precision as a bearing like in the link and still make any money at those prices...

I hate getting ripped off at the parts store as bad as anyone - it is just interesting what you run into while trying to chase down the best bang for your buck!


Howard
Cheap Bearings

I didn"t understand what " watch like a hawk", until I was driving home, witness to a redtail looming from a powerline, searching for mice in a shaven alfalfa field.

Thanks for giving that a moment,

D.

The same thing happened to me back in the early 80ies. I bought new bearings to rebuild a Delaval vacum pump. I got them from the dealer and paid 35 dollars a piece. I was putting them in when another dealer stoped by to try to sell me a pipeline and he said. O I see you went to the auto parts store and got your bearings. I told him where I got them and what I paid and he told me that he can buy the same bearing for 3 dollars. He said that the dealer was buying a 3 dollar bearing and charging me the Delaval book price. The next day I went to the auto parts store and bought two bearings and took them back to the dealer and got my 70 dollars back. There is no reason for anyone to hose anyone like that.

Bob

We have ordered bearing from this company for several year good prices and honest get them up on line call them and they are on the way. Most always US made Ordered all of the bearings for complete overhaul of New Holland Baler. gitrib
all size of bearing

(quoted from post at 17:08:00 03/26/12)There is no reason for anyone to hose anyone like that.

Bob

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Hey... That's free market Bubba!!! Orb whatever disguise you wanna give it....... Youn want socialized (universal) prices on your stuff, move to russia...

Guy's like you are who makes the local dealers go broke.... Support the mom & pop, local guy, or just the little guy in general, no matter how muck lube you gotta use.......

That shoulda covered it....... Good job.

Usually when I get hosed like that, I am expecting it, just get surprised sometimes by the amount.

When I am doing planned repairs/maintenance, I try to get everything from a bearing supply house or similar source. When I am in a hurry and don't want to spend half a day or drive forty miles, I take my chances locally.

Last winter I paid $49.95 each for 1 inch pillow block bearings for my sander, because I needed them RIGHT NOW. They are around $10 online or at the bearing house.

"These are the special ones, they have the grease fitting in the bottom. The others are only $29.95"

I was thinking I needed a grease fitting in MY bottom.

If I had been thinking a little more clearly, I could have bought the cheaper ones and swapped out the bearings themselves.

I have worked for a major bearing supply business
with 10 branch"s in Minnesota,Iowa,Wisconsin.
When comparing Apples to Oranges, BE AWARE !!!!!!
A Chinese Bearing may be made of our old scrap,
with everything from coat hangers, to car fenders
going into the melting pot, VERSIS an American
bearing made from highly controlled precision
grade steel, made by americans, with the same
standard of living, as us!
Thus,There may be a difference in price, but it
gives no excuse for the dealer who screws his
customers.

I remember seeing a farmer get burnt on a sprocket at the local NH dealer a couple years back. He needed it for a hay roller and he had hay down at the time. $281 for a sprocket that would fit in your hand. I don't see how that dealer can sleep at night. I have one Ford tractor that needed a starter relay. $16 online, $81 at his shop. And because of that dealer's ways, I will likely never own a NH product.

Dave thanks for the reply. but to set the record stright the Delavle dealer is the big guy with 6 stores and the auto supply is a mom and pop operation. Also the auto supply is in my home town and the other was in the next county.

Bob

(quoted from post at 12:00:24 03/27/12) Dave thanks for the reply. but to set the record stright the Delavle dealer is the big guy with 6 stores and the auto supply is a mom and pop operation. Also the auto supply is in my home town and the other was in the next county.

Bob

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That was sarcasm at it's best :roll: Just tryin to beat some of the other folks that were sure to jump in... Figured if I used all thier words up right away, they wouldn't have nuttin to say..... Looks like it worked.....
I have a kinda rule that I'll tolerate 30% from the local folks (over what I can get something for on the internet). Only because there is a 19% sales tax that I don't have to pay unless I want to....... I look at loyalty as a 2 way street. If I'm gonna be a loyal customer, they should return that loyalty in the form of a fair price.

Graygoat,
Can you name all of the American bearing manufacturers in the US? Not buildings actual manufacturing facilities.

FAG/INA aka Schaeffler (Germany), SKF Sweden IIRC.

Only bearing manufacturing I can think of is Sandusky Ohio, old Dephi plant. Making automotive wheel bearings. Sad but I think most bearings are off-shore.

Rick

How about Timken?