On a whim I checked the new local auto parts store (Advance Auto parts) to see if they had wheel bearings for my 951 and amazingly they did. The quesiton is the brand is National. I know SKF is the desired brand but does anyone know about National?

Thanks

 

I bought SKF bearings for the 83 from a RL sponsor. I was amazed they were made in Mexico and looked very poorly made compared to the German SKF bearings that I replaced. The cages were thinner and sharp and the bearing fit was pretty loose. SKF makes bearings in many countries; I guess the 944 gets Mexico

 

That does not surprise me, and that is a great example of the difference between an "OE" part and an "OEM" part. Porsche will buy their OE components from a supplier (ie. bearings from SKF). But its not uncommon for Porsche to spec a higher quality or tighter tolerance, then the off the shelf/standard part.

So thats the risk of buying parts from many of the aftermarket vendors - they may be getting the bearings from the OEM supplier, but they are not specifying the Porsche OE specs. For this specific example, I dont know for certain that the Porsche OE wheels bearings are made by SKF in Germany, but I would be surprised if you buy a set from a dealer, in the Porsche box, that says "made in mexico" on it.

Especially when it comes to important parts, like transmission bearings, I would generally recommend going with the actual Porsche bearings from a dealer. Wheel bearings are not as critical. But I am also wondering about the quality differences between rod bearings, main bearings, and piston rings for OE Porsche parts, and the various parts that can be bought for cheaper from other sources....

 

So anyone know anything about the National brand?

 

NAPA sold me a German-made SKF bearing for my early car, it's supposed to cross-reference with a Beetle. I bought this after I discovered that one of the ones Pelican sent me didn't fit on the axle.

 

+1

The same thing happened to me. The cages on the new ones are so thin in comparison to my originals. They were also SKF bearings made in Mexico.

 

national is highly used and ive never had a problem w/ them.

 

Germanys.........have ALWAYS been the "best" at making high quality bearings. Period. DOES it make a REAL difference to YOU? Doubt it! Go for it. Installation processses is what REALLY makes the difference here.

 

me readed that and thunk for minute. then i relized me thinks you meaned to say germans.

and is it what you meand to say "installation" when you sayeded "installation processes"?

cogent thoughts are more comprehendable. me thinks the peoplez on this bored thinks the mexicos dont good bearings make. or be it mexicans done make good bearings?

 

I have to admit I did use the Mexican SKF bearings and my cars pulls to the right every time I pass a taqueria. Other than that they seemed round.

 

I used to work for Advance so I've dealt with a lot of National bearings. The only ones that I've known to fail were severely abused, most of them were guys who had their trucks out mudding and didn't clean and repack their bearings regularly. That being said I have a set of Nationals on the Front of my 944 and all around on my lifted Jeep that I wheel a couple of times a month and I've had absolutely no problems at all.

 

National makes everything from car bearings to ceiling fan bearings to the bearings in my 1955 Johnson outboard. They have been around since the turn of the century and they make pretty decent stuff, an American 'standard' so to speak. Im not sure if they are as nice as OEM skf's though.

 

I owe ya!!!


So what do you think. I bought a set of SKF bearings from Napa from Mexico. Do I return them for Nationals?

 

the only post here with experience with nationals has the off road. there is no experience with mexican skf's off road, and since your car is a track toy i say get the nationals.

 

national is a good quality bearing.....