GS1000 alternative transmission bearings.

[Agemax]

Been searching to see if i can source the transmission bearings from somewhere other than OEM. Has anybody had any luck with this?
I have found the correct bearings, with the C clip locating groove but they dont have the locating pin. Is this pin really necessary , with a dab of bearing fit, will these bearings actually spin?
The bearings i have found are roughly half the price of OEM items and are SKF, not cheap chinese poop.
For information, 6305NR is the bearing nearest the drive sprocket, 6204NR on the other end of the output shaft.

 

[fastbysuzuki]

I think you will be very lucky to find them with the pin other than Oem or an other automotive fitting and from those suppliers the price is always at a premium.
As you say the pin is there to ensure the possibility of the bearing spinning does not happen there are some very good Loctite products to hold the bearing outer it depends on are you prepared to risk it.
good luck with the search for a pinned one.

loctite link for 638. http://www.loctite.co.uk/retaining-9171.htm

 

[bobgroger]

Been searching to see if i can source the transmission bearings from somewhere other than OEM. Has anybody had any luck with this?
I have found the correct bearings, with the C clip locating groove but they dont have the locating pin. Is this pin really necessary , with a dab of bearing fit, will these bearings actually spin?
The bearings i have found are roughly half the price of OEM items and are SKF, not cheap chinese poop.
For information, 6305NR is the bearing nearest the drive sprocket, 6204NR on the other end of the output shaft.

Might check out what these guys can do http://www.worldwidebearings.com/motorcycle.htm

 

[Agemax]

Might check out what these guys can do http://www.worldwidebearings.com/motorcycle.htm

Maybe worth a try, but if they can supply them it would probably work out more expensive than OEM with shipping to the UK.
Thanks anyway.

 

[Nessism]

Before ordering any bearings you need to figure out the clearance rating, denoted with a C. If the clearance of the new bearing is too tight it will bind and fail in short order. Personally, I'd just order the proper bearings with the pin.

 

[Agemax]

Before ordering any bearings you need to figure out the clearance rating, denoted with a C. If the clearance of the new bearing is too tight it will bind and fail in short order. Personally, I'd just order the proper bearings with the pin.

They are C3 clearance rating.

 

[GregT]

They are C3 clearance rating.

You should be OK with those and the appropriate loctite.

There's a guy local to me who has drilled bearing outers and fitted rollpins for me on engines for which the OE bearings were no longer available.
A carbide drill will do it. So you do have that alternative.

The only caveat I have is if you have the correct type of bearing. I've not had to replace a gearbox bearing on a GS but Honda for instance often use angular contact bearings in those locations. Have you checked any numbers on the OE bearings ?

 

[Agemax]

i have cross referenced the numbers on OEM bearings, they all tally up with normal deep groove bearings.
However,some manufacturers have 9 balls instead of 7, could be better for spreading the load i guess....

 

[Nessism]

i have cross referenced the numbers on OEM bearings, they all tally up with normal deep groove bearings.
However,some manufacturers have 9 balls instead of 7, could be better for spreading the load i guess....

Depends on the load rating. More balls means a higher rating. Most of the time you can get the load rating from the bearing data sheet, assuming you can find one from 35 years ago that is. If you match the number of balls and clearance from the old bearing you should be fine as long as you are using a known brand bearing (not generic).

 

[Agemax]

Depends on the load rating. More balls means a higher rating. Most of the time you can get the load rating from the bearing data sheet, assuming you can find one from 35 years ago that is. If you match the number of balls and clearance from the old bearing you should be fine as long as you are using a known brand bearing (not generic).

You wont get a data sheet from the oem bearings as they were specially made for Suzuki. If the bearings on sale now have more balls, a higher load rating can only be good!

 

[bwringer]

For a little perspective, here are the prices of these bearings from my usual Suzuki bits supplier here in the US. You need two of each (unless you're not replacing the ones on the countershaft), so the total here in the US of A would be $109.78 plus shipping.

What do they charge for these over in the UK?

Personally, I wouldn't risk it unless the OEM bearings were totally NLA. $55 or so (or whatever that is in quids or euro) nowhere near enough money to take the chance of doing the job over or destroying a transmission.


09262-25105
$35.79


09262-20044
$19.10

 

[Agemax]

Here in the Uk they are ?31.88 and ?30.65 each, + the dreaded 20%vat.
It is not so much the cost, just i would have thought you guys in the racing fraternity who have built some respectable power output GS motors over the last few decades, would have found a suitable upgraded alternative to the OEM bearings.
I will probably end up buying OEM as i would like to replace all 4 just for piece of mind but i would have been swayed by a cheaper, upgraded alternative if there was any available.

 

[bwringer]

It looks like the exact same bearings are used in the 16-valve GS1100E engine, which is still widely used for drag racing.

There's a heavy-duty bearing kit available from Schnitz for the GS1100E, and they do ship worldwide:
https://store.schnitzracing.com/wwb-heavy-duty-transmission-bearings-suzuki-gs1100/

I don't know anything about these bearings -- whether this is an upgrade from stock or just a replacement, or whether these bearings are drilled for the pins or not, etc. You'd have to ask Schnitz or one of the drag racers on this site (like RapidRay) But maybe this will give you another angle to investigate.