Under hard use any alumimium type bearing is prone to shedding the surface.
In practice this means a TR6 will more than likely run with these type
bearings for years if used "normally". If you want to go racing, use high
revs a lot or just want bearings that are very slightly less likely to fail
then get some lead type ones.
Some years ago Heritage had a run of Vandervall mains done and as they were
quite expensive there are probably plenty left, I don't know they are any
better than the King heavy duty.
For the big ends you can use Glacier lead coppers which were made for the
diesel engine version of the MGB engine (possibly some small modifications
required), or again King heavy duty. (Strictly speaking the MGB type are for
a crank about .001" bigger but it doesn't seem to matter in practice).
Note that all TR5 and 6 bearings are the same as Spitfire IV and 1500 so a
big end set should cost 1.5 times a Spitfire one, and the mains 1.33 times
as much. TRF will certainly tell you the truth about the spec of their
bearings, some other suppliers probably aren't aware of any differences. As
the bearings themselves don't weigh very much you could order them from the
UK, to distinguish lead type from aluminium I suffixed part numbers with an
OE for original specification and you can search teh Canley Classics website
for prices. From memory the part numbers are 149081 and 149082 (these are 6
cylinder sets, TR5/6, Vitesse, GT6, 2000, 2500), Spitfire ones are RTC1753
and RTC1754. Somebody has tidied my desk and put my catalogue away.
John Kipping
----- Original Message -----
From: "MARK J WEATHERS" <markjwea@email.msn.com>
To: "riverside" <riverside@Cedar-Rapids.net>; "fot" <fot@autox.team.net>
Sent: Tuesday, April 27, 2004 11:57 PM
Subject: Re: king bearings
> Amici, I am trying to get my head around all the bearing discussions so I
> can order a set for my TR6 but I have a few questions.
>
> Let me see if I have the story straight:
>
> 1. Cast lead matrix bearings are better for racing application than
sintered
> aluminum, but hard to find.
> 2. Cast lead, tri-metal and lead bronze essentially are the same animal,
> main difference is that they do not use aluminum as the matrix.
> 3. Vandervall are the preferred choice, but not sure if they are
available,
> John Kipping do you know if Heritage stilll supplies?
> 4. King makes bearings, of which some are heavy duty applications. John K
> recommends KIng heavy duty. TRF supplies King, not sure if they are
regular
> or heavy duty. Art D, did you ever find out if King has the heavy duty
> version for TRs?
> 5. There may be a heavy duty Glacier or Vandervall for MGB or Metro
Turbo(?)
> that would fit. I talked to Bob Yarwood, who Babcock said may have a
supply
> of TR Vandervall equivalents, he had none for TR6 and recommended using
MGB
> (gag). He said they were slightly wider but the only mod required was
> grinding a new place for the locating tab. I assume this is the same
> approach as John K mentioned.
> 6. Clevite 77 bearings are trimetal, but only aluminum ones are made for
> TRs.
>
> Can anyone shed light on this?
>
> Thanks
> Mark
> 72 TR6
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "riverside" <riverside@Cedar-Rapids.net>
> To: "fot" <fot@autox.team.net>
> Sent: Friday, April 23, 2004 4:10 PM
> Subject: king bearings
>
>
> > I have had some more time plowing thru the king baearing book and need
> > to amend my previous posting. They have 5 series of bearings and the
only
> > ones supplied for TR's is the AM series which is the alecular material
> over
> > steel.
> > pics of those bearings show a copper colored finish. I will send them
an
> > inquiry
> > as to how the AM series differs from the HP (competition) series. From
> one of
> > the
> > brochures, the HP's have some features that are supposed to please the
> > machinist
> > saving the thrust surface on an old crank, but there is bound to be more
> to
> > the story.
> >
> > art d
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