Bearing shelf life

[t121anf]

I need to replace the bearing in my steering damper, it’s available to order in Fowlers but not stocked.

eBay has a couple of listings but they are “new old stock” mainly looks like tatty packaging.

Would it be worth paying the extra for one from Fowlers over buying a new old stock one?

I’d still need to get the dust seals from Fowlers as mine have disappearing, and they aren’t listed by the bearing sellers on eBay.

[sickpup]

As long as correctly stored a bearing in packet would last pretty much forever.

[t121anf]

Suppose that’s the risk with eBay, one bag is open, the other is still stapled shut but doesn’t look like it was ever sealed.

[jeffyjeff]

[jeffyjeff]

By the way. If the steering damper has worked the old bearing past its service life, I'd think that the damper itself must be shot by now as well. You might consider replacing the whole assembly. just a thought.
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History shows again and again how nature points out the folly of men - BOC

[xX-Alex-Xx]

[Polarbear]

We had bearings on the spare gear shelves on ships that had been there since the ship was built, in some cases up to 40 years old. I can't remember ever finding one that was unusable.

I might have qualms about using a sealed bearing (ZZ or 2RS) as you can't be sure of the grease condition if it's not from a sealed package and old but an open face one, no problem.
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Triumph Trophy Launch Edition

[sickpup]

[t121anf]

Damper seems fine, probably could do with an oil change but as I’m hardly Rossi I’m not that concerned.

The reason I want the bearing doing is when you go over a bump the vertical movement had increased and it comes down with a bang, it never used to do this.

Got the damper off the bike and the bearing is defo shot, it’s rough and you tell it has too much vertical play, not to mention the missing seals.

Going to order the one from eBay, the saving will pay for the stupidly over priced seals (approx. £12 each)

[steve the grease]

If it's just a regular bearing with seals , can't you get one from somewhere like ' simplybearings' ? Does the bearing have any numbers on it, or are the sizes easily measurable? Dealers often charge silly prices. Starter drop gear cover o ring - dealer 6 or 7 quid. Simply bearings 2 for £1.50
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All the above is my personal opinion, you can see my lips move, but I'm talking out of my arse.
I've been riding, and fixing , bikes for 50 years, in that time the more I learn, the less I am absolutely sure of.....

[Ste]

[WD Forte]

Steering dampers usually use rod end or Heim joint bearings
cant recall ever seeing one with seals on tho'
but that isnt to say they don't exist and some may have a boot on them.
Simply bearings is often my first point of call when looking for bearings
as bikes are made to fit bearings not the other way round.

A clunk when going over bumps makes me suspect other stuff
as a damper is to stop/dampen rapid oscillations not clunks

but as usual, we have no pics, no mention of make model etc................
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bikers smell of wee

[t121anf]

[t121anf]

[t121anf]

[Ste]

Is this it on eBay? https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/154101439707?

[t121anf]

[jaffa90]

Have you considered e-bay no`s.

384607722458

353762134901

[t121anf]

[WD Forte]

Just buy the fecker, stick it on and use the old dust seals if they're largely intact

then you get on and sort the clunk out
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bikers smell of wee

[Ste]

[jeffyjeff]

[xX-Alex-Xx]

[t121anf]

[t121anf]

For anyone interested I didn’t change the bearing in the end, cleaned it up gave it a load of grease and replaced the missing “pillow” seals.

Very little vertical play now, still some as there should be, but I can no longer lift the damper and drop it to hear the clunk I could before.