R51/3 Engine bearings numbers

[johnstas617]

Hi
Online there’s a set of 5 bearings costs 110$+ shipping.
Was thinking maybe locally I can find them cheaper.
Anyone has their code numbers?
Thanks

[schrader7032]

From this page:

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/showpar ... Id=11_2608

a number of bearings are show along with some nomenclature. Not sure which bearings you're referring to, but probably #4 and 14. The identity 6207 MB will mean something to a bearing supply house.

[johnstas617]

I forgot completely about this website
So MB means whether it’s a metal cover bearing or a rubber cover OR OPEN?

[schrader7032]

I googled 6207 MB and come up with "open" ball bearings as a description. But I look on Vech's website and he calls the part number as being "pinned brass cage", so I don't know what to make of it.

[wa1nca]

It is a open cage bearing lubricated by oil feed

The brass bearing is a better bearing but not available during this period

I like Sais website for extra info
Salis website have 2 options
https://www.bmwclassicmotorcycles.com/parts/parts/

Tommy

[malmac]

I have heard that the metal carriers that retain the balls can disintergrate and make a mess of your engine. Always best to pay the extra money and get the brass retainers.

Some savings don't seem like a good idea..... metal reatiners for these old crank bearings being one.

The problem occurs because the crankshaft expands when the engine gets hot and contracts when it cools.
This puts side loading onto the caged balls and this seems to be a significant issue linked to the failures.


Others obviously know more about this than me... so I look forward to reading their advice and thoughts.



Mal

[johnstas617]

Mainly SKF , FAG or timken (paid top dollars for it in my Indian wheel)
In Israel the prices are pretty reasonable and prefer checking locally before buying online.
By the way it’s 6207 & 6203

[808Airhead]

You want to stay away from the plastic caged bearings. I try to buy the new old stock made in Canada/England/USA etc. bearings. The new ones are Korean from FAG. I just trust the older manufacture metallurgy/quality more. It is anecdotal,but modern manufacturing sometimes cuts corners.

[malmac]

You want to stay away from the plastic caged bearings. I try to buy the new old stock made in Canada/England/USA etc. bearings. The new ones are Korean from FAG. I just trust the older manufacture metallurgy/quality more. It is anecdotal,but modern manufacturing sometimes cuts corners.

Thomas

Broardly I agree with you.
Modern manufacturing is generally much more precise and built to finer tolerances.
However with our old bikes I think we want longevity, a quality that is quickly being or has already been discarded onto the design room floor.

Fridges, washing machines and cars - all seem to have a much shorter life expectancy.
My 2008 R1200 GSA is still running fine, though it only has 56,000kms. A nice ride but when the central computer dies or the injectors pack it in, there will come a time when it is not much better than landfill.

Where as the R69s should be repairable for many decades to come.

We might want a bike that is 50 years old but really the price of bikes 10 to 15 years old pretty much says it all. Not worth too much, given how much was paid for them when they were new.

Mal

[stwilliams]

The M on the bearing designation stands for Messingkäfig, which is German for brass cage.

As an aside I have a few spare German FAG 20207 M bearings for the rear of the crank on the R68, R69, R50S and R69S. If anyone needs one, send me a message. These are NOS and NLA as they say.