V6 Performance bearing availability...NOT!

[EightSecV6]

As v6 owners, we are limited to performance or race bearings in any size less than .010 under and ONLY with a standard thrust bearing. This means if we are using a steel crank and we spin a bearing or wipe out the thrust and the crank must be cut further than .010, we have to use street bearings which work fine for the purpose intended, BUT they are street bearings.In a high HP application they tend to distort or crush when under load, they are only 1/2 groove as well.We have 2 options at this point, we can gamble with the street bearings or we can replace all the rods with Chevy pieces and cut the crank to the correct journal size as the Chev bearings are available all the way down to .040 under.
I spoke to Mike T from T/A Performance in Salem and he is aware of this issue. He has spoken to Federal Mogul and they have stated if there is enough interest, they would run .020 and .030 bearings (these would be the race bearings 107M and 7120CH part numbers). If any builders are interested, please post up so we can use this thread to support our claim for a need of these bearings.
Thanks!

 

[Grandnat]

As a person who has bought my fair share of bearings, this topic is of interest to me..

so count me in as a "concerned consumer"


also I am sending you a PM on a completely different topic.

 

[MSDGN]

I used both sets of bearings mentioned in my latest build...but aside from that why wouldn't it be a good idea to have all sizes of the performance bearings available...not just for the high HP race motors but even street driven ones...I don't know...does it hurt anything to use the perf bearings in a motor that's primarily street driven but hits the track a few times a year?...is there a downside?...either way I'm for having more sizes available...

 

[EightSecV6]

I used both sets of bearings mentioned in my latest build...but aside from that why wouldn't it be a good idea to have all sizes of the performance bearings available...not just for the high HP race motors but even street driven ones...I don't know...does it hurt anything to use the perf bearings in a motor that's primarily street driven but hits the track a few times a year?...is there a downside?...either way I'm for having more sizes available...

The street bearings have better embedibility so they are recommended for use with cast cranks in a street driven engine. If a piece of trash gets in between the bearing and the crank, the street bearing is much softer and the junk will stick in the bearing and generally not hurt the crank. If you use the race bearing on a cast crank and you get a piece of trash in it, almost always it will score the crank pretty good because the bearing is so hard. I have no problems using race bearings in a street engine with a cast crank but you must keep the oil clean.

 

[Philv6]

What about some bearings in the .001 and .002 size. Why cut a good crank down .010 when a good polish would be all that is needed. Or does anyone know of availability for this size?