Why do experienced car owners look for Soviet bearings at flea markets?
- October 5, 2023
- 0
Every car enthusiast knows that bearings differ only in size, so you can select the one you need for a specific purpose and car model based on the
Every car enthusiast knows that bearings differ only in size, so you can select the one you need for a specific purpose and car model based on the VIN code or simply by image and similarity. However, experienced drivers try to buy Soviet cars, sometimes even overpaying for parts that have been lying on garage shelves and sheds for decades. Why, the portal “AvtoVzglyad” discovered.
It is customary to slander Soviet industry in vain and regularly and periodically criticize it. Often – quite rightly so. There are few fans of Soviet shoes or clothes. The furniture was ugly, heavy, but very reliable. For centuries! Soviet watches, scales and tools did not shine with diversity, but their quality was many times higher than that of their competitors. Let’s be honest: it wasn’t all bad. Some products are still prized and sold at much higher prices than flashy Chinese new products. And even more expensive than modern Russian products, produced, it seems, by the same people in the same factories.
Bearings for example. There are a dozen of them in every car: from the engine and gearbox to the suspension. They change as they wear, which is communicated to the driver with an elongated squeak. If you don’t replace it in time, it will get stuck, interrupting the ‘flight’. The easiest way to find a new one is the part number, which is easily recognized by the car’s VIN code.
However, experienced drivers prefer not to waste time choosing between Chinese “analogues” and money on a hugely expensive original. They are specifically looking for a Soviet bearing of the right size: if it is thoroughly washed and you do not skimp on special lubricant, it will last longer than the “official” spare part. And the costs will be many times cheaper.
It cannot be said that all Soviet ball bearing factories were related to the defense industry. Many dealt exclusively with products for peaceful purposes and did not supply military transporters.
However, another explanation is true: Soviet bearings were made of high-quality steel, strictly adhered to the parameters and could work under heavy loads for decades. Much longer than Chinese crafts made of ‘rough’ – medium hardened metal – or modern Russian ones, made of who knows what.
Even an old but unused bearing can be washed in kerosene, cleaned, thrown in a good amount of grease and installed in a car of any brand – it will not be counterfeited. Therefore, they buy them in markets, carefully examining the signs of use. However, battered specimens are also sold: craftsmen forge knives from them, which turn out to be of very, very high quality. The steel is Soviet!
Photo from social networks.
It is customary to slander Soviet industry in vain and regularly and periodically criticize it. Often – quite rightly so. There are few fans of Soviet shoes or clothes. The furniture was ugly, heavy, but very reliable. For centuries! Soviet watches, scales and tools did not shine with diversity, but their quality was many times higher than that of their competitors. Let’s be honest: it wasn’t all bad. Some products are still prized and sold at much higher prices than flashy Chinese new products. And even more expensive than modern Russian products, produced, it seems, by the same people in the same factories.
Bearings for example. There are a dozen of them in every car: from the engine and gearbox to the suspension. They change as they wear, which is communicated to the driver with an elongated squeak. If you don’t replace it in time, it will get stuck, interrupting the ‘flight’. The easiest way to find a new one is the part number, which is easily recognized by the car’s VIN code.
However, experienced drivers prefer not to waste time choosing between Chinese “analogues” and money on a hugely expensive original. They are specifically looking for a Soviet bearing of the right size: if it is thoroughly washed and you do not skimp on special lubricant, it will last longer than the “official” spare part. And the costs will be many times cheaper.
It cannot be said that all Soviet ball bearing factories were related to the defense industry. Many dealt exclusively with products for peaceful purposes and did not supply military transporters.
However, another explanation is true: Soviet bearings were made of high-quality steel, strictly adhered to the parameters and could work under heavy loads for decades. Much longer than Chinese crafts made of ‘rough’ – medium hardened metal – or modern Russian ones, made of who knows what.
Even an old but unused bearing can be washed in kerosene, cleaned, thrown in a good amount of grease and installed in a car of any brand – it will not be counterfeited. Therefore, they buy them in markets, carefully examining the signs of use. However, battered specimens are also sold: craftsmen forge knives from them, which turn out to be of very, very high quality. The steel is Soviet!
Source: Avto Vzglyad
Donald Salinas is an experienced automobile journalist and writer for Div Bracket. He brings his readers the latest news and developments from the world of automobiles, offering a unique and knowledgeable perspective on the latest trends and innovations in the automotive industry.
