Yup..
In some cases the cheaper bearing packs will have a different, older style, bearing inside compared to the OEM ones.
The OEM ones are angular-contact double-row ball-bearing types where the races are peened over at the final stages of manufacture. This 'locks' the bearing together and they can be used without a center clamp load like on the front of many VX'es that don't come with the (optional) center bolt.
The 'cheap' bearings can be of the older tapered roller-bearing type, which in itself is not a big problem for lifespan or operation, but these bearings can NOT be run without a center clamp force.
So on a VX these will work fine on the rear in any case as the driveshaft/CV clamps it down, but at the front for these types of bearings you NEED the optional M16 clamp bolt setup.
Trouble is that it's not that easy to spot from the outside which type of bearing was used.. If you play it safe you make sure you get a 'brand' aftermarket bearing as these will be the correct type. Any no-name or chinese knock-offs are a bit more of a lottery.
Again, these cheaper and different design bearings themselves are NOT bad, it's just that they can not operate in the way that the OEM's are used on the front of the VX without any clamp load and you need to fit the optional (but in these cases mandatory) M16 clamp bolt and washers for them to work properly.
Bye, Arno.
