385xp bearings.... alternatives?

[Mattyo]

Ok, so I need an education....

I opened up my 385xp and removed the bearings. It looks like flywheel side is a 6203 ... crank measures .669 (17mm diameter) and the thickness of the bearing itself is .471 on my micrometer (12mm is .472)

PTO side is same diameter, inner and outer, just thicker ... .511 on my mic (or 1.297mm). Why oh why can't we just use a regular 6203 sealed bearing in its place?

On the flywheel side, there appears to be an oil seal seperate from the bearing. On the PTO side, no seal other than the seal inherent to the bearing. Still, seems to be that its silly to have a $40 bearing on the PTO side that is nearly identical to a 6203 except fatter. I'm all for heavier duty, but obviously they've made such a bearing nearly impossible to buy other than from a husky dealer.

Thoughts, comments??? anyone know of a "thicker" 6203 thats more easily accessable than a $40 oem part?

 

[MaddBomber]

No idea why. I ran into that same issue a couple years ago.... didn't mind using OEM, but no local (+/-50 miles) could get one. Waited months, until one arrived... bad bearing ended up wallowing case. J.B. welded and sold it... Stupid sealed/not sealed bearings!!!

 

[nmurph]

That bearing would be $50 from Stihl.

Just get the OEM bearing and be done with it. There was a problem with the PTO side bearings leaking bw the over race and the crank. Husky updated the bearing. This is one of the few Husky saws that uses a proprietary bearing unlike Stihl which uses them in all of there new-ish models.

 

[Mattyo]

Well, I already have ordered the OEM, but that was before I pulled these out.... I'm just not sure at this point what'd be wrong w/ using a 6203 sealed bearing for both sides....

 

[Mattyo]

Better yet, anyone object to me trying 2x 6203's?

 

[nmurph]

Better yet, anyone object to me trying 2x 6203's?

Well, I already have ordered the OEM, but that was before I pulled these out.... I'm just not sure at this point what'd be wrong w/ using a 6203 sealed bearing for both sides....

Have at it. Just make sure to disclose this if you sell it.

 

[Mattyo]

nmurph, if you end up in CT some time... i'll buy you a beer... all good

 

[Mattyo]

ah, here's something ELSE I just found, nachi 6203 sealed bearings are limited to 12k rpm???????

any other ideas? I assume 15k would be an ok limit....but 12 seems a bit tight on a chainsaw

-Matt

http://www.ebay.com/itm/6203-2NSE-N...=BI_Heavy_Equipment_Parts&hash=item259471f07e

 

[nmurph]

You don't want a shielded bearing.

 

[Mattyo]

clutch side (on the right) sure looks sealed to me..... so...i'll bite... why don't I want a sealed bearing? open bearings for lube and seperate seal? but why? higher rpm capacity?

 

[mdavlee]

http://www.vxb.com/page/bearings/PROD/Kit15845 this is more what you're looking for. The seal can be bough by itself from husky. I have one just to see how it was made.

 

[Mattyo]

Well, those open bearings certainly look like they'll work for flywheel side, but without a sealed bearing, not sure how the pto side will seal.... anyone have a pic of the pto side seal?

 

[mdavlee]

I don't have a picture of the seal. By the time you buy a good bearing and their seal you're in it around $30. The bearing is around $40 from husky.

 

[Mattyo]

Please reread my post above:

"Well, I already have ordered the OEM, but that was before I pulled these out.... I'm just not sure at this point what'd be wrong w/ using a 6203 sealed bearing for both sides...."

so, I do know that OEM is $40, as the thread implies, looking for alternatives to OEM... and to continue the theme, still wondering why I can't use two 6203's..... .... perhaps oem husky seal on flywheel side with open bearing 6203 .... and a sealed 6203 on pto side.... SOMEONE has to know the reasons why and why not...and can give me better information than "buy oem" .... which I have already done, though I am waiting on the parts delivery at present time.

 

[mdavlee]

I missed that part before. I guess you could assemble it with a sealed bearing and pressure/vac test it. It may help a lot of us if you did this test.

 

[nmurph]

That bearing is extra wide for a reason.

 

[Mattyo]

Happy to do it .... if I only knew how to vac test .... s'ok....I'll get something figure out. Seems to me that husky used a fatter bearing on PTO side for a TINY bit of extra reinforcement .... but it'd be nice if someone KNEW the reasons why and why not etc.

 

[Mattyo]

sorry nmurph, didn't take your post into account.... yes, i imagine it is.... but even percentage wise it isn't much width.... now I'm curious to see what shows up as a newer OEM bearing.... i think mine is old ...gotta go pull the SN

 

[nmurph]

Probably helps stabilize the crank and shorten the lever end of it.

 

[Mattyo]

if thats the case, if shortening the lever arm is the ticket...you could use a 1mm spacer on the inside, toward the crank, and then use a 6203.... and gain the lever arm but not the expense of proprietary