365 Gearbox Diff Bearings

[jbcollier]

Umm, how "generic'?  Some bearings are not very good.  I have used and had good results with FAG, SKF, NSK, NSN, Timken and a few others I can't recall off the top of my head.  I would not use Chinese bearings in this location.

Meca Parts?  Pretty easy.  Send them an email with the parts you want and they'll send an invoice for you to pay.

[Blitzen]

They don't show a brand, they do deal  in those other brands but in that sizing they did not show any brand name. 

An email, doh sometimes the simplest answer is easiest. 

[Blitzen]

Turns out the “no name” bearings from 123bearing are actually the original, SNR bearings direct shipped from France.  Shipping was quick too.

[jbcollier]

Excellent!

[4129R]

I have finally got to the bottom of the 365 differential bearing quandary; you will note in my first post on this thread that I questioned the bearing types as I thought they were would be the same, but I read 30207A FRANCE SNR on the non pinion side and 30207VO SNR B13 on the pinion side with a lotus specialist supplier here in the UK quoting one of the bearings as being almost 3 times the price of the other. (I wanted to know why  )
JBC very kindly supplied this link http://www.mecaparts.com/Cinematique/page.php?lang=0&sortie=html&col=A110&page=16, but interestingly the bearings here are shown as being the same; it was also suggested that one bearing has a higher load bearing rating than the other, hence the price difference.
The parts book, (accessed from this forum), shows the bearings with 2 differing part numbers, so 2 very different bearings.
I have now removed both bearings (which was interesting... and I can now confirm that the bearings are, believe it or not, very different.
The pinion side bearing has a 37mm bore and runs 16 rollers in the cage, whereas the non pinion side bearing has a 35mm bore and runs 17 rollers, (Higher load rating). The cup, or outer rings, that fit in the gearbox casings, are the same OD on both bearings.
The expensive bearing is the one with 17 rollers on the non pinion side which personally surprises me - it doesn't surprise me regarding the cost per say, but it does surprise me that this higher load bearing unit is fitted on the non pinion side  - (I would have thought it would be the other way round)
So - when you come to change your diff bearings on a 365 you cannot cut corners and buy 2 of the cheaper units, (like I was actually going to do) - you need one of each - and, as a plus point, you can't fit them on the wrong sides of the diff as they each only fit one place....!!!
Sorry for maybe rambling - but I thought it all quite interesting - or maybe I just need help               
 

Beware, I have just received the diff bearings from Renault 16 in Holland for a 336 gearbox, and they were 35mm x 72mm for both sides.

I wondered why 15 tons on my press would not fit the bearing so I measured it. Low and behold 37mm x 72mm for the pinion side as stated above. 

I managed to find a 37mm x 72mm one from a German supplier, so fingers crossed it fits and is the correct tapered roller bearing.

Maybe the Lotus diff varies from the Renault diff on this dimension.

[4129R]

Just another beware when fitting the oil seals to the castellated ring nuts which hold the tapered diff bearings in place on the 336 gearbox, and probably the 365 as well.

There seem to be two types of castellated ring nut. One has an oil seal 55mm x 35mm x 7.5mm, and the other has an oil seal 52mm x 35mm x 7.5mm.

Renault 16 supply the smaller 52mm x 35mm x 7.5mm seals.

The bigger 55mm x 35mm x 7.5mm is available on eBay at £3.00 each.