Cheap 608 Bearings Suck!

I have learned my lesson on buying cheap…first the lcd with reversed plugs and now these bearings I ordered. Went and bought 100 here http://www.ebay.com/itm/100pcs-Steel-Bearing-608-2RS-608RS-Skateboard-Inline-Skate-Rollerblade-8x22x7mm/162605165759?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649

big mistake, these things are GRIMY. They feel used, but they’re just straight up super low quality. They spin as if they’re full of sand. I even cleaned the hell out of one of them and it still felt really grainy.

I can tell the whole fidget spinner craze really made the quality of this size to go to crap. They have a design I haven’t seen before, the race and one of the outer shields is 1 piece to save cost. The outer shields themselves aren’t even what I’d call rubber, it is hard plastic. Some are rusting and all of them have a thin coat of dust.

Where can I buy cheap 608’s that aren’t THIS bad? I paid 20 cents per bearing. I need a couple hundred. Really puts Boca bearing’s quality in perspective. I can’t even find some one ebay that don’t say “DEGREASED AND READY FOR HAND SPINNER” Something about seeing a ton of kids with chinesium 608 bearings irks me. Never thought such a widely used mechanical component would be turned into an el cheapo toy. It’s a disgrace to bearings everywhere! :frowning:

Yup I had a whole rant thread about this. To me, fidget spinners, whatever. The bearings though…both my suppliers doubled my price because the manufacturers weren’t making good bearings. So I bought them out and weathered the storm, now both my suppliers are calling me again with almost back to normal prices and so I might start selling Boca again, I have a box of 2000 of em right now, it’s all they had left but I got a call saying the new batch finally arrived.

I almost bought those same bearings from that same seller earlier today. So glad I spotted this post first. :slight_smile:

I am gonna end up returning them, I am really disappointed. I almost don’t want to buy bearings at all on ebay, you can pretty much guarantee 80% of the sellers are selling fresh off the boat imports. Grimeeeeyyyy. Aah I don’t even want to look at them anymore, maybe I am just a snob

I got some off ebay that where decent. I also buy bones reds off of ebay, but they are still pretty expensive at .90 a peice.

 

 

Nobody probably cares but I did manage to get a 60% refund and keep what they sent me. Pretty satisfied about that, I think that’s fair. I might order a ton of bearings from alibaba. Nervous to see how their quality is, may ask for free samples. When I told the rep 608RS, he asked, “For fidget spinner or machinery?” Good prices though, $.18 cents each if I order just 200.

If anyone has any experience with alibaba or similar sites I would like to hear some opinions.

Dang, how much is shipping?

I bought these for spinners and these for machines and have been pleased so far. $0.19 for spinners and $0.26 for machines seems OK, with my Prime account giving free shipping.

I don’t think I have prime anymore. I buy pretty much exclusively on ebay now. First Class Mail is almost as fast, but you can’t beat the 1 day and same day. I once ordered an SSD and it arrived later thay day, amazing.

The shipping we didn’t discuss much, but they tend to ship UPS express. Pricey but fast. USPS Epacket is really affordable but there is likely a weight limit that a ton of steel bearings surpass.

I do know that on an order I talked to a rep about was a total of 9kg, or 20lbs, and UPS express was $65 to California. So tempting though, they quoted me $0.90 per piece on timing belts vs the usual +$5.00 for buying individually!