Quote:
Originally Posted by 2008M36MT
Is BE in a shortage again? If not, the cost difference is immaterial, why do people bother even asking about VAC or ACL? Just get BE.
|
Because there's a massive price difference here in the UK!
e.g The only place that seems to advertise a price now in the UK for BE bearings is AReeve, they want £737 for BE bearings! (up by £137 from 3 yrs ago!), that's $887 at current rates (all prices here include tax).
A quick look finds that ACL bearings are going for £209 ($252) from Rebuild, £215 from AReeve. That said, they are either std clearance (H) or extra clearance (HX, but too much at +0.001") or unmeasured mixed sets, so to match BE clearances you do need to have mixed sets
precision measured (like BE do) and not just buy mixed sets. But even with the extra costs that involves, it's still way cheaper than buying BE here.
When I did it 2+ yrs ago I had to get Mporium (yes from the US!lol) to sell me a mixed and measured set as I couldn't find anyone here who did (AFAIK their still isn't). Including getting BE ARP bolts, shipping, taxes and the measured mixed ACL bearings it cost me £712 ($857), where as for the ARP bolts and BE bearings it would've cost me £949 ($1142) from Areeve! (at the time).
And ACL are perfectly decent bearings too.
Last I looked though, I understand the price difference is much smaller in the US.