The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop Rod bearing from Yellow Coach

Is anyone familiar with Yellow Coach copper plated con rod bearings. they say they are NORS...are they any good?. They don't look like regular ones.

The bearings I see listed on ebay under Yellow coach are made by different manufacturers. I don't know where the yellow coach comes from. I have seen one set on ebay that looks like they're copper plated, however, I have never heard of such a thing. I see others listed under the yellow coach name, but they are are made by Federal Mogul and look like regular bearings. Confusing to me!

Yellow Coach was a bus manufacturer that was owned by General Motors. The Yellow Coach name was phased out in 1943 and the buses became GM. Most of the engines used in the Yellow Coach buses were much larger than those used in small trucks. Google Yellow Coach and you can read about it in detail.

Curious. Are you sure it's copper? Steel backed? Bronze was popular back then. What are brand and part #s on back? I've got many YC manuals and Brg mfg listings from 'teens onward.

The ebay listing says they are copper plated and they look like it too. here is a link to the listing.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/221839597130?rmvSB=true
They say on the box that they are resizable which makes no difference to me...I just wonder if they have good wear characteristics.

Mike, I'm familiar w/ the many offerings of Johnson. Have many collecting dust. Those pictured appear to be Babbitt lined bronze backed. NON resizable, meaning the Babbitt is very thin for strength. Babbitt is gentle on the crank jrnl. Those bearings are .002" under std size. the SB refers to the Babbitt overlay and code for brg construction. They're really not worth anything. Who has a perfect crank worn .002"? I'm tripping on them. David

Sorry that was the wrong listing.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/322020171445?rmvSB=true
These are only $120 for the set so I am tempted.
The actual name on the boxes is Thompson Products so I don't know why they even mention Yellow Coach.

Thompson Products made MANY replacement aftermarket parts for decades. Those brgs fit GM engs. Many YC buses, etc used GM engs. Have you verified they will actually apply to your eng or the condition/size of your jrnls? I'm judging from your questions here that this is all a new adventure to you. I'd verify that you actually could use these brgs before purchase. Otherwise they'll collect dust on your shelf, too.

There is nothing wrong with the brand. Thompson is now TRW. But unless your crank is .020 under, I would stay away from them. 60 to 70 years ago, when oil was not very good, cranks would wear a lot. It was common to buy undersize bearings and resize them individually using plastigage for sizing. It was a tedious job of honing the bearings and it wasn't very accurage. If you have a 46 GMC with a 228,236,248, or 270 bearings from 39 to about 1952 will interchange. I would mike the crank first before you buy anything. The chances are that you can get by with standard bearings. If not, I would recommend having the crank turned to a standard undersize.

Im just new to stovebolt trucks...and finding parts for them. I've been working on cars and engines since I was a kid. this crank has been ground 0.020 under...main and rod journals. Cylinders still in std spec... just going with a light hone on them and putting in std rings.
I've seen FM main bearings going for over $200 and thought these may be a good deal at $120 if the quality is good. that's the only basis for my original question.

Mr Crenwelge, I believe, as I posted that those brgs are two thousandths undersize, not twenty as you posted. I've hundreds of them in all sizes from those years. Always mic the wall thickness adding 1/2 the OS to verify. Don't trust the part just because the box marking is correct for your use.David

Mr. Crenwelge, Sorry , My bad. Hadn't seen that second batch of brgs link . Yes, those obviously are Twenty US. Appear to be bronze. They can be hard (dirt scoring)on a jrnl. I only use them as last resort. Sometimes I take stds or two unders and Babbitt them for an US crank. Today's oil should go a long way keeping wear to a minimum, though. David