Best Crank Bearing Maker ? Use of Crank alignment tool?

[IridiumRed]

Hey Guys

I'm going to be rebuilding my KX500 again First time I rebuilt it the crank was w/ out of true.... quickly wiped the main bearings.  So, sent the crank off to Arizona, got it trued / rebalanced.  Excited to see how it will run with the rebalanced / trued crank!!

Anyways,

Who do you guys think makes the best crank bearings?

Also, there is a crank alignment / installation tool - the wedge shaped tool that slides between the crank counterweights, so you can press the crank into the righthand case w/o disturbing the crank alignment

Do you guys ever use that?  I know that if you freeze the crank, and put the RH case in the oven (with the bearing installed of course), the two go together fairly easy, but I've got a press, and I thought about doing the freeze / heat process but still using the press to install the crank in the RH case... so I'd need that tool

Is it worth the extra hassle doing it that way?  Seems to me that anything that can be done to ensure crank alignment would be a GOOD thing

thanks!!
IR

[gowen]

To each his own on the bearings and how to install the crank. I have always used Wiseco rods and bearings. No problems.ever. I've lost a few rods and they were replaced with wiseco and have lasted and have never needed replacement. I install my cranks with a rubber hammer, just throw the crank in the freezer for a day or so, and it usally drops in without many issues, may need a light tap with a hammer. But my alignment is fine on all my bikes and that is the way I've done them all.

[IridiumRed]

Maybe I should have been a little more specific, I was asking about the main bearings that go into the case that support the crank

-sb

[KXcam22]

IR,
  NSK, SFK, FAG.  If you go to a bearing house you can get quality bearings. Avoid the chinese ones, the metalurgy just isn't the same. Cam.

[edkx]

I don't mean to hi-jack this thread but has anyone ever used ceramic bearings.A few issues ago in DIRTBIKE, a guy used them in his YZ250 and claimed it revved a little quicker and vibrated less.

[Johnniespeed]

Edkx, do you know how they are constructed ? Are the steel races coated with ceramic? Are the Steel balls coated with ceramic ?   I have heard of turbo chargers using ceramic bearings, but I am not familiar with this yet.   I hope there are guys who can post the information. Does the lubrication require anything different ? Does the ceramic ever crack or peel ?

[edkx]

To quote the fellow in the sept.2005 issue"The crank bearings get replaced with Power Spin ceramic bearings.I know the same place I get them from,TKO development,supplies them to many of the factories for their race bikes.The engine does rev up a bit quicker but the main reason I use them is because they really reduce vibration.That's a big plus over the course of a race."

[moburki]

The balls themselves are ceramic afaik.