mcandmar-
As I've stated in another thread anyone may send their Pro-Mounts back to me for inspection at any time. However, its totally normal for the sphericals to tighten-up in-use. A "tighter" spherical is an even better sealed and lubricated fit than a loose one. But I also mentioned in that post that the use of things like (specifically) WD-40 and/or other aerosol lubricants is *FATAL* to the PTFE liners to the point of being the only "warranty-breaker" against free replacement (tho I've never once enforced that).
I've seen spherical bearings tighten up to where I couldn't budge them by hand or with slipping a "pry-bar" into them and trying to manually move them by hand. Yet when installed in the vehicle they work fine. If it were a metal-to-metal fit I would be concerned but with the PTFE liner between the metal race and ball I see "tight" as simply a good PTFE seal and nothing disconcerting.
Additionally the engineers tell me that PTFE is anhydrous and not hygroscopic (won't absorb water) and thusly repels it. But that petroleum distillates like those used as carriers in things like PB Blaster, WD-40, Kroil et al are positively fatal to the polyester mesh that is bonded under heat & high pressure to the back of the PTFE liner.
One thing all the bearing engineers agree on is that their *only* apparent concern would be when a PTFE-lined spherical bearing starts to make noise in-use... and that goes DOUBLE in a spherical being used axially instead of radially. That ANY noise which could be squealing, whining, knocking etc its time to take a peek. That a silent bearing is a happy bearing! They tell me that sphericals are 100% efficient at telegraphing any/all physical ails audibly... if they are silent, run em til the wheels fall off!
As I've stated in another thread anyone may send their Pro-Mounts back to me for inspection at any time. However, its totally normal for the sphericals to tighten-up in-use. A "tighter" spherical is an even better sealed and lubricated fit than a loose one. But I also mentioned in that post that the use of things like (specifically) WD-40 and/or other aerosol lubricants is *FATAL* to the PTFE liners to the point of being the only "warranty-breaker" against free replacement (tho I've never once enforced that).
I've seen spherical bearings tighten up to where I couldn't budge them by hand or with slipping a "pry-bar" into them and trying to manually move them by hand. Yet when installed in the vehicle they work fine. If it were a metal-to-metal fit I would be concerned but with the PTFE liner between the metal race and ball I see "tight" as simply a good PTFE seal and nothing disconcerting.
Additionally the engineers tell me that PTFE is anhydrous and not hygroscopic (won't absorb water) and thusly repels it. But that petroleum distillates like those used as carriers in things like PB Blaster, WD-40, Kroil et al are positively fatal to the polyester mesh that is bonded under heat & high pressure to the back of the PTFE liner.
One thing all the bearing engineers agree on is that their *only* apparent concern would be when a PTFE-lined spherical bearing starts to make noise in-use... and that goes DOUBLE in a spherical being used axially instead of radially. That ANY noise which could be squealing, whining, knocking etc its time to take a peek. That a silent bearing is a happy bearing! They tell me that sphericals are 100% efficient at telegraphing any/all physical ails audibly... if they are silent, run em til the wheels fall off!
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