Vortech V2 Bearing Information

So I've been digging for info on the bearings to do a rebuild on my V2 E-trim and enable me to run a smaller pulley. I contacted 928 Motorsports to ask about the bearings they use. Rightly so, they refused to disclose specific info. I had asked if they were ABEC7 rated and what rpm's they would tollerate. They told me that ABEC7 tollerances were too tight for the application since the heat induced would cause the bearings to expand and everything they have is ABEC5. So... if ABEC7 bearings are used (as some recommend) then they must be ceramic balls to combat the expansion problem... right?

Here is a list of the bearing info I've dug up... LINK

Now on to the main question I now have... most of the bearings recommended on various posts in various threads indicate 15˚ cut angular bearings. One (Fafnir) indicates a 20˚ cut. Most all of these ABEC7 ceramic bearings I've found for sale are well over $400/ea.!! Superchargerrebuild.com has a kit for ~$450 shipped. The seals and low speed bearings are pretty cheap. I was able to find a set of high speed ceramic bearings that meet all the specs, but have a 25˚ cut. I'm curious if this is going to cause problems in the Vortech application. The thrust from the helical cut V2 is my concern. I can't find any info about the angle of thrust from Vortech documentation, so to me everything is hearsay. That said, would adding 10˚ to the bearing thrust angle cut cause problems if it really is supposed to be 15˚?

I'm keenly interested, b/c I found a source for <$100/bearing ceramic and all but the angle match most of the recommended bearing specs.

oh, and I searched and searched and searched. :laugh:

This is going to sound like a really obvious (and quite frankly, stupid) question, but have you taken apart your V2 to see what bearings it has inside now?

I'm going through the rebuild of my Paxton SN89 and in taking it apart I got the part numbers off the bearings that where inside it. Couldn't you do the same with your V2?

Thanks for the reply! I've not yet taken it apart... I'm one that likes to get it all done at once... I sometimes forget things easily and I don't want to skip a step on re-assembly. Also, the unit is used and still operating normally, but seaping oil at the seals. I want to step down the pulley and thought doing the seals and bearings at once will save headaches down the road.

I was able to find out a little more about the Vortech units. The V1 is straight cut gearing, thus the bearing spec is a not an angular contact bearing and the 6003 designation. The V2 has helical cut gears wich induces some axial load on the bearings and thus requires an angle cut bearing and the 7003 designation. I knew about the straight vs. helical cut distinction, but finally put the 1 + 1 together to get the need for the angular cut. However, I'm still not able to determine the actual axial load exerted on the bearing to determine if the 25˚ cut would be helpful or detrimental.

I think you're right though... it's time to just tear it apart and take a look. I wish I knew how many miles it has on it and if the bearings were ever done before. It's spank'n clean though!

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/_L...s640/V2-06.jpg
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/_L...s640/V2-05.jpg

Are you certain the seals aren't leaking because the unit was overfilled?

I know with the Paxton unit I have, that's a very typical problem. There's nothing wrong with the seals themselves, but people sometimes overfill them resulting in oil leaks, particularly at the front seal behind the pulley. They then rip the unit apart in order to replace what they believed was a bad seal(s), only to find out there was nothing wrong with the seal in the first place, and that the real culprit was an overfilled unit.

It's just a thought.

But I'm with you. I prefer to have all the replacement pieces ready BEFORE tearing into something. That way, the downtime is much shorter. But, when it comes to something that I've never disassembled or have little hands-on experience with, I think it's better to not spend time and money gathering parts and instead get in and figure out what's salvageable versus what needs to be replaced first. Then go out and find the replacement pieces. No sense in buying new seals, O-rings, and bearings only to find out the existing items are actually fine, and all your unit really needed was something as simple as a $0.02 thrust washer or Woodruff key you could buy at NAPA (just as an example, that is).

Of course, you could look at it another way. Someone always has to be the first when it comes to stuff like this. And if you take photos and post your progress and what you find out, you'll be helping countless others in your situation who also want to tear into their V2s but are afraid to do so. Then, you instantly become the 'expert' on the subject because you ventured out where others were afraid to go.

The V1 & V2 units are not self-contained oil units... they are fed from the engine. The V2 seals are know to be a problem on the input side, since they are not a traditional seal. It's hard plastic and no rubber lip. People have been replacing them with better seals, so I intend to do the same.

I hear ya... I'll rip it open this weekend. However, I'm by no means a pioneer! Many Mustang guys have done this and documented already. Here's a pdf of a write-up I found on the process for anyone else wanting to do this themselves... LINK

I'll definitely share any info I uncover. I had some productive conversations with bearing suppliers this morning. I'm waiting on some more info to be obtained from the manufacturer at one place.

I'm still looking for the axial thrust force on a V2...