FVD Brombacher - High Quality IMS Repair Kits are $ 495 - New Release!!

In our constant quest to bring our customers the finest quality parts we have just released our IMS Bearing Repair Kits. These bearings are made for us by SKF in Germany and use the best materials available from them to ensure reliability and longevity. These kits retail for $ 495. IMS Repair Kit "M96. Single Row" Ceramic – FVD Part # FVD 105 901 03 - $ 495 There is a lot of information online about IMS bearing failures, why they occur, how to detect them, how to install an aftermarket bearing, etc. So there is no need for us to go into depth on the subject. Our stance is to sell a top of the line bearing produced to higher specifications than what was originally in the car and is currently available on the market. FVD IMS Bearings are manufactured by SKF in Germany and are highest rated SKF “Super-Precision” class of bearings which are characterized by: High-speed capability High load carrying capacity High stiffness Low Friction Our Single Row Ceramic Bearings consist of the highest grade ball material which are 100% ceramic. The ball lubrication is a vital consideration so we chose the highest available heat resistant lubricant which is good to 160 degrees Celsius. We also chose the most durable housing seal made for its re-lubrication characteristics. These facts allow our bearings to run cooler and allow SKF to guarantee double service life over standard bearings. IMS Repair Kit "M96. Dual Row" – FVD Part # FVD 105 901 04 - $ 495 There is a lot of information online about IMS bearing failures, why they occur, how to detect them, how to install an aftermarket bearing, etc. So there is no need for us to go into depth on the subject. Our stance is to sell a top of the line bearing produced to higher specifications than what was originally in the car and is currently available on the market. FVD IMS Bearings are manufactured by SKF in Germany and are highest rated SKF “Super-Precision” class of bearings which are characterized by: High-speed capability High load carrying capacity High stiffness Low Friction Our Dual Row Bearings consist of the highest grade ball material available in a dual row bearing. The ball lubrication is a vital consideration so we chose the highest available heat resistant lubricant which is good to 160 degrees Celsius. We also chose the most durable housing seal made for its re-lubrication characteristics. These facts allow our bearings to run cooler and allow SKF to guarantee double service life over standard bearings.

Do these kits require special tools to install and if so what would total cost be ? Thankyou ----------------------------------------------------------------- Found the required tool kit in your site for $195 ---------------------------------------------------------------- Bob -------------------------------- 01 C4 31 Ford cp chp & ch, 302/350 40 ******, 302/350 38 Ford cp, 327/350 57 Belair 62 356B --long ago

Starting to get might interesting on the IMS front

I wish I would have seen this 30 days ago Rhonda, I would have bought yours. Danny

seems like a good price!

The flier says: 1) Nothing about the dual row bearing being fitted with ceramic *****, so I assume that standard steel is used in lieu of ceramic...... 2) Looks like the bearings are sealed & not open to splash lubrication as in the LN Engineering retro fit upgrade. That means they are relying on the grease to lubricate..... Are we going back to what Porsche originally designed but with a more expensive bearing - the dual row is sealed, it uses grease as it lubrication and it has steel bearings and race ??

Well that posting should cheer up Jake no end. Plus a good few of the posters who went with Jake's replacement IMS bearing. Not heard from Jake in a while so maybe he has something to do with this new one.

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For #1, here's what they said However re lubrication, not opened to engine oil

Yes, I read that about the single row bearing, but as I said in my first comment "nothing about the DUAL row bearing being fitted with ceramic *****".... One of the biggest arguments over the last million years was that the IMS failed because of its lubrication - or lack of it - when the grease was "washed" out by old engine oil. Just when the IMS debates were dying down, looks like back to the future.

Have these been road tested? Although I'm not looking forward to replacing my ims, it seems like LN Engineering is the proven choice.

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Have the ones from LN Engineering been road tested?

SKF bearings have been around for many years & accepted as a quality bearing however I'd agree w/ adcampo that knowledge of actual testing for this application should be provided which I've also not seen from LN .

^SKF is the king of bearings IMO

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+1 here for SKF. Should be interesting to see how this bearing stacks up vs. the one from LN Engineering.

"IMS Repair Kit "M96. Single Row" Ceramic – FVD Part # FVD 105 901 03 - $ 495"

The Made in Germany is upside down.

This is their repair tool, priced at $195. LINK

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Not sure, but from all I've read it seems like the LN is the go-to option. Although, I'm not sure if they've had any competition. This one looks like nice quality esthetically.

These are some exciting times, as they should, alternative vendors are starting to pop up.

I think I might go with this one when I do my clutch!!

Although I'm a nubi here, I realize this IMS saga has been beat almost to death so just to keep that horse breathing , here's some feed . In early Dec of 013 I spoke w/ a Charles Navarro of LN trying to get a better feel for this retrofit & how a DYI guy could buy the parts & tools . He gave me some prices & mentioned to wait if I could for April of 14 to look for a new "release" but wouldn't elaborate. So that, plus having dealt w/ many bearings in the past, I have to believe there are not many , if maybe only one source for a quality ceramic bearing of these dimensions. So it's possible this is the same brg LN offers but obviously a different distributor ?? I'm guessing someone on here knows if that is the case .

Jake had indicated in the past the ***** in the LN bearing is ceramic coated. The FVD single row bearing is described or implied to be solid ceramic, and still no conclusive response if the dual-row is steel ***** or ceramic coated/solid.

Also this one has seals and not splash lubricated like the LN bearings are. Quite different. I'm also Interested to see any testing results.

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Some ball bearing applications, depending on load, speed, heat, & other factors wouldn't last long w/ just oil, so I'm thinking Porsche engineering factored that in choosing the sealed greased brgs.. BTW, it's very simple to pop out the seals . Bob -------------------------------- 01 C4 31 Ford cp chp & ch, 302/350 40 ******, 302/350 38 Ford cp, 327/350 57 Belair 62 356B --long ago

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My point was they are quite different. Which is better? Who knows. I'm sure each vendor will say theirs the best. It boils down to who can provide some form of support/proof. Porsche did that with 100k+ 996s, 986s, etc. and some small % did fail. My personal believe is it's no where near 5% like a lot of ppl claim. 0.5% I can believe. LN bearings are out there maybe in thousands of cars I think with no known failures that were not traced back to installation so far. Is that enough proof? I don't know. Maybe. Btw, my IMSB is stock with 60k miles on it so you know my vote

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. I think the wait till April was for their dual row retrofit to a single row motor. It looks to me like FVD is a German entity with a sales house in FL. The product looks good to me. If one could improve the original design, it would include higher temp grease, better seals that are much less likely to fail, and of course high precision components and ceramic *****. Looks like the product being offered! 2003 Carrera 4S Speed Yellow / 1955 356 Continental 1500 Rust Red

Boy I'm glad you guys don't obsess over wheel bearings too.

I had a wheel bearing fail on my 05 CTT at 55k miles, there was no 'solution' or 'retrofit' available so reluctantly I fitted OEM and surprisingly its still going strong 90k miles later.

Incorrect. Since day one all our developments have used solid silicon nitride *****, they've never been coated.

Jake, I was just on your site looking up the spin on filter and oil line that feeds the bearing (in my mind, the correct fix) and i read the info for the IMS retrofit. It talks about the cryogenically treated ceramic hybrid ball bearings made exclusively for LN Engineering. What is a ceramic hybrid? I think this is what people are referencing when they say you use ceramic coating.

A ceramic hybrid bearing has a full silicon nitride ball coupled to a hardened steel raceway, rather than a full ceramic bearing that also has a full ceramic raceway. These terms are generally unknown, even from component providers.

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Thanks Danny, Sorry about the release timing. It is a very fair price for such a high quality bearing. We don�t want to capitalize on fear, we only want to bring an excellent product to market so that you have more options for replacing your IMS bearing. Also please keep in mind that we have better pricing for our forum members. The dual row bearing cannot be made in ceramic, by SKF at the moment because of the pressure points on the cage. Having said we have chosen the best materials, seal and grease on the dual row from SKF as well. The service life for the dual row is calculated in hours by SKF and at an average of 40 kph for example the service life equates to 250,000 kilometers. The ceramic equates to 500,000 kilometers. We purposely seal the bearing. The real culprit on the OEM bearing is the seal. Our seal consists of a Viton outer seal backed with a metal sleeve which does not deteriorate and keeps the grease safe from being washed out. Our stance is not to reinvent the wheel so to speak, just make what was originally designed better and make sure that the service life is doubled. That is exactly what we have done. FVD Brombacher bearings are made by SKF in Germany for us to resell. We have no affiliation with anyone and do not sell the bearings individually.

Very nice, and the same stance that I had taken myself in many past posts. A better bearing, with better seals and grease. Looks like my choice for sure when I do my clutch, hopefully this summer. I wish I had known there was a fourm member discount when I bought my FVD wheel spacers.

We purposely seal the bearing. The real culprit on the OEM bearing is the seal. Our seal consists of a Viton outer seal backed with a metal sleeve which does not deteriorate and keeps the grease safe from being washed out. Ah, the metal sleeve ---gooot idea ! Bob -------------------------------- 01 C4 31 Ford cp chp & ch, 302/350 40 ******, 302/350 38 Ford cp, 327/350 57 Belair 62 356B --long ago

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We have been engineering, modifying parts and having parts manufactured by premier manufacturers for Porsche cars for over 30 years now. We strongly believe in letting our customers know who manufacturers our products and having them tested by the manufacturers as well as ourselves. Our M96. / M97. bearings are no different. We started this process well over a year ago now with SKF and made sure to get the highest service life achievable with what they offered us. Then we installed them and tested them during that time before we released them to the public. Our point and philosophy exactly.

Pelican wouldnt listen to the 996 DIY'er. Glad someone did. Looks like a great kit though I dont agree with the seals. Wonder where this idea for an alternative to LNE came from?????? (Posted just for you, Alp.) Posted by that Krazyk guy long ago. ^

^ Look who is back!

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So is there still a recommended interval of replacment of this bearing once fitted? I think LN still recommends replacing their single row ceremic bearing every 50k miles.

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You knew he was out there. Lurking. Just waiting for the right moment to strike. Welcome back KK. Kinda missed ya!

I know and glad he's back

Yeah 996 prices have risen this year, good to have KK around to keep them so low. Can you do the same to 997s? I uhhh heard that the engines start on fire. Yeah.

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Careful..KK's already taking credit for the OP's product. Let's not make him think he has the power to single handedly bring down 996/997 prices!

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+996. Btw do we need to have Marc fetch us the matching IP's tied to KK's account to make sure he hasn't been posting under a newbie account? It seems lately like an awful lots of gloom and doom posts by newbs lately. KK, I'm still sad you never accepted my friendship request over at Renntech.

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I'm confused, Alpine. You wanna **** him off or make frd??

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My apology, memory is failing me, thanks for the clarification.

I assume that there is nothing unique about the install kit and any shop that installs the LNE bearing could you those pullers etc to install this kit n'est pas??

I like the idea of keeping the seals in the bearing. It protects the ***** from crap that can float in the sump oil.

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Yes, it also keeps the crap that already penetrated the seal inside the bearing. Kinda double edged sword. I'm thinking the nano lubricant such as Millers CFS NT should help the bearing issue with its 60-100 nanometer WS2 particles. I use that fluid in my non replaceable IMSB 997 engine. Cheers, Luke

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How so with this bearing? This one has Viton seals and metal ring.

The gap between seal.and the races is so small that it should only let the oil in even when it fails. Uless the seal is ripped, it should act as a filter. At least that is my theory.

Forums are always entertaining to read , no matter what the subject ! Bob -------------------------------- 01 C4 31 Ford cp chp & ch, 302/350 40 ******, 302/350 38 Ford cp, 327/350 57 Belair 62 356B --long ago

This post is humorous. Basically this company reapplied the same concept as LN. They talk up the SKF bearing but I hope everyone realizes this same bearing can be purchased through a SKF distributor for less than $100. Even very high quality bearing are relatively inexpensive. Knowing how to apply the right bearing for the application is key. I went with LN when I did mine because I knew Charles and Jake put some work into the design of the flange and bearing.

Funny, Nobody wants to know about WS2 particles? Cheers, L

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+1 good one. 2003 Carrera 4S Speed Yellow / 1955 356 Continental 1500 Rust Red

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I do. Let's hear about it.

I find myself liking this concept. The way I see it, my C4S has survived 10 years and 83k miles on the original bearing so the design can't be all that bad. This FVD Brombacher solution uses an analogous bearing (with seals intact) of a massively improved design (ceramic, better seals etc). From this perspective it seems almost safer than the LN alternative - particularly since that does away with the grease & seals entirely (and as I understand it relies on splash engine oil lubrication). The only issue which gives me pause is that I'd rather not be the first customer to test it out I also like the DIY option. Cheers, Michael 2004 C4S

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Similar thoughts here as my C4 also has 83 k. I e-mailed Rhonda for a Rennlist price out of curiosity & it was better than I expected for the single row kit w/ ship, but I'm told by a Syracuse dealer it is possible I could have a double row so I can't really order till I know . I don't want to post the price so if you're curious , pls e-mail her . I feel Porsche designed in greased sealed brgs knowing there is more brg load than oil alone could suffice for brg life . Rhonda mentions in her post that working w/ SKF the inherent design failure cause appears to be sealing/retaining grease in the brg. BTW, there are no metal sleeves in the SKF single row w/ vitron seal , only the double . Michael--the color of your Pcar is outstanding ! Bob 01 C4 31 Ford cp chp & ch, 302/350 40 ******, 302/350 38 Ford cp, 327/350 57 Belair 62 356B --long ago

I bought a kit, and I'll be installing it in my 2002 C2. Hopefully, you'll hear no more about it after installation. I appreciate the LN Engineering product, but wit ha self-installed bearing, there's no warranty, and the cost of the FVD Brombacher alternative was attractive.

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Agree with your reasoning. This kit does look like well built and credible. Did they say why the metal sleeve is only on the double but not the single row? I wonder if they can make a double row to retrfit an engine with single row like Jake did.

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We do want to hear what you think about the kit once received and intalled

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Thanks Bob! Its seal grey .

Just wanted to let everyone know that I have uploaded the pictures (page one of this post) of the final iteration of our single row bearing just now. The one that I originally listed was one of our original test bearings that we sacrificed to show the ceramic bearings. All of the single row bearings we have sold will have the brown Viton seal. To those who have ordered or are planning to order, you will by no means be the first to try these bearings. FVD Germany released these in late 2013 after being tested in house and currently 70 cars are running the single row bearing and 48 cars are running the dual row bearing. All without issue.

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Rhonda, How would one get your special pricing for forum members? Thx!

Love that Avatar! pm sent. Thanks! Rhonda

From FVD Brombacher website... "FVD IMS Bearings are manufactured by SMT in Japan and are highest rated SMT �Super-Precision� class of bearings which are characterized by: High-speed capability High load carrying capacity High stiffness Low Friction"... Yet in the original post in this thread (3/xx/14) it says this : "FVD IMS Bearings are manufactured by SKF in Germany and are highest rated SKF �Super-Precision� class of bearings which are characterized by: High-speed capability High load carrying capacity High stiffness Low Friction"... Have the manufacturers changed? Is it just the dual row ISB that's made in Japan? Why?

Even better, just spec & buy your own Hybrid bearing . Just Google for 6204(or whatever bearing you need) high+temperature. All the high temperature does is to get you a Viton instead of a Buna seal and synthetic high-temp grease. There is a suggestion in another post (not my original idea)that a vented bearing is a good idea . All the grease/seal combo does is lubricate and cool the bearing. There are other ways of providing lube+cooling. http://www.nskeurope.com/cps/rde/xch...-bearings.html The NSK spec would be ? 6204 DDU7 c3 x26 or SKF 6204 20x47x14mm C3 GJN 2RS But there is already a reliable kit/custom bearing available from LN, so why?

dporto, We initially consulted with SKF, and that was the information that I was given. Later when we actually started the purchasing of the bearings we dealt directly with SLF in Germany for the Single Row and SMT in Japan for the dual row. Basically they are the highest quality manufacturers recommended by SKF for the bearings we needed and the quantities we needed.

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We have to be careful when talking LN as there are 4 kits from the same developers with different characteristics. With varying degrees of real world owner driven experience, some with multi-million cumulative miles, some with 5 years and some with 5k plus installs. Into engines with good installations and not so good ones. Even into ones with what are starting to be known now as not good prognosis for success. Are any of these bearing kits from any maker adequately tested? Hardly. I've been critical of that since the fist kit was introduced. But if we wait for the million mile ten year tests we never get anything till then. After all Porsche tested with their 100k test mules and what did we get?

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Thank you for the concise reply - makes sense! I would still find the lit/descriptions contradictory/confusing if reading without the benefit of this post...

bumping an old post, to see now a year later how these FVD bearings may be holding up and customer satisfaction? for my 03 C4S I have a single row I believe, so is this the SKF, or Japan mfr of the bearing and seals? Metal jacket in the seal or is that the double row? Rhonda?

All told well over a 1,000 sold. No issues whatsoever. 62,000 miles / 100,000 kms service life on each bearing. We initially consulted with SKF, they sent us to their subsidiary and the actual manufacturer of your bearing, SLF, they are located in Germany. SMT Japan makes the Dual Row.

Wow, even after a 2 year thread bump, that's what I call customer service.

yes...good job!

Rhonda do the dual row bearings have Viton seals and abec-9 rating?

Due to the way that the SMT Dual Rows are constructed they have metal seals. They also do not list an abec rating. We also have the dual rows spec'd for 62,000 miles / 100,000 kms service life on each bearing.

ABEC has nothing to do with 'seals'. Neither does ISO492. "Metal seals" is misleading.They are shields,not seals. The ZZ and ZZS shields have no seal. We've had this discussion in previous threads and shared all the tech details,part numbers and prices.

^^^ Not cool, crapping on a good vendor's thread. You should edit it IMO.

If the tech info is muddled ,we should not correct it ? If Jake or Charles had muddled their terminology like this ,they would not have been given a pass.

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Thank you for being a gentlemen and editing your original post. As for tech info riddled, Rhonda is a sales person and not a mechanic/technician so she can only go by the information she's been told or has on her. Apples to Oranges here. If she is wrong in anyway and you have conclusive evidence contrary to what was said then you could just as well bring it up in a very civilized and gentlemen way without all the bashing. That's the way I see it at least.

Just check any Bearing House catalog for the info required. It is very basic Mech. Eng. stuff. If you start with SKF you'll note that even their lightest duty deep groove ball bearing are ABEC 1 or better - so the claim that the FVD bearing from SKF(?) or NTN(?) is unrated by ISO or ABEC is also highly suspect. A vendor would jump at the chance to correct their technical data - regardless of the source. I am just alerting Forum members to the issue. This has all been covered before in great detail with many citations(some by me) if anyone wants the details. If you want an unrated bearing in this size ,they are $7 on EBay. They fit lawnmowers! So you can be sure that a real Engineer at FVD would be delighted to correct Rhonda.And I doubt they would be as mild as my comments are.As a Mech Eng it drives me nuts when sales people make this sort of mistake -and don't fix it because both the company and the customers suffer.

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Perhaps you missed mech503�s question, he stated So I simply answered him graciously using the same terminology. I was not trying to mislead anyone. Perhaps, I should have answered like this, No and No. That way I would have been sure that someone (seems a little biased to a certain brand) had absolutely nothing to point fingers at.

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Thanks for the support and kind words. Don�t worry about it, I am met with this hostility quite a bit. As I keep saying I don�t have an ego so it doesn�t bother me.

It is important to differentiate between my technical correction and the defecation comment further back. I gave a technical correction.If my comment is technically inaccurate -please correct it.Rennlist is all about correct tech info? As previous (not me) contributors to this thread have mentioned, the same spec. SKF bearing is available "for less than $100". But I am not advocating a diy approach to bearing selection and have said so on this Forum. However ,it is fun (for a Mech Eng anyway) to go through the specs and offerings and find Silicon Nitirde or other ceramic bearings that according to some experts (not me!) are even better suited to this application. Just search 6204 or 5204 +/- the features you want - seals/viton/shields/ceramic/hardness /Ra/ . If you make a study of this subject (I have) you will probably conclude that : yes you can find some super-spec bearing(IMSB) for little money but the experts who have sold/installed thousands of kits do not use it. Why ? My conclusion is that the experts must know more than me and they have statistics to support their choice.I do not. So when I see a 'new' bearing specified for the IMSB ,I wonder if the first users realize they are guinea pigs. The generic SKF bearing FVD specified may be fine .If it is, the data will be useful for others who follow. And as painful experience by a few other members has indicated ,bearing spec is much less important than pre-qualification and installation.The best Installation Instructions I found are many pages of excruciating imperatives. The pre-qualification directives eliminate a lot of M96 engines with failed or failing IMSB. But people slap in a new bearing and are 'surprised ' by the negative result.This is a scenario that we have discussed previously and it causes severe $ problems for P-car owners. When I rebuilt my M96(improper IMSB replacement by P.O.?) ,I bought a kit from an expert even though I was eager to experiment with an upgraded bearing. When I opened the kit, the part number revealed a generic bearing ....

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Glad you are ignoring the internet experts. There are plenty of threads for them to share their expertise. When someone is a vendor for the forums, at worst we should just appreciate them for keeping this place going. At best, purchase their products.

I corrected what I politely called a muddle. How is that hostility ? I am not an Internet expert. I repeatedly said I was not. However I am Mech Eng and can read a Bearing Manual well enough to correct a vendors muddled technical comments. If that is not a useful technical contribution to a technical discussion ,then I am muddled too ! Buried in this is a unique feature of the FVD kit that has not been explained - FVD Engineers please help ![ /B]Unique selling points are useful in promoting FVD products? The bearing specified by FVD is (according to the sales person ) metal shielded but not sealed(ZZ or ZZS).But earlier in this thread they said it was sealed ! Their terminology may be muddled again so the seals may be both shielded and sealed ? It is difficult to have an intelligent discussion without correct use of Engineering terms. But I'll try to help promote their product and entice an FVD engineer into the discussion to clarify for us. Good to know they spec an ABEC 9 bearing - that is a major enhancement over some other kits. But there is more: 1. The metal shields(not sealed) address two of the many criteria previously raised(not by me) in selecting an IMSB bearing - lubrication and venting . The clearance between the shield and the bearing race is large enough(?) to allow oil to enter(capillarity) the IMS bearing when the engine is off and on level ground. It might 'fill' the bearing about 1/3 of the way. When the engine is running ,the oil level may be high enough to keep replenishing oil in the bearing. But -would all the oil be spun out when the engine runs ? Perhaps the oil would remain in the bearing long enough to provide adequate lubrication ? FVD comment invited. 2. This clearance also allows venting. This has been suggested as a reason the 2RS bearings loose their grease and fail. 3. BUT the FVD has metal shields on both sides. So it may allow oil to drain into the IMS tube and also fill it to 1/3 full. Allowing oil into the IMS tube has been condemned by others as a source of contaminated lubricant. Perhaps FVD has tested this ? This is important because the metal shield is attached to the outer race. This creates a "wier" for the oil that has entered the IMS tube. That old rancid oil can never be drained. There will always be a residual amount in the tube. Maybe that is insignificant ? FVD comment ? The common solution to this is to buy a 2RS bearing('rubber' seals on both sides of the bearing) and remove the outer seal before installation. A more imaginative solution to this may be to spec a 1 ZZS or ZZ+ 1RS bearing ? Perhaps that is what FVD have and there is yet another muddle in their comments ? None of this is new thinking just a re-hash of the accumulated wisdom & experience of others. For example - the specific issue of ZZ/ZZS + ABEC 9 bearings was discussed on Pedro's Forum with an ex-Timken Engineer a couple of years ago. http://www.bocabearings.com/productD...x?ItemID=16750 6204-2RS Bearing Hybrid Ceramic Sealed 20x47x14: Deep Groove Ball Bearings: Amazon.com: Industrial & Scientific 6204-2RS Bearing Hybrid Ceramic Sealed 20x47x14: Deep Groove Ball Bearings: Amazon.com: Industrial & Scientific http://www.skf.com/us/products/mrc/h...ngs/index.html I raise these technical issues to help advance the technical discussion by learning about the unique features and benefits of the FVD kit. Over to you FVD.

..

If anyone reads the whole Thread here, they will see multiple "Red Flags" regarding this different IMSB alternative. How sad that Boxman became a victim. If such failure had occurred with The Solution, can you imagine being rejected by Charles or Jake ?.

user 63031, sorry to hear about your IMS failure..It sucks. With all the IMSB kits and discussion I too have decided I could do no worse than all the others. I speced a cylindrical NUP204-E SKF bearing and had appropriate aluminum spacers made to fit to a dual row shaft and flange..In my view the solid bushing is the best route , but to expensive for my budget and is patented so I won't be designing my own.. Schnell Gelb good to see you man, where you been? I thought you had dissapeared !!

I guess being proven right makes people reappear, haha. His posts were invaluable in guiding me towards sourcing my own bearing, and in figuring out how mine could have failed so early. Unfortunately I was not yet the owner of this car when the FVD was put in, or I would sure have stumbled upon this thread before installing and opted for another solution.

Most of what I learned and shared about the IMSB issue was from Jake ,JFP and Charles. They patiently corrected every (ineffective) idea we (I) threw at them. I was astonished that they would take the time to bother . I even got P.M s from them offering help even though I had never spent a dime with them. Indeed, I even used their competitors products and discussed it ! We even debated esoteric issues like DOF ,wandering into aircraft engine design for examples and came to some very sound conclusions.Wonderful ,geekish stuff. Sadly some Forum members became quite abusive toward those who gave sound advice or well argued contrary opinions. The Admin seemed to ignore it and the inevitable happened. This Forum lost Jake and Charles and a few others as frequent contributors..So I just followed them to a quieter Forum where we had lots of technical help without the hostility. .

Yea, I noticed quite a few have been absent. Jake has a stand in, Charles has been a little quite, but posting. I guess I missed the straw that broke the camels back. I try to stay out if it gets too heated.. Good to see you posting.

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I wasn't going to post because I didn't want to start a flame war or have people who have had previous issues with me, LN, or our products turn this into a sh*t show. But here goes. Although FVD is our competitor, I'll be the first to say that **** happens and bearings do fail. If anyone sells enough of them, you will eventually have a defective one pop up. That's why we try our best to make sure that pre-qualification procedures are followed to the T. I don't know all the details on what happened above, but dual row bearings with twice the load capacity seem to be less sensitive to environmental conditions or possible internal defects. It's good that it was caught early and a sealed bearing was used to try to mitigate any contamination of the replacement bearing. I hope a spin on filter adapter without bypass was put on to try to collect any FOD and that the pan is dropped several times in short succession to clean any lingering debris. As far as FVD's kits not using a ceramic dual row bearing, there are none right off the shelf that are a direct fit as Boxman said, and custom means more $$$. Both the Single Row Pro and Classic Dual are make custom for us by the industry leader in ceramics. One guy pretty much makes them all in the US. For example, if you go into a Motion Industries for example and try to buy a ceramic hybrid bearing, it will end up coming from the same source, however our bearings are unique and are sold to no other company. And the IMS Solution is unique as well in that it is patented, just like the Single Row Pro, and the Solution is as different as it gets from the IMS Retrofit, being that it backdate the IMS to a plain, oil fed bearing. Nothing to fail, so yes, if someone has a failure with the Solution, they must be trying really hard or be really special! Everyone else are just imitators. FVD, just like TuneRS and others, used to be large consumers of IMS Retrofit kits until they decided they could make more money doing it themselves by doing it differently. Just stating a fact. But one thing is constant among everything we do - we don't knock off competitors or copy people's products, like our competition is more than happy to do, or infringe on our patents. Everyone knows I make the RND Roller Bearing and the Pelican IMS kit. We make lots of products private label for other companies because it fits a niche the customer wants (like Pelican with a budget DIY kit) or SSF who wanted a quality roller bearing kit when they weren't happy with what was available that they would stand behind with their 2 yr / 24k warranty they give shops on parts.

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I knew you made the RND Roller, but didn't know you made the Pelican IMS kit. I like its pricepoint and the" one kit fits all" design, great for the budget DIY'ers. Thanks for posting..

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Wayne and I brainstormed the Pelican kit years ago. He wanted something that you would change every 3 years that the DIYer could do with minimal tools and in their home garage. There are lots of items people don't realize we make for others. One of our highest volume products isn't even for a Porsche, but for light aircraft: http://zipperbigbore.com/

Ironically there is a banner advertisement at the top of this page :This is the source of the failed single row bearing in this thread. Not a word from them to support their product just an ad. "FVD Brombacher - High Quality IMS Repair Kits are $ 495 - New Release!!" Who wants to be a guinea pig? 6 weeks later the banner ad has gone ................ This must surely be a hint to those who used the FVD bearing or a similar one to change it before it is too late.

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NOPE!

I'm new to this forum, so I will throw my two cents into the fray. I own a 2004 Boxster S and bought her with 25,000 miles on the clock in 2015. I immediately shipped her to Flat 6 and had the "Solution" installed. As of June, 2018, I have 50,000 miles on her. I love the spin-on filter adaptor and the idea of a plain bearing. Just install the "Solution" and start living life. It's cheaper to buy the right part and install it once, instead of constantly trying to band-aid fix with an inferior design over and over and over....... The "Solution" allows me to make trips like this with zero worry. Get busy livin'.

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Notice the below is a spec not a warrantee... "We also have the dual rows spec'd for 62,000 miles / 100,000 kms service life on each bearing. FVD Brombacher - USA Rhonda Roxburgh Phone: [phone removed] x 1 Email: [email removed] " This is the only info I can find on the FVD website that mentions warrantee or lack thereof. Perhaps I missed it somewhere. Maybe vendor could direct me to the proper location on their site? From their website "Warranty And Disclaimer There are no express warranties that extend beyond the description contained herein. SELLER DISCLAIMS ANY IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR WARRANTY OF FITNESS FOR ANY PARTICULAR PURPOSE. SINCE SELLER CANNOT CONTROL THE MANNER OF USE OF ITS PRODUCTS AFTER THEIR SALE, SELLER WILL NOT BE RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY CONSEQUENTIAL OR INDIRECT DAMAGES. When Seller is acting only as a distributor of products manufactured by other companies, Seller expressly limits its liabilities to any guarantees extended by the manufacturer, which guarantees Seller will pass through to the customer. No warranty will apply if its products are in any way altered or modified after delivery by Seller." I don't see any mention of "Product warranty is void if not installed by FVD"(post #1009 from IMS bearing failure thread) From their website: "We recommend professional installation for the IMS bearing. " I must be missing something here...

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We will advise customers of the appropriate actions that need to be taken. That said, it's a free world and we can't tell anyone what they can or can't do. If someone wants to fit our products in an engine after there has been a failure, that's a calculated risk. What I don't agree with is people who do that, stick our sticker on the car, then list the car for sale as having been Retrofitted then it blows up on the new customer and it's my fault. As far as FVD and those other companies that blatantly try to copy our products and fail, there is only one original. The rest are imitators. We used to sell our bearings to companies like FVD and several other purveyors of IMS before they decided they could make more money cheaping out on components and undercutting us. No harm, no foul. That's what we are here for. It's all economic stimulus. When the competitors' product fails, they can also call Jake. He loves helping people who make the wrong decision and bought the wrong parts.

Damn right.. Send it on.

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Charles i'm curious, whats the aircraft crowd like?? Guessing the game changes when you've got quite a bit of space between you and the ground... I have a dual row pro, another two years ill be due for a replacement ill go with the solution.

Aircraft guys are easy to deal with, or at least Hal at Zipper Big Bore is. Great guy to work with. He's had engines blow up mid-air. Never lost his composure. He said our cylinders are stronger than the originals. He actually had a rod fail and he didn't know until he landed. Had a misfire but didn't loose enough power to make him think twice. Our cylinder took the impact of the rod repeatedly and didn't fail or even lose a drop of oil. Quite a sight to see. The same failure with a stock cylinder doesn't have the same result. Actually, the first cylinders we made in any volume were initially sold into the 1/2 vw market. If you don't know what that is, google it. They were getting 50 horse at 3200 rpm constant duty out of a 2 cylinder (half of a vw type 1 engine - literally sawed in half) with our cylinders and making it last.

Nice one testament to your wares then!

Hi Guys, thanks for this thread. I nearly let build in the IMS kit in my 996 C4, 02/2001, 157k km at FVD. It was planed for April. But after reading this thread I hope Charles can give me an address for a repair shop at Germany who build in his IMS Kit.

Herzlich wilkommen to the Thread Michael, Just email LN Engineering.I find them very helpful. To be an educated consumer, I suggest you watch some of the recent videos from Porsche Club of America and Flat Six - Jake Raby. Even if your English is not perfect (mine isn't either) ,his diction and accent is very easy to understand, Here s a link: . http://flat6innovations.com/#media?utm_source=IMS+Clinic+newsletter&utm_campaign=%23003+Customer+New sletter&utm_medium=email The other good contact you may find useful is "Marcus" a.k.a. Smallblock454. .He is in Stuttgart area.,You can find him on the 986 Forum http://986forum.com/forums/performance-technical-chat/

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Please feel free to open a support ticket with LN - my staff will gladly answer any questions you have. If you are looking for someone in Germany, I'd recommend contacting Alexander Beenen at Custom Concepts as he is our EU distributor and can help with any requests like finding you a partner shop at http://lnengineering.eu/

Thanks a lot for your responses. I will get in contact with LN Engineering.