Greetings,
The real problem with the INA is not the caged construction.
It's the construction of the cage - plastic of some sort that gets brittle with age and heat and breaks down leaving all the roller bearings on one side - usually the side opposite the load.

That bearing is a great excuse to upgrade the cam while you are in there......worked for me anyway!

 

Just finished a cam and lifter swap in my 93. Torrington was installed a couple of years ago along with a V-Thunder cam. V-Thunder rep advised that I should not need to replace either the Torrington, or the VT lifters that were already installed.

Sorry guys, but if I'm doing the labor and new parts are being installed, ALL new parts will be installed. $10.00 for a cam bearing, $160.00 for new set of S&S lifters (I got a deal), are well worth the money and piece of mind. I also installed a new set of SE E-Z just pushrods and have already sold my use ones.

The VT rep may have been right as the bearing and lifters looked like new. BTW, the VT Velevetouch lifters will be for sale soon. Yep I did spend a few extra bucks, but she fired on the first hit of the starter and runs like a bat out of hell.

 

Huh? This is about the cheapest thing to fix on a Harley. Before it goes bad anyway. After, it can get expensive.

 

eightball is right. This is a great way to get to know your bike! There's a lot of information around on this subject. I would suggest that you bone up on the info and plan to do it yourself.

 

Thanks guys . Alot of good information . Not so sure about doing it myself , but it looks like some Torrington bearings should find their way in there somehow . Maybe I should give some thought to a cam while it's open too . But then thats more money . It never ends I need a biker buddy who's a mechanic lol .

 

At 97,000 Km, that would be around 60,000 miles if I calculate right. If it was mine I think I would go ahead and change the brg. You can get a set of HD quick install adjustable push rods so that you do not have to take the top end apart to change the brg. If you don't change the cam, it would be $10.00 for the cam brg., $100.00 for the push rods, and then the gaskets. So it is really not to bad. You will have to find a brg. pulling tool. These can be purchased or rented at some auto parts stores.
I have 25,000 miles on my 99, and so far so good, but plan to change mine out before I get to 30,000 miles or so.

 

I have NEVER regreted changing my stock cam to an EV-27! I,like yourself was concerned about the reliability issue with the stock bearing. If I were to do it over again,I would still put that cam in!

 

The real problem with the INA is not the construction of the cage.......
nothing to do with it.
And it is not that it has a caged construction either.
The issue is that DUE to the cage (construction) occupying space, there are way less needle rollers, and that the bearing is BARELY ADEQUATE in size, the rollers are too small for the load(given their reduction in number).
Overall load remains the same, so individual loading on each needle roller is greatly increased.
The OUTER SHELL of the bearing wears away, overheats, and fails. Any failure of the cage is SECONDARY, and not a prime cause at all.
It is not aging of plastic that causes failure, but excessive load, which is why they do not necessarily have to be old to fail.

INA bearings that are adequately sized for the task at hand(like Twin cam late mains) exhibit no significant failure rate. They, of course, have the same cage design type.

 

Greetings,
As you said, the INA bearing is a good design in a limited load environment. Open construction for good oiling and the cage has less drag than roller against roller so it runs slightly cooler at or below the design load.
In a twinkie, which I think has the same bearing(don't know for sure - don't mess with twinkies), the cam has HALF the load from the valve springs and better load angle so there is no comparison to an EVO.

Over the last 20 years, I see approximately a 28 percent failure rate of this bearing in EVOs at various random mileages - the rest were changed and lived happily ever after.....
Of the motors with the failure, most had no damage to the cases, but a couple had no choice. Some were early cases with cracks and leaks not related to the bearing but the bearing was the case killer - they said they could live with a small leak as that's what Harleys did. One wanted more than the stock cases could handle anyway and used this as an excuse to get an S&S stroker.

Pay a little now or a lot later.
In an EVO, I would just change it and have peace of mind in an otherwise trouble free motor.

 

Thanks for all the information everyone . Decission is made , the bearing gets changed next week .