I have my diff disassembled at present and have found that one of my two outer (brake end) roller bearings has a loose cage, the other is firm, no lateral (twisting) movement to of the bearing cage. Hope I'm explaining this correctly.

I thought I would buy a new outer bearing but then found that the new ones don't have oil groves on the rollers and, it is suggested by the suppliers, that these new roller bearings are "not recommended" for use as outer bearings. I see that the modern replacement is very expensive.

So, I guess, my question is: is lateral or twisting movement acceptable in the bearing cage or is it now scrap?

It's a '27 tourer.

Cheers, Paul

Paul, you can tighten up your existing bearing cages by setting them on a firm setting and peening the pins to the plate...Search Google MTFCA and you should get lots of info on this subject...hope this helps.

Thanks for that John, I will look it up.

Paul, There is nothing wrong in using the new bearings without oil grooves. If you install new inner seals for the outer bearings the bearing is sealed in grease and will have plenty of lubrication. Have done this for 50 years with no problems.