Aurora Bearing Company rod ends and bushings

From hardcore, custom 4×4 race creations, to all-out speed machines, there’s a lot to see at SEMA 2019. But go beyond the display cars and auditory insanity, and all sorts of unassuming, smaller booths emerge, filled with all manner of amazing aftermarket upgrade. Take the Aurora Bearing Company booth for instance, with its display brandishing some of the strongest metal suspension products on the planet.

We caught up with John McRory of Aurora Bearing Company to discuss what the world’s premier “Motion-Transfer Specialist” has been up to as of late, kicking things off with Aurora’s new line of RAM Series in Special Off-Road Sizes. McRory informs us that these ultra-high-end off-road products are basically hardcore trophy truck Class 1 material. That means they feature a heat-treated steel body and a mil-spec Teflon liner, both of which meet the most demanding standards set in place by the American military. McRory says that “In terms of durability, the strength and fatigue resistance to the body, and the life of the Teflon liner bearing interface… are unparalleled.”

Moving to more asphalt-oriented offerings, McRory shows us a product that was developed with the help of various Pro-Mod builders in the drag racing arena. In this extreme speed sport, bearing longevity tends to become a concern toward the end of each season, giving just cause for Aurora Bearing Company to develop rod ends with larger bodies and ball diameters. McRory explains that race-width has also been increased, with the product being heat-treated for superior unit loading balance along with the bearing interface. These products also have the same mil-spec liner as the aforementioned off-road option.

McRory goes on to explain that Aurora Bearing Company is also at SEMA this year to feel-out market interest for some experimental offerings. One of these parts being a bearing designed to be a drag racing shock upgrade. These shock bearings can also be applied to those in the oval racing segment, and even European and Asian imports, which feature a 26mm outer diameter. Aurora Bearing Company may be producing these items in small numbers, but we get the feeling that once SEMA wraps-up they will likely need to increase production.

When asked about how Aurora Bearing Company is evolving, McRory tells us that offering product descriptions in a multitude of languages are a recent move that many might take for granted. “Our industry is more about evolution than revolution,” McRory explains. Being that this is an internationally distributed brand, it only makes sense that Aurora Bearing Company would look to grow its already sizable global presence, one superbly crafted bearing and rod end at a time.