NSK

A lot of people would still smirk when you tell them you bought something that's 'made in Japan'. In 1969, Sony even experienced difficulty in marketing their products because it's a Japanese company. Hence, the 'made in Japan' label on Sony products then was stamped at the smallest possible size. True, Japan has the reputation of manufacturing products with poor quality, but not everything that's Japan-made is unreliable and not all companies produce substandard auto parts that are disposable after a few miles or years. A Japanese automotive company that can prove the 'made in Japan' perception wrong is NSK. The company was established in 1916 and completely revolutionized the 'Japan-made products' way of thinking worldwide.

The first auto parts the company manufactured were engine bearings, including the NSK release bearing, a product that most distributors carry on their online shelves today. After sealing their niche in the industry as the leading manufacturer for automotive bearings, the brand tried its hand in engineering other car parts using precision machining technology. Soon after, more products were developed, including the NSK timing belt tensioner. This one also became successful and the company became a leading supplier to an international network of distributors. With the brand's timing belt tensioner, you can be sure the belt will continuously drive your alternator, A/C compressor, water pump, and other components without loosening.

Another timing belt component the company manufactures is the NSK timing belt idler. Machined from tough and resistant metal, the idler does a great job of maintaining the correct position of the timing belt. So if you notice derailment or looseness in the timing belt, replace all of your idlers immediately. Try the brand's idler set and you might just like the way the circular metals stabilize your timing belt. But even if NSK already carries a wider range of products today, their first creation was still considered the best. They're still known as the premiere bearing supplier to the market, not the timing belt assembly distributor. That's because an NSK bearing is made from cast iron and pressed steel. The part is also self-aligning with an oil-proof duplex rubber seal.