I have noticed over the last year or so that new bearings supplied both by MB and FAG (the original manufacturer) have excessive end float and I have been unhappy to fit them.
Now, I have been doing this a long time, long enough to know that you can never know everything, but I'm pretty certain that this never used to be the case and that the fitment of new bearings always used to eliminate the end float.
However, after trying three different bearings of the same spec, I tried an alternative recommended by my bearing supplier with the result that end float is eliminated whilst still having the necessary geometry to allow for angular movement.
the good news is that the bearing is also cheaper.
SKF 1208-ETN9 Self Aligning Bearing
And this is where you can buy them:
http://www.wychbearings.co.uk/1208-etn9_open_skf.htmlIt is for you to decide if there's any merit in my findings.