Bearing Upgrade Help

[Nibby]

I'm sure this has been asked before but I searched and could not find a for sure answer. I just ordered some bearings from hawgtech and I am confused whether to run dry or oil, and if you recommend oil and brands you prefer? Thanks!

[MarkH024]

Run them dry

[Kevin22]

Ceramics are ran dry. 

[21farms]

ceramics CAN be run dry...they spin faster and easier dry but noisier too. you can quell the racket somewhat with a drop of high-speed oil in each bearing if you want.

[Nibby]

Will the drop of oil affect performance enough to matter?

[OkobojiEagle]

If you have trouble controlling your cast when running ceramic bearings dry, add a drop of oil.  This will slow them down a little and help with control... the higher the viscosity oil, the more control.

 

 

oe

[OnthePotomac]

There are several high speed bearing oils on the market, but I have been using Oust Met Oil on my ceramics and it works well.  Any hobby store selling remote race cars will usually sell Oust Met Oil for the little car's wheel bearings.  Just a touch will quiet down the ceramics and have a minor effect on their speed.  Ceramics will require more frequent oil drops than SS bearings on which I use Yellow Rocket Fuel, and is a touch too heavy for ceramics for me.

[F14A-B]

I run them with a drop of Diawa Red oil, it does fine... Not as noisy but I couldn't really see a advantage to ceramics...but that's a different thread

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

One of the advantage of ceramics is the ability to run them dry. I expect anything that's faster to produce more sound, but I don't find ceramics noisy to the point of distraction.

[Jeff H]

I've got a drop of Rem oil on mine.  Just not comfortable running ANY bearing without lube.

[Mr_Scrogg]

Mike, do you run your ceramics with or without the seals/shields?

[OnthePotomac]

I am not Mike, but I removed the orange seals from my Boca bearings.  They work great without the orange seals and are easier to maintain.  With regard to the comment above questioning the advantage of ceramic bearings, I am inclined to agree.  My quality SS ABEC7 bearings are comparable in performance as far as I can tell.  Some may already know this, but Bantam1, the Shimano customer rep, still maintains that anything over ABEC 5 is overkill as a result of bait caster RPMs.

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

The orange seals are supposedly "non-contact" but in reality they aren't, especially after being removed and reinstalled. An open bearing runs better and is easier to service. I run them open whenever I can. I agree that ABEC7's are over kill. It is the ABEC rating that mostly drives the price up as well. Swapping out bearings is largely and enthusiast endeavor anyway, so I still sell a fair amount of ABEC 7 OSC's but I'm sure to discuss what the customer's objective is.

[Capt.Bob]

I am not Mike, but I removed the orange seals from my Boca bearings.  They work great without the orange seals and are easier to maintain.  With regard to the comment above questioning the advantage of ceramic bearings, I am inclined to agree.  My quality SS ABEC7 bearings are comparable in performance as far as I can tell.  Some may already know this, but Bantam1, the Shimano customer rep, still maintains that anything over ABEC 5 is overkill as a result of bait caster RPMs.

 

Bantum1 is spot on, Mike may not be distracted by ceramics but I am, I personally think they are a waste, unless you are trying to throw 1/8 oz or less, and will gain very little then, or will never maintain a quality abec5 SS bearing with light oil be needed periodically, then you may want to get used to the lousy racket, most won't gain anything over a quality abec 5 SS.

 

I agree with Bantum1 and always suggest abec 5 SS, I have ran orange seals from boca (abec7 ceramics) personally I hated them, I even tried them again in my team pro, I still hate them, and am running SS now. With a drop of oil it will relieve the sound a little, and I have to say I seen very little difference in performance with very light oil added, but with the drop of oil on each, it still was to much noise for my liking. As far as ABEC RATING, far to many get caught up in this, it is a loosely used term by most sellers and far to hard to prove they are selling what they say. Chances are if they are selling abec 7 or 9's and are the same price as a abec 5 from a well known reputable seller, they are probably 5's. If you can buy an abec 7 and "it is as true" as an abec 5 from boca for less money, then by all means go with them, but don't expect an abec 5 or 7 to make difference in the reel's performance, they only operate at enough rpm to benefit from an abec 5 bearing. And never use anything over an abec 5 in a spinning reel, as they turn very low rpm's and there is absolutely nothing to be gained. All this said, for all my customers I use only abec 5 SS bearings from Boca, unless they are determined to go with Orange Seals, most agree after making that choice, and would have been just as happy with abec 5 SS performance wise. I use Boca because I know every bearing I by from Boca I am getting what I ask for, and find there Abec 5 bearings to be a better bearing than most factory bearings. This doesn't mean that factories are not building with Abec 5 bearings, but I feel Boca's are higher quality......JMO

[Preytorien]

I have Hawgtech's ceramic bearings, and in my Curado they were pretty noisy and since I'm a bit obsessive about quiet running parts (see my bicycling background, namely the desire for a silent bike), I use a single drop of high speed Boeshield oil on a q-tip, then rub it on the bearings. The very slight bit of oil seems to quiet them down an acceptable level.....but not totally silent. But it's enough to satisfy the OCD in me and doesn't seem to affect the bearings' advantages any that I can sense.

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

Bearing upgrades are mostly an enthusiast endeavor similar to performance exhaust, intake etc on a car or motorcycle. The higher performance and  increased noise level go hand in hand to some degree. I agree with the Capt.  that and ABEC5 SS is all you "need" to keep your reel running well and when properly lubed, performance can be pretty much maximized.

[aavery2]

Many of the guys that have the enthusiast level gear are moving from the standard Abec 7 and 9 ceramic bearings to the Micro bearings, I have not tried them yet in any of my reels but I hear some very good reports.

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

The Micro Bearings I've heard of are just small bearings used in the hubs of custom skate wheels. How are people applying them in a reel?

[aavery2]

The Micro Bearings I've heard of are just small bearings used in the hubs of custom skate wheels. How are people applying them in a reel?

This is one of the brands that I have heard of people using.

 

http://www.hedgehog-studio.co.jp/page/24

 

 

This page has a little more information about them

 

http://www.hedgehog-studio.co.jp/product/548

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

That's what I figured, a sleeve of some sort. The lighter balls in ceramics is one of their main benefits so I can see how these would work better than stockers. The hardness and roundness of ceramic still probably makes them "better" but the micros look like a good option for a finesse reel when the owner is fussy about noise. 

[aavery2]

That's what I figured, a sleeve of some sort. The lighter balls in ceramics is one of their main benefits so I can see how these would work better than stockers. The hardness and roundness of ceramic still probably makes them "better" but the micros look like a good option for a finesse reel when the owner is fussy about noise. 

Most of the people that I see using them are those with the very high end BFS reels,  these bearings require a very low startup inertia, and when paired with an ultralight spool and magnetic braking are allowing guys to cast some very light baits comfortably.

[Jeff H]

I'm going to put those Hedgehog Air BFS bearings in my Alphas F over the winter when I'm going through all my reels.  I was told they are the only ones that will make a real difference.  I really don't have any complaints with how it casts now but I'm curious to see just how much difference there will actually be.