Replacement Bearing Set for Lews Tourny MB

[LionHeart]

Guys I'm looking to replace a full bearing kit for one of my Lews Tournament MB casting reels.  I've had the reel for a few seasons (about 6 years), and have been noticing the casting distance isn't what it should be, and has been getting worse over time.  I'm really thinking it wouldn't do any harm to give the reel a new set of bearings while I have it opened up for servicing.  Can anyone recommend a good bearing set for this reel?  I have never personally replaced bearings in a reel, but am comfortable breaking them down for service.  Thanks!

[GRiver]

https://www.fasteddybearings.com/fishing-reel-bearings/
They have bearing kits, but I had to measure some of mine and order the bearing individually. You could upgrade the bearing rating too, abec 5 or 7.

[FrnkNsteen]

If you say you are comfortable servicing your reels, I assume you flushed and reoiled the ones currently in the reel?

 

15 minutes ago, GRiver said:

https://www.fasteddybearings.com/fishing-reel-bearings/
They have bearing kits, but I had to measure some of mine and order the bearing individually. You could upgrade the bearing rating too, abec 5 or 7.

I've seen those bearing sets, but wondered what the quality was like. I kind of like the idea of being able to order a complete set without having to measure and order individual bearings!

 

Anybody actually use them before?

[GRiver]

Fast eddy’s I couldn’t find the abec ratings, but boca, does they have kits too. 

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

The hard part is removing the pin from the spool without damaging anything. Unless something is damaged or corroded there’s no need to change out everything. The two spool bearings maybe will be an improvement but it’s minimal after cleaning and flushing them. I have bearings in stock if you want them or I can install them for you. 

[Bankc]

I'd avoid ceramic or anything particularly expensive, if I were you.  I once put ceramic bearings in a baitcaster and discovered two things.  The first is, they're loud!  Not crazy loud, but loud enough to be annoying.  And the second is, you don't need the highest quality bearings in a reel.  They don't spin at 30,0000 RPMs, they don't spin 24/7/365, and they don't spin in temperatures north of 450°.  Plus, no matter the reel and bearings, you're going to have to apply some breaks to avoid backlash. 

 

Which means no reel will be able to take advantage of high end bearings in real-world use.  Yes, you want good enough bearings so that the bearings don't become your brakes.  But beyond that, it doesn't matter.  And pretty much any mid-priced bearing you can find will easily cover that.  High end bearings might buy you an extra yard on your furthest casts.  But 99 times out of 100, you need that extra yard to go into accuracy rather than distance.  And if you ever really do need that extra yard, then there are other ways to get it. 

[lettuceBEEcereal]

If you've just been adding grease to the gears through the port and haven't taken it apart yet, it could just need a good cleaning. Do you oil the worm gear regularly?

 

I also agree with avoiding ceramic bearings, have them in a few reels and the sound annoys not only me but others as well. I'd just e-mail Lews and get a new set from them. They will probably just send them to you at no cost. I dropped a side plate into the water, asked about purchasing one and they sent me a new one for free.

[dodgeguy]

On 9/20/2024 at 10:17 AM, Bankc said:

I'd avoid ceramic or anything particularly expensive, if I were you.  I once put ceramic bearings in a baitcaster and discovered two things.  The first is, they're loud!  Not crazy loud, but loud enough to be annoying.  And the second is, you don't need the highest quality bearings in a reel.  They don't spin at 30,0000 RPMs, they don't spin 24/7/365, and they don't spin in temperatures north of 450°.  Plus, no matter the reel and bearings, you're going to have to apply some breaks to avoid backlash. 

 

Which means no reel will be able to take advantage of high end bearings in real-world use.  Yes, you want good enough bearings so that the bearings don't become your brakes.  But beyond that, it doesn't matter.  And pretty much any mid-priced bearing you can find will easily cover that.  High end bearings might buy you an extra yard on your furthest casts.  But 99 times out of 100, you need that extra yard to go into accuracy rather than distance.  And if you ever really do need that extra yard, then there are other ways to get it. 

Yes