bearing upgrade 2024
bcaz01 reply :
has anyone upgraded from stock bearing, is it worth it? anyone know bps pro qualifier bearing size? (new models)
Dr. Watson reply :
http://www.vxb.com/page/bearings/CTGY/Fishing-Reel-Bearings?gclid=CMO79dH_7KMCFa1d7AodO2cW1g
check this place out, they have a bit of everything and you can upgrade your bearings to the performance level you want.
choupique reply :
I upgraded one of my reels with Boca Bearings and it made a noticeable difference. They have a search on the site that finds bearings according to your reel model.
Jig Man reply :
If you want to make it really go upgrade to boca ceramics and run them dry. I increased my casting distance 20 yds. Run dry they are noisy but that is ok with me.
bcaz01 reply :
thanx, going to check out boca
skunked_again reply :
QuoteIf you want to make it really go upgrade to boca ceramics and run them dry. I increased my casting distance 20 yds. Run dry they are noisy but that is ok with me.
what reel did you put them in?
RussBert reply :
A (spool) bearing upgrade can make a significant difference in the reels ability to cast. Much depends upon,
1. the condition of the existing bearings. If your factory bearings are worn, corroded or very low quality, you'll see a big difference replacing them
2. the overall condition of the reel. If the reel is all clapped out, it's not prudent to sink more money in it.
3. the type of reel. Some reels will respond better that others
If you're going to install new spool bearings, I would recommend having the entire serviced which includes a thorough cleaning and re-lubrication along with the replacement of any worn parts.
Boca ABEC 5 hybrid bearings are great performing bearings for about $19 a set. The difference between them and the orange seals ($30 a set) is minimal
RussBert reply :
...and for the record, I never run spool bearings dry 
BobP reply :
I've tried ABEC7 and TG ceramic bearings in several Abu and Shimano reels. The 7's will get you 5-10 extra FEET. The ceramics a couple of FEET more. The ceramics were noticably louder and generate more vibration when they are new. IMO, it's worthwhile to buy ABEC7's only when you need to replace spool bearings. At twice the 7's price, you can keep the ceramics! I buy 7's not because they cast a bit farther and are marginally smoother, but because you can buy them cheaper than the replacement ABEC5's used by many reel manufacturers. My last 7's cost $8-9 dollars each. If you are looking for big performance gains, I think you'll be disappointed. There's a lot more that goes into casting distance than the ABEC rating of the bearings in the reel. If you get 5 more feet out of a cast, is it worth it to you? Take your foot off the trolling motor one second later and your lure will reach just as far. IMO, use the exta $20 you saved to buy a few good lures instead. JMHO
ksbasser reply :
the design of the bearing has way more impact on performance than the abec rating. Ahiger abec rating means that the bearing has tighter tolerances. Fishing reels don't need tight tolerances in the bearing, they need bearings that spin easy with very little resistance. Bearings with very tight tolerances will generally have more resistance than a bearing thats loose. If you want to upgrade your reels performance with bearings, then you need to use bearings that have very little resistance. The easisest way to do that is with open sided, un-sheilded bearings. Shimano recognized this when they introduced the open sided ARB bearings that they use in many of the top end casting reels. The retail price of ARB bearings is quite expensive. A better solution would be to get Boca Orange seaal bearings and then remove the rubber seals. You can remoe the seals by prying them out with a needle. Using open bearings also makes it much easier to keep the bearings clean. Boca orange seals don't need any oil on the balls, they spin the besy dry, but the cage and race are stainless steel and will corrode if not protected. I use a very this oil, rocket fuel tournament grade, to protect boca orange seal bearings. I remove the seals, put one tiy drop in the bearing and spin it to fling as much off as posible and then use my fingers to smear the outside with a thin film of oil. The rocket fuel tournament grade is almost thinner than water. It won't slow the bearing down.
Jig Man reply :
QuoteQuoteIf you want to make it really go upgrade to boca ceramics and run them dry. I increased my casting distance 20 yds. Run dry they are noisy but that is ok with me.what reel did you put them in?
Curado CU200s
choupique reply :
A tighter tolerance dosen't mean that the rolling resistance is higher. Tolerance is the amount of variation from an absolute exact measurement that is permitted during the manufacturing process. The higher the ABEC rating, the tighter the tolerance, the more precise and smooth the bearing. The smoother the bearing the less friction is generated during operation. How much difference will this make in a reel? That would depend on a number of factors such as quality of the bearings being replaced, condition of the reel, etc.
Hammer 4 reply :
Just get the thing Super Tuned... ;D
skunked_again reply :
QuoteQuoteQuoteIf you want to make it really go upgrade to boca ceramics and run them dry. I increased my casting distance 20 yds. Run dry they are noisy but that is ok with me.what reel did you put them in?
Curado CU200s
thats impressive. i installed Orange Seals in an STX, and a Sol and noticed nothing much to brag about. in fact next time i service the STX the factory bearings are going back in.
baluga reply :
QuoteQuoteQuoteQuoteIf you want to make it really go upgrade to boca ceramics and run them dry. I increased my casting distance 20 yds. Run dry they are noisy but that is ok with me.what reel did you put them in?
Curado CU200s
thats impressive. i installed Orange Seals in an STX, and a Sol and noticed nothing much to brag about. in fact next time i service the STX the factory bearings are going back in.
you should try installing the boca w/o the orange seals. It'll cast better and less birds nest. I've installed it in my Core 100mg and CH 50MG and the CORE benefited more than the CH50MG. It cast way better than the stock. JMHO
skunked_again reply :
QuoteQuoteQuoteQuoteQuoteIf you want to make it really go upgrade to boca ceramics and run them dry. I increased my casting distance 20 yds. Run dry they are noisy but that is ok with me.what reel did you put them in?
Curado CU200s
thats impressive. i installed Orange Seals in an STX, and a Sol and noticed nothing much to brag about. in fact next time i service the STX the factory bearings are going back in.
you should try installing the boca w/o the orange seals. It'll cast better and less birds nest. I've installed it in my Core 100mg and CH 50MG and the CORE benefited more than the CH50MG. It cast way better than the stock. JMHO
that is where i was going with that statement.
RussBert reply :
Read what this fellow has to say about bearings. Good stuff, no BS
http://www.shawnsreels.com/
baluga reply :
QuoteRead what this fellow has to say about bearings. Good stuff, no BShttp://www.shawnsreels.com/
2X
ksbasser reply :
here are some links to some good true info about bearings and abec ratings. In my own experience, I have found that many bearings with high abec ratings don't have very long free spin times. I have also found some low rated bearings that very long free spin times. After researching articles such as these and talking with the reps from the bearing distributors that I use, I have concluded that design of the races and shields has much more impact on free spin than the abec rating.
http://www.planetseafishing.com/features/read/battle-of-the-bearings/
http://www.bassfishingandcatching.com/fishing-reel-bearings.html
http://www.seskate.com/ABEC.html
http://www.arkansasstripers.com/garcia-ambassadeur-C4-casting-reels.htm
One thing all of these articles have in common is that they all agree that design and materials are much more important for a fishing reel than the abec rating. You should also keep in mind that most high quality reels have very good bearings. Cleaning , tuning and the use of a high quality oil will make most of them perform better than most of us are capable of using them. If you need to set several brakes and tighten the cast control, then it's already spinning easier than you can use it. If your bearings are worn and need replaced or if your reel isn't of the highest quality, then it may make good sense to replace the bearings and upgrade them to a better designed bearing. If you just like to personalize your gear and want to know that you have the best designed and highest quality bearings, then that's fine also, but you may find that doing that to some reels will make them spin to easy to be able to use them without back lashing. I should also point out that most new bearings should be cleaned thoroughly and then oiled before use. Some will have a residue that that will hinder the performance if it's not cleaned first.
choupique reply :
Nobody is arguing that materials and design don't affect bearings, but the statement that the tighter tolerance means there is more resistance in the bearing which is not true. As I stated I upgraded one of my reels with Boca Bearings and had a noticeable improvement. What I did not state is that I replaced worn stock bearings with Boca ABEC 5 ceramic hybrid bearings in the spool for a few dollars more than a new set of stock bearings. The first time I tried to cast with them I found them very uncontrolable and had to add a drop of oil to them to slow them down a bit and now I can cast the same distance that I used to with less effort wich when fishing all day can make a big difference. I go by what I experiance rather than what others say, and I figure it's worth the few extra bucks per reel.
ksbasser reply :
but the statement that the tighter tolerance means there is more resistance in the bearing which is not true.
I see what you are saying. I think didn't do a good job of explaining what I meant. Here is the original statement
Bearings with very tight tolerances will generally have more resistance than a bearing that's loose.
Instead of stating this as fact, i should have stated it as an observation. I sell bearings in my on line store. I also replace a lot of bearings in my customers reels. I've tried bearings from every source I can find and in every abec rating. I've found that a lot of the higher rated bearings from some companies are actually very stiff. My conclusion is that although they are very precise in rating they were not designed to spin easy. Therefore, you could buy 2 abec 7 bearings from 2 different companies and find that one might spin very easy and free while the other might only spin a second or two before it stops. If the manufacturer lists it as a fishing reel bearing, then odds are that it's suited to that purpose, but very few if any bearings are designed exclusively to be fishing reel bearings. This could be the reason you often hear from people that had their bearings upgraded, but didn't see any difference or even preferred the stock bearings. I recently tried a set of abec 9 bearings and found that they didn't have as much free spin time as a set of abec 5 bearings from the same company. In their defense though, the bearings in question are not advertised as a fishing reel bearing. I'm not arguing what anyone has said here, I simply want everyone to understand that the abec rating is not an indicater of how free the bearing will spin, there is no rating in use that governs that.
RussBert reply :
ksbasser,
Thanks for posting the info. I for one appreciate the straight talk about reel bearings. It cuts through the hype and BS that is often encountered when looking at bearings 8-)
choupique reply :
Quotebut the statement that the tighter tolerance means there is more resistance in the bearing which is not true.I see what you are saying. I think didn't do a good job of explaining what I meant. Here is the original statement
Bearings with very tight tolerances will generally have more resistance than a bearing that's loose.
Instead of stating this as fact, i should have stated it as an observation. I sell bearings in my on line store. I also replace a lot of bearings in my customers reels. I've tried bearings from every source I can find and in every abec rating. I've found that a lot of the higher rated bearings from some companies are actually very stiff. My conclusion is that although they are very precise in rating they were not designed to spin easy. Therefore, you could buy 2 abec 7 bearings from 2 different companies and find that one might spin very easy and free while the other might only spin a second or two before it stops. If the manufacturer lists it as a fishing reel bearing, then odds are that it's suited to that purpose, but very few if any bearings are designed exclusively to be fishing reel bearings. This could be the reason you often hear from people that had their bearings upgraded, but didn't see any difference or even preferred the stock bearings. I recently tried a set of abec 9 bearings and found that they didn't have as much free spin time as a set of abec 5 bearings from the same company. In their defense though, the bearings in question are not advertised as a fishing reel bearing. I'm not arguing what anyone has said here, I simply want everyone to understand that the abec rating is not an indicater of how free the bearing will spin, there is no rating in use that governs that.
This would be a valid observation. I was not trying to argue, but I didn't want anybody to be confused about a close tolerance meening a bearing has an increase in resistance. As you said a high rated bearing may not spin a freely as a lower rated one due to design, materials, quality control, or any number of other variables. I was a little skeptical about the bearings I bought but figured I would try a set due to the fact I needed a new set anyway, and the cost difference was not that much. I have been very satisfied with them, and will be upgrading all my reels but only when they need a new set.
Delaware Valley Tackle reply :
As to the OP, the benefits derived form upgrading bearings depends on the age and condition of the reel in question as well as the casting skill level of the user. Generally, I recommend upgrades if the stock are worn out and replacing anyway. Bearing upgrades are also a main component in super-tuning, which I'll say now is largely for enthusiasts and not "Needed" to catch fish.
I'm a Boca Bearing Dealer and extend a 10% discount off retail to BassResource.com members.
K_Mac reply :
Quotebut the statement that the tighter tolerance means there is more resistance in the bearing which is not true.I see what you are saying. I think didn't do a good job of explaining what I meant. Here is the original statement
Bearings with very tight tolerances will generally have more resistance than a bearing that's loose.
Instead of stating this as fact, i should have stated it as an observation. I sell bearings in my on line store. I also replace a lot of bearings in my customers reels. I've tried bearings from every source I can find and in every abec rating. I've found that a lot of the higher rated bearings from some companies are actually very stiff. My conclusion is that although they are very precise in rating they were not designed to spin easy. Therefore, you could buy 2 abec 7 bearings from 2 different companies and find that one might spin very easy and free while the other might only spin a second or two before it stops. If the manufacturer lists it as a fishing reel bearing, then odds are that it's suited to that purpose, but very few if any bearings are designed exclusively to be fishing reel bearings. This could be the reason you often hear from people that had their bearings upgraded, but didn't see any difference or even preferred the stock bearings. I recently tried a set of abec 9 bearings and found that they didn't have as much free spin time as a set of abec 5 bearings from the same company. In their defense though, the bearings in question are not advertised as a fishing reel bearing. I'm not arguing what anyone has said here, I simply want everyone to understand that the abec rating is not an indicater of how free the bearing will spin, there is no rating in use that governs that.
An interesting discussion. I have upgraded bearings (7s) in one of my PQs. There is a very marginal improvement in casting, I think. :-/
It makes sense to me that a higher rated bearing in a device that rotates at sustained high speed would be desireable. Less vibration, friction, and heat would improve bearing life and probably performance. Ksbasser I think your empirical evidence shows that in fishing reels bearing rating is not the only factor when replacing bearings. Just curious, what bearing do you generally recommend?
J Francho reply :
Free spool spin times don't really mean much on the water, with a bait tied to the end of the line. I have upgraded a few reels. The difference is negligible, unless replacing a shot bearing.
ksbasser reply :
I don't have a recomendation for a certain bearing. I use boca bearings. I get some from VXB and I have tried a few of the more expensive brands of hybrids such as rockets and some of the japan imports. My opinion is that different reels respond differently to each bearing. I put boca OS 7 bearings in my own Revo STX. The reel was uncontrolable with those bearings. The best bearing I found for a Revo is the stock bearing after it's been flushed or any quality brand of a 3 or 5 rating, as long as it's recomended for fishing reels. Boca does a good job of listing bearings as being suitable for that purpose. You really need to know what you are looking for to get bearings from some other sources. I know several guys that have put the OS 7 bearings in old and new curados. They seem to work very good in those reels, but so would a good abec 5 from a top brand. I prefer open bearings and I love the shimano ARB bearings. They are an abec 3 by the way. I have compared the ARB and the boca OS 7 side by side a few times. I get a few seconds more free spin time from the boca when they are both dry. Casts made with the same reel alternating between those 2 bearings were so similar that I could not tell much difference. That was in a curado 200. Before someone spends a bunch of money on fancy bearings, they should talk to someone that has used those bearings in the same reel or visit with Mike of Delaware valley. He is a boca dealer and should be able to tell you what the best bearing for your reel would be.
baluga reply :
Some reels do not need upgrades and the the Calais is one of them. But with the Core, I do have excellent result. The Calis stock bearing spins too fast that I have to set all breaks on and adjust the cast control to tame it down. I even resorted to putting more drop of oil from my usual one or two drops just to slow it down a bit.
.ghoti. reply :
I've put ABEC 7 stainless bearings in 6 reels; four fairly new Fuegos and two older Millionaires. A marginal, at best, improvement. The reels all cast just a bit better. Certainly not worth the cost. Wish I had just done one. I would not have done a second.
Earlier, I bought a pair of ceramics. Installed them, and immediately took them out and sold them to a buddy. I hate those things. WAY TOO NOISY. I like my reels to be seen and NOT heard.
As far as bearings go, proper cleaning and lubing, at regular intervals, will keep your stock bearings working for a long time.
A drag upgrade is a different story. That is well worth the cost. Carbontex drag washers are a very nice upgrade; cheap and easy to do. My advice would be the skip the bearings and buy the polished metal washers to go with the carbontex washers. Don't want to buy the polished metal washers? Make your own.
I've polished all the metal drag washers in a couple of reels, using a Dremel, felt wheel and ultra fine polishing compound. I will be doing this for all of my reels. It's another step up from carbontex. And, simple to do.
Wrap some duct tape, sticky side out around a flat piece of stock. Stick all the metal washers to the duct tape and polish away. When done on one side, remove, clean, dry, stick "em back on to do the other sides. I work inside a large ziplock bag. The polishing compound tends to fly about, and makes a mess. Make sure to clean them. Them clean "em again.
When all the washers are polished, clean and dry, put the drag stack back together, applying a good silicone based grease to all surfaces in the stack. The advice I've been given was to use just enough grease to barely coat the washers. If you can leave a good fingerprint, you've gotten it right. I use a soft, kids toothbrush to apply the drag grease. Seems to work out nicely.
The combination of carbontex, polished metal washers and a good grease makes for a very smooth drag, with a start-up torque only slightly higher than running torque.
If you want to upgrade your reels, the drag upgrade would be the first thing I'd recommend.
Unless you're one those who uses XH rods, braid, and cranks your drag down with a pair of pliers. Carbontex drag washers and polished metal washers are going to do nothing for you. The upgrade you need is to weld the drag stack and main gear together and be done with it.
skunked_again reply :
QuoteI've put ABEC 7 stainless bearings in 6 reels; four fairly new Fuegos and two older Millionaires. A marginal, at best, improvement. The reels all cast just a bit better. Certainly not worth the cost. Wish I had just done one. I would not have done a second.Earlier, I bought a pair of ceramics. Installed them, and immediately took them out and sold them to a buddy. I hate those things. WAY TOO NOISY. I like my reels to be seen and NOT heard.
As far as bearings go, proper cleaning and lubing, at regular intervals, will keep your stock bearings working for a long time.
A drag upgrade is a different story. That is well worth the cost. Carbontex drag washers are a very nice upgrade; cheap and easy to do. My advice would be the skip the bearings and buy the polished metal washers to go with the carbontex washers. Don't want to buy the polished metal washers? Make your own.
I've polished all the metal drag washers in a couple of reels, using a Dremel, felt wheel and ultra fine polishing compound. I will be doing this for all of my reels. It's another step up from carbontex. And, simple to do.
Wrap some duct tape, sticky side out around a flat piece of stock. Stick all the metal washers to the duct tape and polish away. When done on one side, remove, clean, dry, stick "em back on to do the other sides. I work inside a large ziplock bag. The polishing compound tends to fly about, and makes a mess. Make sure to clean them. Them clean "em again.
When all the washers are polished, clean and dry, put the drag stack back together, applying a good silicone based grease to all surfaces in the stack. The advice I've been given was to use just enough grease to barely coat the washers. If you can leave a good fingerprint, you've gotten it right. I use a soft, kids toothbrush to apply the drag grease. Seems to work out nicely.
The combination of carbontex, polished metal washers and a good grease makes for a very smooth drag, with a start-up torque only slightly higher than running torque.
If you want to upgrade your reels, the drag upgrade would be the first thing I'd recommend.
Unless you're one those who uses XH rods, braid, and cranks your drag down with a pair of pliers. Carbontex drag washers and polished metal washers are going to do nothing for you. The upgrade you need is to weld the drag stack and main gear together and be done with it.
i LOL'd at that.
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