Tweet
There's not too much chatter on here regarding ceramic bearings vs. stainless bearings so I wanted to present a somewhat quick thread on this and also see your thoughts.
I've gotten quite a few questions as to what the true difference is between stainless and ceramic, are they worth the additional $19-$65 per reel cost and what is the upside of installing these. I hope that I can answer a couple of these questions for you.
Bearings
I’ll first start with a little about the bearings themselves. This is pretty much ball bearing 101 for those mechanical engineers out there. Size and finish of the balls play a large role in the amount of friction and vibration loss a ball bearing experiences. When it comes to size, I’m talking about the consistency of size of each ball bearing. If one ball is not exactly the same size as the others, then the entire ball bearing structure will be thrown off. The finish of the ball is basically how smooth each ball is. The more consistent in size and finish the balls are, the more contact they have with the bearing “races” (where the balls sit). This produces less friction and less vibration. You might think that more contact would equal more friction. However, because of the way the bearings are made, this isn’t the case. The bearing races are different in diameter causing them to rotate at a little different speed relative to the balls. This causes the balls to slip on the races as they roll. The rule is that higher rated bearings will slip easier and rotate at faster speeds. I paraphrased some of the above and the following from TackleTours: Reel Bearing – 101 article.
When we talk about reel bearing upgrades, there are basically two types of bearings in bait casting reels: frame bearings and spool bearings [this information can be stated below]
Rating Scale
Now I’m going to go move on to the rating of the bearings. Three organizations rate bearings: ABEC (USA), ISO (International) and DIN (German). I’m just going to use the ABEC rating as most of you are in the USA. The ABEC scale is 1,3,5,7,9 with 9 being the highest precision bearing. Most common reels today use an ABEC rated bearing of 1 or 3. What this means is that the bearing doesn’t have the higher precision that an ABEC 5, 7 or 9. Lower quality means bearings uneven in size and smoothness, leading to more friction, more vibration and a lower bearing speed.
The easiest way to know you are getting bearings of the advertised quality is to buy from a reputable manufacturer/dealer. Price is another way that you can tell if you’re getting the correct quality. If a bearing is being sold for 75% under the normal price, then there might be something amiss. I don’t promote or use any particular manufacturer but can provide a list of these if you PM me.
Stainless vs. Ceramic
Stainless Bearings
Stainless bearings are what reel-manufacturers install. Stainless steel itself is extremely good at resisting corrosion. However, the heating process that the ball goes through to increase its strength reduces its resistance to corrosion. Corrosion can be even more prevalent when adding saltwater to the equation. Stainless steel bearings are easy to find, making for an easy and relatively cheap repair when one wears out.
Ceramic Bearings
There are actually two types of ceramic bearings: full ceramic and hybrid ceramic. Full ceramic have ceramic ball bearings, as well as the races, cage and shield made from ceramic material. Hybrid ceramic have ceramic ball bearings while their races, cage, and shields are stainless steel. (Since most fishing reel bearings are hybrid ceramic, when I write “ceramic” I mean “hybrid ceramic.”) The finish on a ceramic ball bearing is generally five times finer than stainless steel bearings. This finer finish reduces the amount of wear on the races, cage, and shields so much that it extends the life of the bearing up to ten times that of a stainless bearing. Ceramic bearings are also roughly 60% lighter than stainless, which results in higher speeds, less bearing noise, and decreased vibration. Ceramics can be used dry or lubricated. Light lubrication is recommended as too much lubricant on these very light and precise bearings can significantly affect their performance. Don’t over lube!
In some cases, upgrading to ceramic bearings may cause more vibration and noise from a particular reel. This may occur because the spools and brakes on some reels don’t operate smoothly at higher speeds. To help eliminate these problems, you might need to super-tune your reel and possibly upgrade the drag washers.
Pros & Cons
Stainless Pros
Stainless Cons
Ceramic Pros
Ceramic Cons
Synopsis
The choice between stainless bearings or ceramic bearings is something that will be around for some time to come. However, as the price for manufacturing ceramics decreases we will more than likely see ceramic bearings standard in many high-end reels. You should see a noticeable improvement in casting ease by using ABEC 5 or ABEC 7 ceramic bearings. That is not to say ceramic casts farther than a comparable stainless bearing, though. Ceramic bearings provide product lifetime gains and corrosion resistance. However, with proper maintenance, stainless bearings can last a long time as well. My thoughts are if you use a light drag and have a strong thumb then by all means try a ceramic bearing out!
Additional items:
You can easily do a Google search for ISO or DIN ratings as you might see them if you’re buying bearings on an international site like Ebay.
Take a look at TackleTours Reel Bearings 101, 201 & 301 for all the information you’d ever want to know about reel bearings.
I've gotten quite a few questions as to what the true difference is between stainless and ceramic, are they worth the additional $19-$65 per reel cost and what is the upside of installing these. I hope that I can answer a couple of these questions for you.
Bearings
I’ll first start with a little about the bearings themselves. This is pretty much ball bearing 101 for those mechanical engineers out there. Size and finish of the balls play a large role in the amount of friction and vibration loss a ball bearing experiences. When it comes to size, I’m talking about the consistency of size of each ball bearing. If one ball is not exactly the same size as the others, then the entire ball bearing structure will be thrown off. The finish of the ball is basically how smooth each ball is. The more consistent in size and finish the balls are, the more contact they have with the bearing “races” (where the balls sit). This produces less friction and less vibration. You might think that more contact would equal more friction. However, because of the way the bearings are made, this isn’t the case. The bearing races are different in diameter causing them to rotate at a little different speed relative to the balls. This causes the balls to slip on the races as they roll. The rule is that higher rated bearings will slip easier and rotate at faster speeds. I paraphrased some of the above and the following from TackleTours: Reel Bearing – 101 article.
When we talk about reel bearing upgrades, there are basically two types of bearings in bait casting reels: frame bearings and spool bearings [this information can be stated below]
- Frame bearings are the bearings the pinion gear is housed around. These operate at lighter loads and lower speeds. Some people say you don’t need to upgrade the frame bearing. This is highly debated by many people with the only exception being the bearing manufacturers who want you to upgrade all your bearings!
- The spool bearings are generally at both ends of the spool with one occasionally located in the middle of the spool shaft (see Note below). Spool bearings take the least amount of load and are typically the bearings that are upgraded and/or replaced. (Note: If you have a plastic “collar” in the middle of your reel shaft, you might want to upgrade that to a bearing, too.)
Rating Scale
Now I’m going to go move on to the rating of the bearings. Three organizations rate bearings: ABEC (USA), ISO (International) and DIN (German). I’m just going to use the ABEC rating as most of you are in the USA. The ABEC scale is 1,3,5,7,9 with 9 being the highest precision bearing. Most common reels today use an ABEC rated bearing of 1 or 3. What this means is that the bearing doesn’t have the higher precision that an ABEC 5, 7 or 9. Lower quality means bearings uneven in size and smoothness, leading to more friction, more vibration and a lower bearing speed.
The easiest way to know you are getting bearings of the advertised quality is to buy from a reputable manufacturer/dealer. Price is another way that you can tell if you’re getting the correct quality. If a bearing is being sold for 75% under the normal price, then there might be something amiss. I don’t promote or use any particular manufacturer but can provide a list of these if you PM me.
Stainless vs. Ceramic
Stainless Bearings
Stainless bearings are what reel-manufacturers install. Stainless steel itself is extremely good at resisting corrosion. However, the heating process that the ball goes through to increase its strength reduces its resistance to corrosion. Corrosion can be even more prevalent when adding saltwater to the equation. Stainless steel bearings are easy to find, making for an easy and relatively cheap repair when one wears out.
Ceramic Bearings
There are actually two types of ceramic bearings: full ceramic and hybrid ceramic. Full ceramic have ceramic ball bearings, as well as the races, cage and shield made from ceramic material. Hybrid ceramic have ceramic ball bearings while their races, cage, and shields are stainless steel. (Since most fishing reel bearings are hybrid ceramic, when I write “ceramic” I mean “hybrid ceramic.”) The finish on a ceramic ball bearing is generally five times finer than stainless steel bearings. This finer finish reduces the amount of wear on the races, cage, and shields so much that it extends the life of the bearing up to ten times that of a stainless bearing. Ceramic bearings are also roughly 60% lighter than stainless, which results in higher speeds, less bearing noise, and decreased vibration. Ceramics can be used dry or lubricated. Light lubrication is recommended as too much lubricant on these very light and precise bearings can significantly affect their performance. Don’t over lube!
In some cases, upgrading to ceramic bearings may cause more vibration and noise from a particular reel. This may occur because the spools and brakes on some reels don’t operate smoothly at higher speeds. To help eliminate these problems, you might need to super-tune your reel and possibly upgrade the drag washers.
Pros & Cons
Stainless Pros
- Cheaper than ceramic
- More readily available
Stainless Cons
- Shorter lifetime
- Require more lubing
- Require regular cleaning
Ceramic Pros
- Longer lasting, up to 10X longer than stainless
- Lighter, faster, smoother
- More corrosion resistant
- Less lubrication required
- Better when light drag is desired
Ceramic Cons
- More expensive
- May require additional parts or tuning
Synopsis
The choice between stainless bearings or ceramic bearings is something that will be around for some time to come. However, as the price for manufacturing ceramics decreases we will more than likely see ceramic bearings standard in many high-end reels. You should see a noticeable improvement in casting ease by using ABEC 5 or ABEC 7 ceramic bearings. That is not to say ceramic casts farther than a comparable stainless bearing, though. Ceramic bearings provide product lifetime gains and corrosion resistance. However, with proper maintenance, stainless bearings can last a long time as well. My thoughts are if you use a light drag and have a strong thumb then by all means try a ceramic bearing out!
Additional items:
You can easily do a Google search for ISO or DIN ratings as you might see them if you’re buying bearings on an international site like Ebay.
Take a look at TackleTours Reel Bearings 101, 201 & 301 for all the information you’d ever want to know about reel bearings.
Comment