boca bearings for 332 and 533

Started by m4ttt0, April 22, 2015, 03:30:40 AM

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m4ttt0

Hey guys i am going to change out the bearings to my 332 and 533 and i plan on using the Ceramic Orange Seal ABEC 7 Fishing Reel Bearings, are these a good choice? What do you think and when i am installing them do i need to take the shield off and put lube into the bearing or can i just leave it?

stnakamu

I read that your not supposed to oil it at all.

Bryan Young

I just use Abec 5 stainless instead of Abec 7 hybrids because the cages should have a protectant on them, which they don't.  When you add a thin lube to the Abec 7 reels, you lose distance to slightly above lubed Abec 5.

If you are doing some distance casting, like the recent competition of 487 yard with 8 oz lead, then I'm sure Abec 7 will make a huge difference.

:D I talk with every part I send out and each reel I repair so that they perform at the top of their game. :D

Tunacious

I only use ss ABEC 5's for fishing...no need to use the 7's. No need for the higher degree of tolerances. Even a well made ABEC 3 would be fine for fishing apps. I take off the shields but you really don't need to.

Per the article, it sounds like your bearings come dry unless you request otherwise when ordering. If you wanted to add an oil lubricant, they state that you can leave the shield on.



From the Boca Website

http://www.bocabearings.com/bearing-applications/bearing-applications/fishing-reel-bearings/ceramic-orange-seal-abec-7

Ceramic Orange Seal Fishing Reel bearing kits are an upgrade replacement to stock fishing reel bearings. These ABEC #7 bearings have ceramic balls with stainless steel races and retainers. Orange Seal bearings have a non-contact rubber seal which allows the bearing to spin freely with out any excess drag. Ceramic will never corrode; it has less rolling resistance and is lighter and than steel. As a result ceramic bearings last longer and cast longer. All Ceramic Orange Seal fishing reel bearings are supplied Lube Dry (LD) without any grease or oil. Lube can be added upon request.



How To Maintain Your Bearings

http://www.bocabearings.com/bearing-maintenance/bearing-maintenance.aspx

If your bearings have a metal shield on them, you do not have to remove the shield to clean them. If your bearings have a rubber seal then you should remove the seals according to the instructions below. Doing this achieves maximum performance. Using our Clean Touch bearing cleaner, or any standard degreaser, fill a small glass cup or vial sufficiently to submerge your bearings completely. Place the shielded bearings, or the sealed bearings with the seals removed, into the solution. You can also use a small ultrasonic cleaner if you have one.

Soaking time may vary depending on whether you have grease or oil in your bearings or if you are using an ultrasonic, but a few hours of soaking should be more than enough. You can now either blow your bearings dry with compressed air or allow them to air dry for up to 24 hours. For maximum performance the bearings should be thoroughly dry. At this point you can spin test the bearing on an awl or any sharp pointed tool like our Utility Tool. If the bearings do not spin to your satisfaction you may need to repeat the cleaning and drying process.

We also suggest using an additional pre-soak step that will further lubricate and protect the bearing. Our LBT Bearing Soak is specially designed to form a molecular bond with all moving metal parts. It will fill in the pores, pits and gaps typically found in chrome or stainless steel. Soaking bearings for 10-15 minutes in LBT Bearing Soak will reduce friction, decrease wear and extend life.

The final step is lubrication. A 10-20% fill is more than sufficient but be sure to not over-lube. Use a light drop of a low viscosity lubrication such as our High Speed Oil if you are seeking a pronounced free spinning bearing. For the best protection however we suggest using a heavy duty grease like our Grease Power lubrication. If you are using a shielded bearing or an orange seal bearing you can apply the oil to the bearing with the seals/shields intact. If you are using a contact sealed bearing or grease you will need to remove the seals/shields to apply the lubrication.

johndtuttle

#4
If you are trying for some uber distance contest then go crazy with abec 7 bearings but for actually fishing the reel standard abec 5 bearings are fine.

Depending on the location of the bearing and heft of the fish you are after Ceramic can be a poor choice for saltwater. The balls are actually quite fragile and don't hold up to the sorts of loads you can encounter (like a pinion bearing in a spinner or right side bearing in an LD reel) plus, you still need to grease them to protect the race and cage from corrosion (or regularly oil a spool bearing etc). They are very high speed, yes, but not very tough.

The only corrosion free bearing in saltwater is the religiously maintained one with anti-corrosion lube.

I think the guys that go deep in these for freshwater may have fun doing it or find some utility for casting very light baits, but it makes no sense to go ceramic in the salt that is justified by their cost.

I think you would be *very favorably* impressed with the performance of a stainless abec 5 bearing lubed with TSI 321 for general saltwater casting and live bait tossing.

MarkT

I'm with John, no need for ABEC 7 or ceramic balls in a saltwater fishing reel except under exceptional situations. Tight tolerances and salt crystals are no bueno. Unless you're meticulous in your maintenance and/or using it for tournaments I'd stick with 5's lubed with TSI-321.
When I was your age Pluto was a planet!

m4ttt0