Bearings,open vs shielded

[Fishead]

Hey Alan,I see you are a big fan of open bearings,being easier to clean & grease I can see why.Would there be any reason why one could or should not bother to put the shields back on the bearing and just leave em open.

P.S.I would like to get the bearing packers & the needle w/the grease gun adapter from you if they are still available.How would I go about doing that?.Almost threw that little gun away years ago when I got my new large one,good thing I kept it,Home Depot by me does not carry them anymore.

[Bryan Young]

My Shimano has open bearings that I packed with grease.  I'm not sure if the grease will stay in the bearing.  Now that I think about it, maybe I should have cleaned them out and TSI them instead.

[Pro Reel]

I'm a dealer for Boca bearings. I have had that exact conversation with the reps there. I have been told that they don't see any problem with running thier bearings, in a fishing reel, without the seals or shields. The only thing they wanted to stress is that seals and shields help keep dirt out and lubricant in. If you choose to run the bearings open, you need to understand that there will be a need for increased maintenance. The good side to that is the maintenance will be much easier without the seals or shields.