when do you know if a bearing is done?

[hafnor]

I just went through some reels and on one of my jm's and the lever cam bearing feels a litte rough. there is no corrosion on it and I cleaned it properly but it just wont spin as long as the spoolbearings... It feels like it has microscopic sand grain inside it... just makes a really quite noise that doesn't sound like the others... what do you guys think?

[alantani]

if it feels rough after a thorough cleaning, it should be discarded.   

[Killerbug]

I just fixed a Revo Inshore for a friend.  He had complained that the casting distance had declined, so i opened and cleaned the reel. I could not find any faults in the bearings, they seemed absolutely fine.  

As he still complained about the reel not casting as it should, I took it back, and replaced the bearings with some new open steel bearings, and that certainly helped. It now casted perfectly again.  Today he took a 50 inch pike on it, and thanked me as well for the drag that has now been well greased with Cal's grease.

IMO, if the reel is used for casting, much can be gained  by replacing the bearings before they start to feel grungy.

[fshncrazy]

Best to check them when fully cleaned.  Put them on a tweezer then spin them.  Should spin like crazy.  Another way to check for crunchy stuff is to place on tweezer and roll them on a rag.  If you can detect by sound or feel.  Make sure the inner race is not moving though while you do this.