Fully ceramic bearings durability.

[wussero]

I was talking to the Avet rep the other day he told me about fully ceramic bearings shattering on lever drags..

Anyone have any issues with them on baitcasters and Star Drags up to 40 lb for spool bearings?

I couldn't resist the urge to buy my Blazing Star Chinese bearings on Amazon. 

[quang tran]

I used ceramic bearings on bicycle wheels and never have problem ,on spool bearings its quite noisy and not improve for casting distance for me as I have to apply more brake,may be help other but I can't cast when it's too loose .On spinning reel it's turn more freely if no oil at all ,for salt water I prefer ss ball bearings with sealed on both sides

[jurelometer]

A couple of the lever drag ball bearings are used for both rotation and thrust at the same time.  These bearings take on substantial axial load as you tighten the drag.  Even with steel bearings, we are pushing the axial load limit.  That is where that binding when winding feeling comes from at higher settings.  Ceramic bearings are not rated for as high an axial load as steel bearings for a given size.

Not the same issue for star drags where axial loads are more minimal.

From what I have read, there is a lot more variability in quality in ceramics thsn steel bearings, so you may not be getting much of the perfomance  advsntage with bargain basement ceramics.   And there are several threads here that debate the performance benefits of ceramics vs. properly lubricated stainless steel.

-J