http://bocabearings.com/

[alantani]

boca bearings has a great site with a great search engine.  prices are a little high, though.  i've basically stopped buying bearings from http://bocabearings.com/ because http://www.smoothdrag.com/ has better prices.  i also am not a big advocate of ceramic bearings.  for saltwater at least, i never noticed that much different.  check out both and compare. 

[alantani]

Hi Alan, i read that you order your bearings from smoothdrag.com, and looking at their bearing list, it is listed that the bearings are all ABEC 5.  I would like to know what is your take on ABEC ratings in fishing reels as i do not see anything in your site regarding this... 

is it a must that the bearings are ABEC3/5 at least? I gather that ABEC is a rating for the precision/accuracy in manufacturing and the higher the number, the tighter the tolerance and it will contribute to higher speed capability.. I have purchased some bearings recently for my reels and the manufacturer (EZO bearings, Sapporo Precision Inc) doesn't list any ABEC ratings, though they claim a max speed of 50K RPM for the bearing models 686 HZZ and 687.  Does this mean an ABEC 1 686HZZ bearing, though in theory is able to reach 50K RPM, will most probably not fare as well against an ABEC 5 or 7 686HZZ bearing?  If there is a relationship in ABEC rating and max RPM, it wouldn't affect spinning reels as bad as it would for conventional or baitcasting reels which rely on the bearings for the 'floating' spool?  Hope you can clear up my confusion before i start to purchase bearings in bulk for my 19 reels. I order my bearings from a major distributor for brands like Timken, SKF, NTN, FAG, EZO etc.., however, they don't really know how to answer my question in relation to fishing reels. 

hi, chris!  a fishing reel is one of the lowest speed applications imaginable.  i've mostly seen choices between abec 1 and abec 5.  the differences are something silly like 20,000 rpm versus 50,000 rpm.  tom hryniuk says it does not matter.  he'd know.  i really think that abec 7's are a waste of money, as are ceramics. 

[alantani]

word from tom hryniuk........

ABEC ratingsThursday, January 8, 2009 6:51 PM
From: "Tom Hryniuk" <tomhryniuk@hotmail.com
Add sender to Contacts To: alantani@yahoo.com
HI Alan,
here is a link explaining ABEC tolerance:

http://www.mcmaster.com/library/20070314/60355KAC.pdf

You will notice that on the shaft diameter difference is .0001"(one ten thousandth of an inch)
For the O.D. (outside diameter) the difference is .0001" to .0002".
So you are looking at a difference of .0003" total deviation. In my world, thats a lot. In a reel that is more than likely plastic molded to a tolerance of +/-.010", at best, or machined to a tolerance of +/-.005", the price difference isn't worth it.
More important is the quality of bearings!
Just my two cents.....

[alantani]

http://www.bloodydecks.com/forums/fishing-reels/237424-ceramic-bearings-worth-installing.html#post1824814

Can someone tell me if ceramics wear any better than stainless.

I have read that they are difficult to manufacture to the perfect roundness of stainless bearings (the balls that is)

so what is the advantages of them?

A lot of "is it worth it" depends on the Angler and his skill level....

The American Bearing Engineers (ABEC) rate them on Tolerances and precision, so a ABEC 7 high speed, precision bearing will have near perfect balls whether they are Steel or Ceramic.  (I think the ABEC 5 is rated at 1 million RPM)?   They are much smoother and rust free (the balls)... Cast further with less effort (less friction by about 30-60%).  The Races are still Stainless in the hybrid and will rust...  So maintaining them is still needed....   A barney like me would just add more braking and be fishing exactly the same as without them.. Professional Overruns are my Forte...   But some who know how to cast/fish want the added distance, smoothness and freepool they afford....  Are they worth it. Not for Me, im not that good....  But they are an upgrade that many desire...  Are the Carbontex Drags worth it.. Some would never notice the difference..   I do, and recommend them...  I also recommend the Orange Seal #7 Ceramics..   I can tell the difference easily when I put them in a reel.