Loose or caged ball bearings
- Thread starter Wester
- Start date
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mrandmrspoves
Middle aged bald git.
- Location
- Narfuk
Caged are slightly easier - loose slightly smoother. If replacing a caged set with a loose set - leave space for one ball bearing.
How do you mean easier? Pack grease, place balls in, add more grease and the reassemble. For the 10 seconds more it takes it is worth the very little extra effort.
raleighnut
Legendary Member
- Location
- One of the 'Elite'
Loose are better but fit them on the morning of a cold day when the grease is good 'n' sticky.
mrandmrspoves
Middle aged bald git.
- Location
- Narfuk
I didn't suggest it wasn't worth the extra effort to fit loose bearings - but the fact that they are loose does makes it more likely that a ball bearing will be dropped or knocked out of place when the spindle is inserted etc.
Cyclopathic
Veteran
- Location
- Leicester.
Loose. When you pack loose bearings you fit more of them on to the race than is allowed for in the cages. This gives more surface area that is actually bearing the load, so less wear.
Also the cage itself is a weak point and is prone to collapse in poorly maintained bikes. It gets chewed up and makes a sort of metal and grease grinding paste.
Also the cage itself is a weak point and is prone to collapse in poorly maintained bikes. It gets chewed up and makes a sort of metal and grease grinding paste.
I'd expect it to be 11 x 1/4" balls on each side.
mrandmrspoves
Middle aged bald git.
- Location
- Narfuk
As above - fill the cup with the maximum number of ball bearings you can fit - then remove one of them. That is the correct number.
Eribiste
Careful with that axle Eugene
- Location
- Eckington, Worcestershire
My Boardman road race has Mavic CXP22 wheels that take nine 1/4" balls each side, on both wheels.
migrantwing
Veteran
Is this the same when talking about a headset? I have caged bearings but want to put loose balls in there.
mrandmrspoves
Middle aged bald git.
- Location
- Narfuk
Yes absolutely the same. The bearings need to have a little room to move. If you pack the race fully you create extra friction and the bearings will wear out much quicker.
migrantwing
Veteran
That's great! I had heard conflicting advice; leave a gap for one ball, leave a gap for two balls etc.
