# Abu Bearing Experiment



## Railroader (Apr 13, 2005)

Yesterday, I picked up a couple of sets of ABEC 5 bearings from our ol' buddy Surf Fish. He had some spares, after ordering 10 from an E-bay source. Suffice it to say, we didn't pay 10 bucks each for them.

I have been curious about "upgrade" bearings and how much difference they would make, so here was my chance...

After an overnite soak in Zippo fluid to remove the grease they came with, I let 'em dry, applied a couple drops of 3&1 to each, and installed them in my "distance practice" reel, an ABU 6500 CT No-Mag, with speed bushing...I run this reel with 12#, no brakes, and a smidge of spool knock.

With the set-up the same as usual, I took a couple of easy practice swings, and immediately noticed that the lead went further, since I had to go get it out of the tree 100 yds away. It shouldn't have gone that far, with the effort I gave.

Happy with the result, I went on over to the field, and decided to hammer it one time. Mid cast, the reel exploded, so I had to go cut it out and put on some new line.

At this point, I decided to install two fiber brakes, and double check the set-up. 

Back at the field, and back in business, I went for it....NICE! 

Conclusion...

The reel is noticeably faster, and noticeably quieter, with the "upgrade" bearings. I'm getting better distance with a good bit less "throwing effort", I have no way to quantify this claim, but the difference is there, and significant.

Did I suddenly gain 100 feet on my cast? Nope!

But the difference will allow me to "hit it" a little less hard, and "smooth up" my delivery, and keep the same distance.

$5.00 well spent.


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## Digger (Jan 4, 2000)

Very intresting. Could be some useful info. Though unscientific.


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## seajay (Dec 18, 2005)

Rob what bearings come stock on most 5500 & 6500 Abus?


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## Railroader (Apr 13, 2005)

seajay said:


> Rob what bearings come stock on most 5500 & 6500 Abus?


I got NO clue. Prolly whatever they can buy the most of the cheapest. 

I'd like the answer to that as well... 

Anyone?


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## barty b (Dec 31, 2004)

I've got a "theory" but it's just that..."theory".. I have about 15 sets of abu bearings, all came out of variuos reels i have owned and some were ones purchased seperately. I could not tell you which ones were Abec 3,5,7,or whatever. What I have noticed though is that the inner race is thicker on some than others.I have found these to be more quiet than the ones with the thinner race wall. As far as what comes "stock" in and Abu I would ASSUME what Rob said..which ever ones fit into the budget. The way I find the fastest bearings is simple,I have a spool filled with line. I put set "A" into the spool,Put the spool on a wooden dowel that fits tightly into the bearing so it doesn't rotate on the shaft,spin it with a soft finger flick and time it. I will do this test 5 times for each set and average the spin time. All bearings in this test are run clean and DRY so viscocity does not play into the equation.

I really don't worry too much about the difference with one bearing to the next when tuning "fishing" reels there is not that much difference to really MAKE a difference on the water. Now on the FIELD,thats another story,every inch counts. Perfect balance and maximum spool speed with minimum vibration are a MUST.
This Is Just My Opinion,nothing scientific.


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## chris storrs (Aug 25, 2005)

i could be wrong, but i think the stock beraings in abus are abec 3..heard it from someone somewhere


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## barty b (Dec 31, 2004)

Thats what I heard to.


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## Stevie Wonder (Apr 20, 2007)

*Abec-5's For Newell 229*

Interesting Observation. I Contacted A Known Fla. Bearing Company & Was Quoted $38.00 For A Bearing Kit For The P-229f. Doesn't That Sound Like Alot Of $$$? Not Sure If It's For 2 Or 4. Even Still, $10 Per Bearing. I Have Been Wanting To Increase My Distance As Well. Besides, This Reel "screams"!!! I Have Tried Blue 3in1. Maybe Rr Fuel Would Make A Difference?


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## barty b (Dec 31, 2004)

The "scream" colud be a oil issue,but I doubt it. It most likely comes from vibration due to the spool being out of balance...Do a forum search on "spool balance" and try that. If that doesn't help replace the bearings..I would just get some A5's off ebay..$38 for regular bearings is rediculous..If they were ceramics I could mabe see it but, not for regs.


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## surfchunker (Apr 10, 2006)

*bearings*

I talked about those bearings a while back and got B&(%@slapped ... everybody said they are crap ... Finally somebody tries them and now they are ok ....

Don't bitch about it till you try it


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## barty b (Dec 31, 2004)

surfchunker said:


> I talked about those bearings a while back and got B&(%@slapped ... everybody said they are crap ... Finally somebody tries them and now they are ok ....
> 
> Don't bitch about it till you try it


 Which ones...The A5's are OK..It's the A7's that are too tight.


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## Black Beard (Jan 25, 2001)

Most reel manufacturers buy in ABEC 1 to 3 - BB


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## surfchunker (Apr 10, 2006)

*no*

you guys bitched me out cause they weren't WHEELER BEARINGS ..... no $5 bearing crap it's WHEELER BEARINGS or no bearings basically ... wasn't a question of 5 or 7 .... it was buying those off EBAY 10 for $50 .... I had a thread about they and got slammed .... now it's man lets get these bearings ....


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## Railroader (Apr 13, 2005)

surfchunker said:


> you guys bitched me out cause they weren't WHEELER BEARINGS ..... no $5 bearing crap it's WHEELER BEARINGS or no bearings basically ... wasn't a question of 5 or 7 .... it was buying those off EBAY 10 for $50 .... I had a thread about they and got slammed .... now it's man lets get these bearings ....



And such is life, here on P&S. I've seen the same result on different subjects from time to time. Just part of the fun...opcorn:


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## barty b (Dec 31, 2004)

I personally never told anybody to get bearings from WR. I wasn't aware WR manufactured their own bearings? I know HO offers some "hand picked" and "polished" bearings and charges more for those..maybe it's the same with WR?


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## Surf Fish (Dec 16, 2005)

surfchunker said:


> you guys bitched me out cause they weren't WHEELER BEARINGS .....


What's a "WHEELER BEARING"? Is that some of that OBX Designer Fishing Tackle? 

I heard some of them guys up there carry bunker chunks around in Gucci bags...


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## Railroader (Apr 13, 2005)

I found some Wheeler Bearings...










Manufactured in house, by Wheeler Industries, Inc., N. Charleston, S.C.

I don't think I have a reel they'll fit in, though...  opcorn:


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## surfchunker (Apr 10, 2006)

*Bills Customs*

Guys said they would only buy ones like Bills sells ... those cheap ones probably didn'thave removable sides to pop out and clean ...yada yada yada


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## TreednNC (Jul 1, 2005)

Surf Fish said:


> What's a "WHEELER BEARING"? Is that some of that OBX Designer Fishing Tackle?
> 
> I heard some of them guys up there carry bunker chunks around in Gucci bags...


You joke Surf Fish but I saw the distance hitters, hooking up with the first few drum the other night at "The Point" that you jest about. Granted I hooked up later and Im not a big hitter, I the guys hammering it out there were hooked up first. At times its ONLY those guys hooked up. Not trying to ruffle feathers because I respect you and the tips you post and loved the "fishing with grandpaw" stories, just trying to say that conditions there as well as other places often dictate whos bowed up and whos not.


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## Railroader (Apr 13, 2005)

surfchunker said:


> Guys said they would only buy ones like Bills sells ... those cheap ones probably didn'thave removable sides to pop out and clean ...yada yada yada



I'd say that's a bunch of Bullshi7, so they can charge you two or three times what the bearings cost.

I'm sending you a PM, too, SC...Stand by.


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## barty b (Dec 31, 2004)

TreednNC said:


> You joke Surf Fish but I saw the distance hitters, hooking up with the first few drum the other night at "The Point" that you jest about. Granted I hooked up later and Im not a big hitter, I the guys hammering it out there were hooked up first. At times its ONLY those guys hooked up. Not trying to ruffle feathers because I respect you and the tips you post and loved the "fishing with grandpaw" stories, just trying to say that conditions there as well as other places often dictate whos bowed up and whos not.


Treed, I agree with you on the distance thing at the Point. I have never fished there but having read and spoken to guys that do regularly,Some times distance IS the key. HOWEVER..I think solid casting fundementals and technique will give more consistant long distances than just throwing some high end bearings in the spool and ripping a cast as hard as one can.

FYI on ABEC:
The ABEC scale is a system for rating the manufacturing tolerances of precision bearings. The system was developed by the Annular Bearing Engineering Committee or Council (ABEC) of the American Bearing Manufacturers Association (ABMA). The American Bearing Manufacturers Association was formerly known as the Anti-Friction Bearing Manufacturers Association. 

What Does ABEC Mean? 
The ABEC scale is a system for rating the manufacturing tolerances of precision bearings. The system was developed by the Annular Bearing Engineering Committee or Council (ABEC) of the American Bearing Manufacturers Association (ABMA). The American Bearing Manufacturers Association was formerly known as the Anti-Friction Bearing Manufacturers Association. 

Bearings rated under the ABEC system are typically called "precision bearings", and they are rated with a number from 1 to 9, with the higher number assigned to bearings manufactured against a higher standard of precision (high number = tighter tolerances = more expensive bearing). 

What Does Tolerance Mean? 
Tolerance is the amount of variation from an absolute exact measurement that is permitted during the manufacturing process. 

Other Bearing Rating Systems 
ABEC is only one system for rating bearing tolerances. The International Standards Organization (ISO) and the German National Standards Organization (DIN) use similar scales to rate the precision of bearings. In the ISO and DIN systems, a smaller number means a tighter tolerance and a larger number means a looser tolerance. This is just the opposite of the ABEC system.


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## surfchunker (Apr 10, 2006)

*seen it before*

guys here like to slam stuff they haven't tried .... 

I've vented and ok now .... 

I was fishing yesterday at AI and Fingers caught the most blues and he was getting the farthest out too .... I could get close and caught some but not as many as he did ... Sometimes distance counts


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## Surf Fish (Dec 16, 2005)

TreednNC said:


> You joke Surf Fish but I saw the distance hitters, hooking up with the first few drum the other night at "The Point" that you jest about. Granted I hooked up later and Im not a big hitter, I the guys hammering it out there were hooked up first. At times its ONLY those guys hooked up. Not trying to ruffle feathers because I respect you and the tips you post and loved the "fishing with grandpaw" stories, just trying to say that conditions there as well as other places often dictate whos bowed up and whos not.


No feathers ruffled. 

Sometimes the fish are way out down here too, and only Barty can catch them.

I just have a tendency to look at things from a logical standpoint. 

In my case, I imagine that if I increased the speed of my bearings I'd also have to compensate for the increased speed of the spool by increasing the braking on the reel, which would result in a net gain of zero. 

And I'm still a firm believer in the theory that distance doesn't come in box, bag, or bottle; I seriously doubt I could cast a designer reel any farther than I can cast an Ebay reel...


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## Tommy (Jan 24, 2001)

Guys,

You can gain distance a lot of different ways. Some produce small, barely noticable gains such as swapping out perfectly good abec 3's for high dollar ceramics ...lol, some will produce moderate gains like upgrading from wallyworld grade rod and reel to premium casting equipment. Then you have the one method that is tried and true. It WILL give you the biggest gain and bang for the buck, it's the best value going.

Improve your casting technique. 

I've been down the road of trying every trick in the book to gain that one little advantage. New bearings, the absolute smallest diameter line that was legal, tournament grade rocket oil (now that was an excercise in frustration.. lol) or anything that would give me that little edge.

but....

Nothing will substitute for technique. I've seen Roger Mortimer cast from his knees with 1/2 of a surf rod over 500'. Pure, beautiful to watch technique.

Great thread.

Tommy


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## Surf Fish (Dec 16, 2005)

surfchunker said:


> guys here like to slam stuff they haven't tried ....


Welcome to the internet game called My Rod's Bigger Than Your Rod.

You really have to pay attention if you want to play this game. 

For example, a couple months ago, Player #1 asked "Is a Bla Bla 250 a good reel?", and was immediatly told *by Player #2 "No. Don't get a Bla Bla 250. It's a piece of junk."*

Three days later, Player #3 asked "What's a good reel for my 8' 6" Foobar rod?" and was immediatly told by *Player #2 "Get a Bla Bla 250, it's a terrific reel."*

You are on your own when you play this game. There is no instruction manual or program with a list of players. You can't press F1 for HELP. 

Somewhere, out there past the second bar, there may be some worthwhile fishing information, but you're gonna have to button up your chest waders and wade thru a whole lotta "brown sand" to go get it. As with anything in life, things that are worth having aren't free...


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## Railroader (Apr 13, 2005)

Well, I just installed the other set of Internet Cheapie A5 bearings in my favorite fishing reel, a well used Blue Yonder, and tried it out in the field.

MUCH quieter, and smoother.

The real proof will be early in the morning, because I'm going to actually GO FISHING, and try it out there. THERE'S a novel idea... 

I just hope I don't kill another rod...


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## Surf Fish (Dec 16, 2005)

I'll call the beach patrol and tell them they need to move the water back another 100 yards before we get there....


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## TreednNC (Jul 1, 2005)

Ill admit I wasnt nessicarily talking about the bearing in my post. More or less just taking up for the OBX guys lol. Having said that, both guys I was refering to in my previous post were throwing Diawas...which I dont see often in the lineup for "Best Distance Casting Reels"...go figure lol


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## Digger (Jan 4, 2000)

TreednNC said:


> Ill admit I wasnt nessicarily talking about the bearing in my post. More or less just taking up for the OBX guys lol. Having said that, both guys I was refering to in my previous post were throwing Diawas...which I dont see often in the lineup for "Best Distance Casting Reels"...go figure lol



Those Diawa's get classified as a fishing set up and they do throw quite well. But for pure distance the smaller reels work better mostly do to mass if I understand physics well enough. I'm sure Tommy and the distance guys can expound upon that.


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## gundalba (Oct 29, 2006)

Good down to earth thread...opcorn: 

I must give another full pledge on practice being the key to improve distance...
No expert caster here but I've been practicing casting for past couple of years and during that time, I've gone through a few equipments upgrades as well as few different casting styles changes. Finding a "proper, but nothing fancy" setup earlier on helped a lot but I must say it was finding right technique and developing on it which really helped on more then doubling my distance.

Less then a month ago, I needed some replacements parts as my original stock parts on my Abus were showing signs of ware and tear.
luckily, I found someone who was trying to get rid of a good stash of those "upgrade parts" and got a really great deal on them.
So I went out with this "upgraded" plugging reel 5500 CS ME for test cast. (ABEC5 bearings/Ball Bearing Idler gear/Duel bearing levelwind with ceramic pawl and Ti coated guide/rocket oil, not to mention Carbontex Drag and Pwr Handle)

Yes it was much smoother and more distance but not by much. Least not enough to justify the cost for a "fishing" use. 
I did it as it was a very cheap grab-bag deal but no way I am going to spend full market price for that kind of improvements...

BTW, all the measurement were done with my super accurate eyeballing, used 3 oz. ball sinker with 30# SufixPro braid on Conoflex Nevada 13 for the test. I think there was about 10 yards or so gain from 150-160 usual..


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## Mark G (Nov 15, 2004)

Surf Fish said:


> Welcome to the internet game called My Rod's Bigger Than Your Rod.
> 
> You really have to pay attention if you want to play this game.
> 
> ...


Some great advice there SF-

We all have opinions and are generally not shy about handing them out  I'm no exception.

Since I upgraded to ceramics in my first 525 a few years back I have come to love ceramics- for smooth quiet, nearly vibration free casting. 

Is there a difference between the cheapy $10 a pair and the $40 a pair premium bearings available. You bet your arse there is- is it going to make a huge difference in a general fishing reel to the average caster- probably not.

One misconception is that one Abec rated 5 bearing is identical to any other Abec 5 rated bearing- Hogwash fellas

Abec ratings are about tolerances- meaning that when you buy a particular set of bearings the higher numbers mean a more perfectly matched set of bearings. Too tight of a tolerance is not good- I don't recommend Abec 7 bearings for distance casting or fishing for that matter.

You order a bearing by the size- example 4x10x4 mm. You of course want the balls of the bearing to be fairly uniform in size- this is where the abec rating comes in, THe higher the rating the more closely matched they are. 

Try balancing a spool where you have two bearings - one measures 3.98x 10.01x4, the other measures 4.01x 9.9x 4. The middle number is the OD of the bearing. The first number the ID and the last the width. The ID and OD are to me the most important in getting a good well balanced quiet running reel.

What Abec ratings don't tell you is what the specific components are made of - cheaper bearings typically employ a softer ceramic ball- ceramic as I understand it can be graded, just like stainless steel on a degree of hardness. The harder balls should outlast the softer ones, and at least theoretically, have a slightly higher speed capability. You also have diffences in what the race material is made of- as well as the dust shields and covers.

Not trying to put myself off as a bearing expert- but I have spent some considerable time on the phone with a few manufacturers. Currently I am using BOCA bearings as my supplier- I have found the guys there to be extremely helpful and informative. They generally ship bearings packed in grease, but will ship them dry and with one side of the dust shields removed- which is how I like them for tournament reels.


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## Fish Hunter (Jul 31, 2002)

Hmmm, figure I would jump into this fray and lay some other experience to the issue.

I've been on most of the fishing websites before they had names. At the point where we had to type in the 168.098.0998 etc to be able to get to a site.  

I've seen it go from the UK Abu's to the Penn 525's to the Mag Elites. I've watched the oils come, the hi tech bearings come and most of the new rods arrive in the states.

What I have noticed and participated in is the HYPE every time someone hits a new distance or invents a new gidget.

I have seen everyone speed reels up so fast with light oils and bearings that they are unfishable. And then add mags to slow them down. Duh....

What it amounts to is fisherman are caught with more new products, than are the fish we search. Its part of the LUre of what we do and who we are.

After years of being one of the foremost TACKLE HO's, I've settled down to some really great fishing tackle and one really good casting setup. This was possible because of the NET and learning new techniques.

Tommy hit it right, good form and practice with moderate gear will give you results that great gear and bad form will not.

Technique, form, physical conditioning and proper gear in that order will provide the results that you desire.


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## Heaver (Feb 7, 2001)

Its been years since I cast in competition, but the skinny is that the fastest bearings I ever had were stock bearings.

Over several years if practice I wound up with about one dozen pairs of bearnings - everything from stock to ABEC 7 grade. ALL bearing were degreased and placed on a spare spool shaft and spun dry at high speed on a dremel tool until nice and loose. Degreased again and dried. Each was place back on the shaft and spun by hand and studied to see how long it spun under its own momentum. The ones that spun the longest were set aside and rechecked. Surprisingly two of the stock bearing wound up spinning the longest. Used these in the Ultramag I was using. Controlled the speed of the reel using different viscosity oils. My personal best in competition in Salvo, NC was 720+ feet. I still have that reel and bearings.

Lou


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## surffshr (Dec 8, 2003)

Tommy said:


> Guys,
> 
> You can gain distance a lot of different ways. Some produce small, barely noticable gains such as swapping out perfectly good abec 3's for high dollar ceramics ...lol, some will produce moderate gains like upgrading from wallyworld grade rod and reel to premium casting equipment. Then you have the one method that is tried and true. It WILL give you the biggest gain and bang for the buck, it's the best value going.
> 
> ...


I agree humbly with you 100%.
Jimmy Johnston got me started casting right and I probably gained 30yds the first week.
now if you are hitting 800' and want to go 803' then some of this other stuff gets more important.


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## Surf Fish (Dec 16, 2005)

I read this in a book by John Holden and found it interesting:

"Perhaps the worst test of a spool’s casting potential is to flick it to see how quickly and for how long it free-wheels. Usually performed with the spool loaded, the spinning test has become something of a voodoo ritual, especially amongst semi-experienced casters."

"The longest-spinning spools are found on big reels, which are the wrong choice for long distance work. If you want to see a multiplier spool run forever, load an Abu 9000 to the top, squirt thin oil in the bearings, then spin it. Like Agatha Christie’s “The Mouse Trap”, it will run and run and run. Now try casting it."


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## Mark G (Nov 15, 2004)

Surf Fish said:


> I read this in a book by John Holden and found it interesting:
> 
> "Perhaps the worst test of a spool’s casting potential is to flick it to see how quickly and for how long it free-wheels. Usually performed with the spool loaded, the spinning test has become something of a voodoo ritual, especially amongst semi-experienced casters."
> 
> "The longest-spinning spools are found on big reels, which are the wrong choice for long distance work. If you want to see a multiplier spool run forever, load an Abu 9000 to the top, squirt thin oil in the bearings, then spin it. Like Agatha Christie’s “The Mouse Trap”, it will run and run and run. Now try casting it."


There may be some truth to that, but there is also some fallacy- the spin test is done to check the balance of the spool and is best done with dry bearings and magnets completely backed off, which will lead to the fastest and longest spin times when proper balance is achieved- after that the reel is slowed down with oil and mags to a castable speed. When guys brag about a reel spinning 6 minutes in free spool, they are talking about how well tuned the reel is- they don't cast with it in that configuration- most will shoot for a spin time of 8- 10 seconds initial spin time- and then back off magnets once the cast is well on its way.


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## Mark G (Nov 15, 2004)

Perhaps I should have been a little clearer in the previous post. The spin test is not about trying to find out whether a Daiwa 50 will outspin a abu 6500. With a full reel the 50's mass will indeed spin for along time- once it gets up to the same speed as the abu.

The spin test is for detecting which reel in my collection of 6500's is going to perform the best out of the bunch, not useful at all for comparing two totally different sized reels.

I will agree that some folks that use very heavy oils find the spin test useless- they might have a spin time of 2 or 3 seconds only with lubricated bearings.


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## jcreamer (Mar 6, 2001)

where was it said that a man was judged by the size of his rod or how he used it.


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## Mark G (Nov 15, 2004)

jcreamer said:


> where was it said that a man was judged by the size of his rod or how he used it.



I dunno- might a ben my wife


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## Railroader (Apr 13, 2005)

Well, after a trip fishing with the Internet Cheapie A5 bearings in my trusty ol' Blue Yonder, there can be no doubt that they are in fact, smoother and quieter than the well worn stockers. 

I didn't notice any real distance gain, but there sure as shootin' was a PERCIEVED gain, as the payload just seemed to silently, effortlessy, and smoothly fire like a bullet toward Morocco.

Retrieve was smoothed up a good bit as well. 

This reel is the smoothest casting and cranking reel I've ever had in my hands. REALLY nice.

Now, how will these bearings hold up over time, and use? Time will tell, but I'm definitely leaving the new bearings in there.

Will report back if any noteworthy developments occur.


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## Surf Fish (Dec 16, 2005)

I think what Mr. Holden was trying to say is that the "spin test", in the majority of cases, is irrelevant. Imagine, if you will, a point where a reel will blow up. Let's call that "Terminal Velocity". We are trying to reach MAX DISTANCE without reaching Terminal Velocity.

Three factors are involved in reaching Terminal Velocity:

1. Launch velocity. "LAUNCH".
2. Ease at which the spool spins. "SPIN"
3. Braking in the reel (either magnetic or centrifugal). "BRAKE"

Imagine LAUNCH and SPIN factors on a scale from one to ten, BRAKE on a scale of -1 to -10, and that a combined score from the three of 10 equals Terminal Velocity. 

So if LAUNCH = 7.5, SPIN = 7.5, and BRAKE = -5, total = 10, i.e., Terminal Velocity. 

Since LAUNCH and BRAKE can't be measured by spinning the spool, and since Terminal Velocity can't be calculated without factoring in all three numbers, SPIN is no indication of how far the reel will cast or not cast, or when it will blow up.

If you had a reel that had:

SPIN = 10 

but we also had:

LAUNCH = 2

and we also had:

BRAKE = -10

Your combined total would be 2, and you would A) never get close to the maximum distance the reel is capable of or B) approach Terminal Velocity, EVEN THOUGH the reel is spinning at maximum possible SPIN. 

For example, I have a Penn 535 that I use to throw big chunks of bait, with a big sinker. The bearings are clean and lubricated, and the spool spins wonderfully. But I can't cast it very far because A) I'm not capable of creating much LAUNCH with that big of a chunk of bait and a big sinker, and B) I have intentionally added too much BRAKE (magnets) because I want to be able to throw it as hard as I possibly can (in the dark) without blowing up the reel. 

Having never been to distance casting engineering school, I think the bottom line on bearings and spool speed is this: We want the bearings to be clean, lubricated, and smooth so that the speed at which the spool is capable of spinning doesn't HINDER the distance capability of the reel and the operator (like the magnets in my 535 do), but at the same time once we've reached a certain point with SPIN, anything extra is irrelevant. 

Given a constant LAUNCH, add too much SPIN, and you have to compensate with BRAKE. Net gain: ZERO.

Too bad somebody hasn't invented a casting machine, like the robot that hits golf balls; if we could create an environment where LAUNCH is very consistent, it would be much easier to see the results of fiddling with SPIN and BRAKE.


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## Mark G (Nov 15, 2004)

*Appreciate your efforts*

Surf Fish- but all that has little to do with the importance of balancing a spool- the spin test is to help detect balance issues- an unbalanced spool has excess vibration and runs rough- it is likely to blow up at a speed prior to where a well balanced spool will blow up- more likely to have fluff due to uneven speed and is generally unpleasant to cast.

Here's a thought - balance only really starts to come into play as your casting improves to the point where your sending the payload beyond 150 yds- an unbalanced spool can deliver up to those distances without any real problems- tho excess vibration and a reel screaming like a banshee- is unpleasant to say the least and will wear componenets out much faster than a balanced one.

As stated previously- the balance test is done to ensure the reel is running as smoothly as possible- that's good for the reel- the fact that there may be (will be) some distance gain by better casters- is a direct side benefit of a balanced spool.

No disrespect to Mr. Holden intended- I think he simply misinterepreted the *main purpose *of the spin test for one of its side benefits.


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## Mark G (Nov 15, 2004)

*Btw*

Surf Fish- agree with the analogy on golf R&D

unfortuneately there isn't any real money involved in distance casting- or the engineers would be all over themselves trying to invent a better wheel


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## gundalba (Oct 29, 2006)

Surf Fish,

Very interesting way to put it and I like it.
Though, it seems one thing is missing there.
Flight speed.
For those who are trying the tuning for the fishing application (i.e. casting chunk or plug) or even for field casting at windy situation, the flight speed can change abruptly and cause blow up on the reel as well?


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