Ceramic or Steel Bearings?

[rak12]

Ok my picco is beginning to show signs of front bearing wear. It has about 2 gals through it and the leakage at the front is increasing. My questions is do ceramic bearings offer any advantage over steel (other than longevity )? Are Boca ceramics worth the 60$?

 

[rak12]

Well I may have answered my own question, I" did further research on Boca's website:

http://www.bocabearings.com/pdfs/Ceramic Bearings Play Hardball.pdf

http://www.bocabearings.com/dropin....s-Steel-Bearing-Material-Comparison-Chart.txt

http://www.bocabearings.com/ceramic-bearing-guide.aspx


Guess I'll be coughing up $60, I'm convinced. Maybe I'll compromise and buy the midgrade hybrids.....

http://www.bocabearings.com/bearing...lightning-performance/picco-rc-engines-max-26

 

[JoeMAXX]

Most Nitro engines will start to spit a bit of oil out of the front main bearing over just a few gallons of fuel because of the seal on the bearing is rarely rubber. This is on purpose because of the heat. Then will lose HP over time as the steel sealed bearing allows for some compression loss.

Boca bearings use a high temp rubber seal as do Acer Bearings.

 

[frickenjoey]

As stated above Boca and Acer bearings are sealed. This is just a personal thing but I prefer Boca. I had a bad experience with Acer on bearings I put in a OS .18TZ EbMods engine. The bearings crapped out after two gallons and caused the engine to shell out. They would not do anything for warranty for me either...so I switched brands. Maybe you will have better luck than I did. My Picco .26Max also is a front bearing leaker. That one had the bearing seize last summer....the seal somehow cracked and got into the bearing chewing it up and engine lost power then when I brought it in after that lap temped at 360. Time for new bearings AND a piston and sleeve. The price we pay to play.

 

[rak12]

I'll probably go with Boca. Some bearing leak is normal I know, but on mine it has been gradually increasing. I am in the middle of a tear down for clutch/bell/spur problems. So I figured while I have the picco out, might as well just address this now. Besides, it's winter and I can't really run it so why not at least tinker with it.