Ceramic Ball Bearings Vs Steel

01 08 2013 02 32 pm 1.

Ceramic ball bearings vs steel. The ceramic balls when manufactured by a top quality bearing manufacturer are rounder lighter and smoother than steel balls. They use ceramic balls and usually a steel inner and outer race. Stainless steel bearings win the prize for load and speed ratings. The ceramic balls are often silicon nitride or equivalent.

Steel bearings are commodity items that are composed of hardened steel balls and a steel inner and outer race. Stainless steel bearings and full ceramic bearings are both corrosion resistant but the ceramic bearings have greater corrosion resistance. This is mostly due to the additional time spent to perfect a quality ceramic ball. Of the different components of a bearing races cages seals grease friction from the actual ball bearings is only about 3.

The first thing that strikes the eye when looking at bicycle bearings is the difference in price between steel bearings and hybrid ceramic bearings. Ceramic bearings vs steel bearings ceramic materials offer superior corrosion and heat resistance higher dimensional stability and lower density which facilitates high speed. Most sealed ceramic bearings are actually hybrid ceramic bearings which combine a steel race with ceramic ball bearings. Ceramic bearings are in actual fact hybrid.

Results 1 to 12 of 12 thread. View profile view forum posts stainless join date aug 2008 location californeeeah posts 1 529 post thanks like likes given. A ceramic bearing is also harder than steel bearings up to 30 which improves durability and they also don t rust so less maintenance should be required. It takes weeks for a kogel ball to sit in a tumbler and be perfectly polished.

This reduces friction by up to 40 as well as energy loss allowing your equipment to run more efficiently with ceramic ball bearings. Ceramic is the perfect material for any application seeking to achieve higher rpm s reduce overall weight or for extremely harsh environments where high temperatures and corrosive substances are present. Frictional differences between a high quality steel ball and a ceramic is a 10 15 improvement at best.