Bearings

[Romelio]

Are bearings really much better than brushing in a stock tamiya truck?

Brian

[SonoranWraith]

Will add to your run time, but no it isn't required.

[MadMax]

Yes they are! Better running and handling and longer lasting.

[Romelio]

Guess I better order some. Where's a good place to get a set for my knight hauler?

Brian

[Thorsteenster]

Yes, better to add them in while building then have to take it apart to add them later.

[SonoranWraith]

I bought my set from Boca Bearings. They are on ebay also as well as some chinese vendors.

[fhhhstix]

I guess I will be the odd ball here. I use bushings for one we use gear reductions more powerfull motors and high current 3300-5000mAh bateries so where will you notice the proformance of a bearing Maby some run time. Next if a bushing gets a little worn you can keep on driving but if a bearing goes out your done till you replace it and with the weight guys are putting on trucks dump bodies dump trailers I would count on the bushing before the bearing with the tiny little ball bearings. This is just me but if you want to run bearings that is your choice.

[IDontKnow]

The other good thing about full bearings is the dramatic reduction in noise!
The transmissions seem to run much quieter or at least the two trucks (inluding mine) that I have change to ball bearings run smoother and quieter!

[Juganought]

Bearings are a personal preference. As fhhhstix says, you probably wouldn't notice the difference. What I do is place bearings inside, and leave bushings outside. The bushings will not rust as the bearings would, and you dont have to worry about dirt and water.

[Bodyman]

i picked up my bearings from my local HobbyTown. they had them in stock.
steve

[Blueshirt]

I ordered mine from my LHS, they were cheap and came in packs of 10.

[CorbettTrailers]

My trailers have them but None are installed in my truck.

[FreddyGearDrive]

If your going to use your truck like a truck,leave the bearings at the hobby shop. I plow a lot of snow w/my trucks,& learned early the bearings are a waist of money.Unless you plan on oiling the bearings every time the truck gets used for real. Have one truck that I use to keep my sidewalks clear with.At the end of last season,the truck sat for two weeks.Went to use it & it would hardly move because the bearings in axles rusted up.
I'm now a bushing guy!
Also be careful useing bearings under shift hubs in trany. They can wreck main shaft,from sliding on shaft. There made to spin,not slide on shaft.
FGD

[ihbuilder]

DO NOT USE BALL BEARINGS IN THE SHIFT HUBS they are not designed to slide . the id tolerance is tighter then the bushings and can cause shift problems .

IHSteve

[tc1cat]

WOW!! I must really be in the minority. I use bearings everywhere there is a bushing. Did lots of R/C car racing and it was a must then so I just kept on using bearings. I raced on dirt, asphalt, cement and on carpet. No comparison between cars with bearing and one with bushings. Bearings always ruled. Only drawback to bearings in the trucks and in the tanks, is you have to get bearings that have plastic compatable grease in them or you will destroy the wheels on a truck or the roadwheels on a tank.

[Thorsteenster]

Hey FGD, do you use open bearings? With sealed bearings that shouldn't happen.

I use bearings in everything too, bushings wear and wobble and need to be lubed. If I'm going to tear a model down to change bushings, I'd as soon tear it down to lube bearings. A nice thick marine grade grease or even vasoline packed in will help too if your planning on getting wet or going in the drink.

[fhhhstix]

Sealed bearings are not really sealed they have dust covers which do not keep out water. When we raced we used mini bearing greasers to push out the old grease and put in new. If the seal was tight against the outer and inner races to keep water out the bearing would have a lot of drag on the mating surfaces. Before you reply to this get out a bearing and hold the center and spin the out side if it spins free it can't be sealed to good. Rubber tight on metal will have some drag maybe not as much as a bushing. Don't get me wrong they use other materials to seal a bearing such as metal and fiber shield but it is not going to be a perfect seal.

[FreddyGearDrive]

One of the beatiful things about the bushings,is there self oiling. The grease is permeated in the metal. As the bushing gets hot it releases the oil. Take a torche & heat one,& see what it does. Might look at bearings in a different light.
Like Travis,My trucks have the bejeesus geard out of them.don't need to worry about a little power draw spinning the drive line.
So here's a new question on this topic. Which is a better way to spend your money at the hobby shop,Gear reduction or bearings?
FGD

[ihbuilder]

One of the beatiful things about the bushings,is there self oiling. The grease is permeated in the metal. As the bushing gets hot it releases the oil. Take a torche & heat one,& see what it does. Might look at bearings in a different light.
Like Travis,My trucks have the bejeesus geard out of them.don't need to worry about a little power draw spinning the drive line.
So here's a new question on this topic. Which is a better way to spend your money at the hobby shop,Gear reduction or bearings?
FGD

gearing baby , gearing , my 5900 in 3rd is almost as fast as stock set up in 1st :p I have a few bearings but only in the wheels but may change some day .

[Lil Giants]

Look at the miles my KH dump trk has on it climbing +12 degree inclines loaded for the last five yrs... bushings through out!

My white 6wd, I think it might be all bearings, even in the shift slides, it has hundreds of miles of heavy pulling, I've never replaced a bearing either.

The green 6wd, I've put TLT tires all around and gone out in the fresh white powder several times, no problems with seizures... were you playing in the salt too Freddy? :p

Whatever your preference, both work perfectly.

[IDontKnow]

Have to agree with TC1Cat. I went with the bearing option and the first thing I noticed was how much quieter the trans was ? Have not had any gear change issues (other than loosing the shift rod but thats another story!). I also run Nitro vehicles and have converted all bushes to bearings and find less wear on the drive shafts this way.