I'm picking up my bike in a few weeks and I'm trying to get all my toys on her before she comes home. So one of the things I'm looking to do is get a set of CERAMIC WHEEL BEARINGS.

These are a few I've looked at so far 1. WWB schnitz 2. NSK.

Dose have a set or know anything about them?

black found this article may help you out:

This is a common question nowadays when talking about machine tool spindles. Although most manufacturers will tell you the ceramic ball has far more advantages than the steel ball. In most cases that may be true, but is it necessary for your application? Quantum Precision is not looking to sell you the most expensive bearing for your application. We’ll work with you to provide a bearing that will perform under your conditions, and at a reasonable cost.

Provided below are som FAQ's about ceramic bearings vs. steel.

What Is A Hybrid Bearing?
A hybrid bearing is made up of metal rings and silicon nitride ceramic balls with lubricant and retainer appropriate to the type of bearing and application. The silicon nitride balls typically allow for higher speeds, lower operating temperatures, extended lubricant life and many other performance enhancements.

Why Do Ceramic Silicon Nitride Balls Improve Bearing Performance?
Compared to steel balls, Ceramic balls are lighter, smoother, stiffer, harder, corrosion resistant, and electrically resistant. These fundamental characteristics allow for a wide range of performance enhancements in bearings.

Are Ceramic Balls Brittle and Fragile?
Silicon Nitride ceramic balls do not have as high a toughness or ductility as steel. But, due to their high strength, stiffness, and microstructural make-up, they are actually much more durable than steel balls.
Compare The Material Properties of Silicon Nitride Balls to Steel Balls.

Ceramic balls are >60% lighter, >50% stiffer, >70% smoother, and much, much harder than steel balls. Ceramic balls have >100X better rolling contact fatigue life in comparison to Vacuum Melt 52100 Steel.

What Applications Use Hybrid Bearings?
The most common application today is angular contact bearings for high speed machine tool spindles. End-users are seeking higher speed, longer life, reduced lubrication, and decreased total operating costs. Ceramic balls are used in a very wide range of applications from dental handpieces to surgical saws to wing-flap actuators to electric motors.

Are Ceramic Balls More Expensive Than Steel Balls?
Yes. In direct comparison, Ceramic balls are clearly more expensive than steel balls. BUT, when assembled into a hybrid bearing, the price of the bearing assembly is actually quite competitive when compared to all steel bearings. On a Total Operating Cost basis, hybrid bearings typically always pay for themselves many times over in extended life time, enhanced performance, or increased durability. Over the past 15 years, Ceramic balls have steadily become more and more affordable for a wider range of applications as the volumes have climbed.

How Do You Make a Ceramic Ball?
Ceramic balls are made from an ISO-9000 certified process starting with micron sizes powder which is compacted and then densified at extremely high pressures and temperatures. The densified blanks are then precision finished using free-abrasive diamond lapping procedures. Grade 3 and 5 precision levels are typical in high volume batch sizes.

How Are Precision Balls Specified?
Ceramic balls (and any other finished ball from all materials) are specified by using ABMA, ISO, JIS, ASTM or other standards. The sphericity, surface finish, lot diameter variation, etc…. are precisely defined by these standards into various “Grade” levels. The highest typical Grade is 3 (denoting 3 millionths sphericity or better), then 5, then 10, etc….. Bearing companies use different grades depending on the bearing precision and application.

How Much Longer Life Can Be Expected From Hybrid Bearings Vs. Steel?
This is a tough question. Generally speaking, one can expect 2 to 5 times longer life for most applications, but it is highly dependent on operating conditions, bearing design, etc….

What Ceramic Ball Sizes Are Available?
This is an easy question. Ceramic balls are readily available from 0.5 mm (about 1/64”) to 25mm (1”) in a variety of ball grades. Ceramic balls can be made up to 3” (75mm) in diameter. The most popular sized balls tend to be from 1mm to 13 mm in terms of quantity used.

How Can I Buy Ceramic Balls?
We’re so glad you asked!! You can use the contact us inquiry page on this web-site

What Are The Draw-Backs Or Limitations To Using Ceramic Balls?
We’d like to say there are none, but Ceramic balls cannot be used for every application. A stiffer ball can increase contact stresses if raceway curvatures are not adjusted. For extremely high load applications, silicon nitride balls may not be suitable since they may accelerate steel raceway fatigue. Also, silicon nitride balls are more costly than steel balls and while they continue to be more and more affordable, they may not be economical for every application despite longer life and enhanced performance.

According to Brock Davidson, who would know, if you hit a hard sharp bump on the street and have ceramic bearings, you might be ok. Do it again and you'll need new bearings.

Copy that Privateer. My profession keeps me heavily involved in materials science.
Low ductility + shock loads = sudden catastrophic failure.

What do you do, hagrid? I come by knowledge of the Strengths of Materials not just from the book, but from being a Master Machinist before my knees and back got so bad I couldn't stand in front of a mill or lathe anymore.

Its hard to do manual machinining sitting on a chair, but I did it for a couple years and couldn't hold tolerances from the sitting position.

And then CNC came on the scene, and I was already on a new career path and so I missed out on that. I could gotten a great job if I'd learned CNC programming because I understand the manual steps of changing tools, etc., and tool and die making, so nobody would have to teach me what the machines could do.

Right before I took a job at Redstone Arsenal, Huntsville, Alabama, working on Department of Defense contracts, I had a Bridgeport vertical and an engine lathe (plus cut off saw and RGS bed grinder, etc.) in my own shop, and I was making custom gun barrels from stainless steel.

* Last updated by: privateer on 3/10/2012 @ 8:29 AM *

I should've put this stuff in the profiles thread but... oh well.
From 1986 till 2003 i was a welder/ fitter... mild steel (A36, 1054), alloy steel (A514, 4140, 4340), stainless (304, 308, 309, 316),
some aluminum but not worth mentioning. Served an apprenticeship with my father.

In 2003 the local market for welders was pretty dry so i applied for work at a titanium conversion facility called
The Perryman Company. I wont bore you with the details... google the name for the website if you're interested.

Since 2006 i was moved from the production side of the company into our in-house quality control laboratory.
Before any of our material can ship to the customer it must undergo tensile and double shear testing,
hydrogen content analysis (we perform a full wet-chem metallic analysis at input billet but H2 is the
only check required for final acceptance), and a full metallographic survey for microstructure characterization
and surface contamination (alpha case).

We have four employees not counting me in the lab. And as of 3/8/12... ive been promoted to supervisor.
Yay me! Not bad for a fella that dropped out of college.

I would be happy to field any technical questions re: Ti and its applications in aerospace, medical, and
automotive applications.

I should point out that i am not a metallurgist... technically. But we have five of those and i constantly pick
their brains so... close enough i say. Im the only one in the lab qualified to perform all of the tests but my bread
and butter is metallography. I would post pics for you but the forum wont accept photos from my phone (Samsung Nexus).

* Last updated by: hagrid on 3/10/2012 @ 9:59 AM *

According to Brock Davidson, who would know,

hmmm, Brock sells them and does not have them installed on his bike. That's just sad. Can't be ?

I have, and have had, These bearings on All my bikes, stoppies, wheelies with sometimes brutal landings and I beat beat my bikes. Never ever had any issues. Love them. Always one of my first mods.

If you have short legs(My Wife lol, these are on her bike too)almost a must. Pushing bike backwards becomes much much easier. Once you try them hook sets deep lol

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* Last updated by: Romans on 3/11/2012 @ 7:16 AM *

You've been lucky, Romans. I hope they last forever for you. Others have had them grenade the first day.

You've been lucky, Romans.

No luck private I can assure you, straight up hill 4 me. I install bearing for a living so i know shit when I see it. People in life have to make choices about things like this, I don't push any issues that might be up for debate. If you have short legs these are a god send lol.

But I will promise you that bike of yours will never weigh enough to kill them. Try, my nickel.

This bearing cost 3900 dollars and weighs 325lbs. And these fail all the time.
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* Last updated by: Romans on 3/11/2012 @ 4:20 PM *

Naaaa I have them and have 10,000 miles on them beating and pounding them with no issues. I blow the front wheel in the air every chance I get!!! Do it the roll like a mother!!!

Others have had them grenade the first day.

Bad install me tinks ?

every chance I get!!! Do it the roll like a mother!!!

Yep, nothing but praise. Can't say that for the Batteries though. I fall for all the BS lol.

This bearing cost 3900 dollars and weighs 325lbs. And these fail all the time.

I'm taking the stairs.

Just purchased wheels with ceramics already installed in them... If they fail, coal in your stocking.

I'm taking the stairs.

rofl, dog you crack me up,,,,shhhhh

Just purchased wheels with ceramics already installed in them... If they fail, coal in your stocking.

Yep that's one way. Guys these bearings are truly Awesome, you must try to make your own opinion if taste like coal it's Dogs fault. He told me to say it. Yuk-E, hate coal. Gets me teeth, Weeee.

Scottjkyl,

Thanks for the info. really good read.

Roman,

OUTSTANDING!!

After reading that article I'm thinking on getting "Hybrid Bearing" what do you think?

I'm by no means short or have any problems moving the bike around. I'm just hoping to get a better edge on performance. What kind of bearings do you run with?

Somefun: What kind do you have?

DogoZX, What kind of wheels did you get?

DogoZX, What kind of wheels did you get?

Nothing cool... Just a spare set of stock wheels for my 10r. One set for slicks, one set for rains.

DogoZX, What kind of wheels did you get?

Nothing cool...

Dog you have after market rims on the 14 ????????

Dog you have after market rims on the 14 ????????

I see what you are doing ... I didn't pony up for ceramics in those... Figured I would when the time came to replace.
The steelies that came in my CZ's have way less rolling resistance than the stockers as they are... no doubt ceramics would be next level, though.

* Last updated by: DogoZX on 3/12/2012 @ 12:20 PM *

I see what you are doing

No no no lol, "Nothing cool" when the man asked what kind of Rims did you get. Thought maybe you sold dem shinny new ones santa brought you.

* Last updated by: Romans on 3/12/2012 @ 2:40 PM *

Thought maybe you sold dem shinny new ones santa brought you.

They're not so shiney, ATM... Need some elbow grease.

After much reading I did it I picked up a set for my new ZX14r and I'm having them put on now along with a set of Michelin Power Pures.

Thanks guys for the Info.

Got a set of Bearings from World Wide Bearings here's the info. If anyone ever needs a set.

1275 Bloomfeild Ave.#13
Fairfield NJ. 07004

216 Little Falls Road #1
Cedar Grove NJ. 07009

Www.worldwidebearings.com
Phone: 1-800-575-3220

I have to say the with the new bearings in she roles very easy now.

bearings in she roles very easy now.

Better again when they break in, just a bit pricey is all. Cheers

Romans,

Thanks I'm liking them more and more with every ride. So far money well spent.