Buying ball bearings in bulk

[D.A.L.E.]

These 100+ pots of bearings you can get. All much of a muchness or is it definitely worth spending more?

i.e. 200 Weldtite ball bearings are 6 quid, 100 better quality Shimano ones are £14. Is it worth spending 366% more?

[Torslanda]

I use Weldtite. I haven't looked into the grade/hardness/whatever. It's what my wholesaler keeps in stock. They sell by the thousand, if they were utter crap we would know about it.

The hubs that I work on are usually a resurrection job and almost invariably need new cones and axle. The local yoof are most adept at bending and breaking their Carrera rear wheels, especially the 7 speed freewheel variety. The worst damaged are the QR axles because the skewer holds it together until the axle collapses in the middle.

If I'm lucky they notice quite quickly, before the hub has eaten itself. If not they're rapidly heading towards a replacement wheel, which always feels like a defeat IYSWIM.

One question. If you're not running a repair business why do you need 1/4 balls in such quantity? There's 18 in a rear wheel, where's the economy in ordering 10 times what you need?

[D.A.L.E.]

One question. If you're not running a repair business why do you need 1/4 balls in such quantity? There's 18 in a rear wheel, where's the economy in ordering 10 times what you need?

5 bikes. All with decent cup and cone hubs. All 3/16 front, 1/4 rear. All fairly well used.

[Brucey]

my advice is to buy Gr10 chrome steel balls if you are rebuilding good kit such as shimano or campag. The weldtite balls are OK for more run of the mill stuff.

cheers

[Torslanda]

One question. If you're not running a repair business why do you need 1/4 balls in such quantity? There's 18 in a rear wheel, where's the economy in ordering 10 times what you need?

5 bikes. All with decent cup and cone hubs. All 3/16 front, 1/4 rear. All fairly well used.

Fair one. Chapeau! Sir...

Neither Weldtite nor Shimano is going to break the bank. My instinct is that the Shimano branded items will be 'superior' but I'm also willing to bet that neither manufacturer actually make their own ball bearings (I'll stand to be corrected).

As I said above, bearing replacement for me is rarely a service item, more usually a distress repair.

[Brucey]

FWIW simply bearings sell Gr10 balls for about £8 for 100 and if you buy 1000 at a time they get very cheap indeed (*) (why not split the order with some chums?)

https://simplybearings.co.uk/shop/Loose-Balls-&-Rollers-52100-Chrome-Steel-Loose-Ball-Bearings/c23_7240/index.html

[(*) same price per ball vs the weldtite ones.]

Shimano balls are believed to be Gr25.

Weldtite balls are Gr500 or Gr1000; in any good quality hub they will make for a rough-running, less long-lived bearing.

cheers