A source for 4x7x2.5mm bearings?

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Mike son
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A source for 4x7x2.5mm bearings?

Post by Mike son » Tue Dec 27, 2022 5:52 pm

Anyone have a source for some of these bearings? My stock from a long time ago has run out, I had lucked into decent quality bearings from an ebay seller at the time. Today, I received an order of 20 bearings from a random US seller and they were all gritty. I don't really want to pay $4.xx per bearing from Shimano.

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Re: A source for 4x7x2.5mm bearings?

Post by adam lancia » Wed Dec 28, 2022 3:34 am

I order from avidrc.com when I don't want to wait for bigger bulk orders from overseas. They have metal 4x7x2.5 bearings for a buck a piece.

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Re: A source for 4x7x2.5mm bearings?

Post by Real Pudd legend » Mon Jan 23, 2023 8:39 pm

There are a couple options, so you get the standard metal one for $1.00?

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Re: A source for 4x7x2.5mm bearings?

Post by adam lancia » Tue Jan 24, 2023 3:03 am

Real Pudd legend wrote:
Mon Jan 23, 2023 8:39 pm
There are a couple options, so you get the standard metal one for $1.00?
Yeah, or get the Revolution version that has a rubber seal on one side and metal on the other for $1 each as well.

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Re: A source for 4x7x2.5mm bearings?

Post by Real Pudd legend » Tue Jan 24, 2023 3:08 am

Are they pretty smooth and quiet?

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Re: A source for 4x7x2.5mm bearings?

Post by mark poulson » Tue Jan 24, 2023 1:36 pm

adam lancia wrote:
Tue Jan 24, 2023 3:03 am
Real Pudd legend wrote:
Mon Jan 23, 2023 8:39 pm
There are a couple options, so you get the standard metal one for $1.00?
Yeah, or get the Revolution version that has a rubber seal on one side and metal on the other for $1 each as well.
Can they be flushed and reoiled?

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Re: A source for 4x7x2.5mm bearings?

Post by cadman » Tue Jan 24, 2023 3:41 pm

I don't know what you guys clean your bearings with but I use naphtha and an ultrasonic cleaner. Well I bought 30 bearings of all different sizes from Avid RC for the $1 each, and I was very disappointed. When I got the bearings they seemed fine. I took the bearings and put them in naphtha and in the ultrasonic cleaner to clean out the oil/grease and when I too them out they wouldn't spin. I tried a couple more and they did the same thing. My bearings were all metal no rubber seals. I called them up and explained what I did and they asked me why I cleaned them. So I explained. I told them I was going to send them back and they said they don't want the good ones or the cleaned ones. I don't know if the cages are nylon inside or what, but to me they are garbage and I won't use them. Not worth a $1 to me, better off buying better bearings. For those of you that like them have you cleaned them and what did you use. JMO

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Re: A source for 4x7x2.5mm bearings?

Post by mark poulson » Tue Jan 24, 2023 3:57 pm

cadman wrote:
Tue Jan 24, 2023 3:41 pm
I don't know what you guys clean your bearings with but I use naphtha and an ultrasonic cleaner. Well I bought 30 bearings of all different sizes from Avid RC for the $1 each, and I was very disappointed. When I got the bearings they seemed fine. I took the bearings and put them in naphtha and in the ultrasonic cleaner to clean out the oil/grease and when I too them out they wouldn't spin. I tried a couple more and they did the same thing. My bearings were all metal no rubber seals. I called them up and explained what I did and they asked me why I cleaned them. So I explained. I told them I was going to send them back and they said they don't want the good ones or the cleaned ones. I don't know if the cages are nylon inside or what, but to me they are garbage and I won't use them. Not worth a $1 to me, better off buying better bearings. For those of you that like them have you cleaned them and what did you use. JMO
Thanks for the heads up Ted!

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Re: A source for 4x7x2.5mm bearings?

Post by Mike son » Tue Jan 24, 2023 6:29 pm

cadman wrote:
Tue Jan 24, 2023 3:41 pm
I don't know what you guys clean your bearings with but I use naphtha and an ultrasonic cleaner. Well I bought 30 bearings of all different sizes from Avid RC for the $1 each, and I was very disappointed. When I got the bearings they seemed fine. I took the bearings and put them in naphtha and in the ultrasonic cleaner to clean out the oil/grease and when I too them out they wouldn't spin. I tried a couple more and they did the same thing. My bearings were all metal no rubber seals. I called them up and explained what I did and they asked me why I cleaned them. So I explained. I told them I was going to send them back and they said they don't want the good ones or the cleaned ones. I don't know if the cages are nylon inside or what, but to me they are garbage and I won't use them. Not worth a $1 to me, better off buying better bearings. For those of you that like them have you cleaned them and what did you use. JMO
I'm the OP and didn't order them from avidrc as the metal bearings don't appear to have removable shields. They look to be the same as the gritty ones I bought from ebay and presumably the same from some manufacturer in China. I could have sworn my original bulk order of bearings in 4x7x2.5mm had removable shields and they were fine. I'm passively looking for another source but I'm not thrilled with my options as I have no experience with any of the different sellers' products. I'm in northern Illinois too, west suburbs, and there are some hobbie shops around me that should have bearings, I just haven't gotten around to calling them to find out about their bearings.

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Re: A source for 4x7x2.5mm bearings?

Post by adam lancia » Tue Jan 24, 2023 6:37 pm

cadman wrote:
Tue Jan 24, 2023 3:41 pm
I don't know what you guys clean your bearings with but I use naphtha and an ultrasonic cleaner. Well I bought 30 bearings of all different sizes from Avid RC for the $1 each, and I was very disappointed. When I got the bearings they seemed fine. I took the bearings and put them in naphtha and in the ultrasonic cleaner to clean out the oil/grease and when I too them out they wouldn't spin. I tried a couple more and they did the same thing. My bearings were all metal no rubber seals. I called them up and explained what I did and they asked me why I cleaned them. So I explained. I told them I was going to send them back and they said they don't want the good ones or the cleaned ones. I don't know if the cages are nylon inside or what, but to me they are garbage and I won't use them. Not worth a $1 to me, better off buying better bearings. For those of you that like them have you cleaned them and what did you use. JMO
Wow, that's crazy! Knob bearings I just installed, I didn't flush them or anything, as long as they felt smooth before installation.

The metal shields bearings I've gotten from them in the past have all had removable shields. The rubber shields on the Revolutions were also removable.

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Re: A source for 4x7x2.5mm bearings?

Post by Cracker » Tue Jan 24, 2023 6:44 pm

BOCA ABEC5 is a way to go, if you want your knobs spin for ~15sec or more.
Otherwise - NMB from Japan is not that bad.

Image

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Re: A source for 4x7x2.5mm bearings?

Post by Slazmo » Tue Jan 24, 2023 8:56 pm

Cracker wrote:
Tue Jan 24, 2023 6:44 pm
if you want your knobs spin for ~15sec or more.
Is this a thing these days?

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Re: A source for 4x7x2.5mm bearings?

Post by cadman » Tue Jan 24, 2023 10:04 pm

Mike son wrote:
Tue Jan 24, 2023 6:29 pm
I'm the OP and didn't order them from avidrc as the metal bearings don't appear to have removable shields. They look to be the same as the gritty ones I bought from ebay and presumably the same from some manufacturer in China. I could have sworn my original bulk order of bearings in 4x7x2.5mm had removable shields and they were fine. I'm passively looking for another source but I'm not thrilled with my options as I have no experience with any of the different sellers' products. I'm in northern Illinois too, west suburbs, and there are some hobbie shops around me that should have bearings, I just haven't gotten around to calling them to find out about their bearings.
Did you try Smooth Drag. Dawn sells bearings and Carbontex drag sets. I have used her bearings and have never had an issue. I believe they are about $6 to $7 a bearing.

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Re: A source for 4x7x2.5mm bearings?

Post by cadman » Tue Jan 24, 2023 10:07 pm

adam lancia wrote:
Tue Jan 24, 2023 6:37 pm

Wow, that's crazy! Knob bearings I just installed, I didn't flush them or anything, as long as they felt smooth before installation.

The metal shields bearings I've gotten from them in the past have all had removable shields. The rubber shields on the Revolutions were also removable.
I still have some of their bearings. I will try this again and see what happens. If I remember correctly, their metal shields didn't come off when I tried to pry them off. I will do this, this weekend and report back.

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Re: A source for 4x7x2.5mm bearings?

Post by DirtyD64 » Wed Jan 25, 2023 5:04 pm

I bought some Amazon junkers, or maybe they were from some RC place. Either way they came in a ten back and had a blue rubber shield. They didn't free spin for long at all, but stayed smooth and worked great for a knob bearing. Never tried them on levelwinds, but they were perfect for knobs.

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