ceramic bearing questions

howdy I am wondering how you can tell ceramic bearings from a standard bearing. also what is the best way to maintain ceramic bearings? thanks in advance
 
The balls look different , seem like a gray color , may be different for different brands . Non magnetic. Maintained as normal .
There are special oils avalible.
 
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Search the web for ceramic bearing lubes. There are a few made for high performance cycling that work well. And before anyone posts hate mail that cycling and karting are completely different, I've personally used a couple of the brands and they work very well. Lap times + longevity have been great. I get consistent lap times for two years with routine maintenance. If you choose to use ceramic bearings, make sure you take time to clean them and re-lube them to maintain performance. Especially because you are going to spend $$$ for them. Also, if you look around, there are a few options. Most karting stores sell "hybrid ceramic" bearings. Meaning they are ceramic balls inside metal housings. If you look at bearing manufacturers you can find 100% ceramic bearings however the cost is $$$$$.
 
If the bearings are installed and maintained properly is there any performance advantage to hybrid ceramic or full ceramic bearings for karts? Do you do just the read bearings or also the front hub/wheel bearings?
 
Full ceramics ARE faster however your wallet will be on a diet after purchase. The 40mm I found for the rear axel were $345 each and 17mm fronts were $150 each. That's about $1,000 more than hybrid ceramic's on popular karting stores. There are a few good youtube videos on 100% ceramic bearings however not much on the comparison between full and hybrid. For club racing I wouldn't spend the money. Remember bearings don't add power, they reduce resistance. If your motor is perfect, your line is perfect, and your kart setup is perfect, then full ceramic will show an improvement. TBH I wouldn't spend the money on full ceramic unless you're 1,000% sure you have accounted for everything else in your setup and your racing line.
 
I just looked closer at them and with the seals, I have no idea what color the bearings are. I was told from the buyer he believed the chassis has the ceramic bearing on it.. just trying to verify that. thanks for all the great input
 
If he replaced them he would know. same if he bought the chassis with them.
now if its third hand hard to tell.
I would not sweat it.
how are you lubricating them now ?
 
85% of the time ceramic bearings will have blue rubber dust covers instead of black and also gold steel rings instead of silver.
 
85% of the time ceramic bearings will have blue rubber dust covers instead of black and also gold steel rings instead of silver.

99.99999% of all wheel bearings come with black seals and seal color is nothing to do with the internal composition of the bearing. If it's a hybrid ceramic it's part number should have the suffix "CBO" (ceramic balls only).

Hybrid ceramics usually come with a glass-filled nylon retainer (some call it plastic), that will expand if you use brake cleaner on them and bearing will lock up, FYI.
 
99.99999% of all wheel bearings come with black seals and seal color is nothing to do with the internal composition of the bearing. If it's a hybrid ceramic it's part number should have the suffix "CBO" (ceramic balls only).

Hybrid ceramics usually come with a glass-filled nylon retainer (some call it plastic), that will expand if you use brake cleaner on them and bearing will lock up, FYI.

Really go to Phantom or Slacks website and check out the bearings. All our ceramics have always came that way. So your 99.99% doesn’t mean squat to me.
 
99.99999% of all wheel bearings come with black seals and seal color is nothing to do with the internal composition of the bearing. If it's a hybrid ceramic it's part number should have the suffix "CBO" (ceramic balls only).

Hybrid ceramics usually come with a glass-filled nylon retainer (some call it plastic), that will expand if you use brake cleaner on them and bearing will lock up, FYI.
ok that being said, what do you use to clean them? thanks
 
upon a closer inspection,(me actually looking at the front hubs lol) I realized that they are PRC ceramics. how do I know this you ask? cuz it says "PRC ceramics" on the hub lol. the rears appear to be standard bearings. and in my case, the seals are in fact blue on the ceramics
 
Really go to Phantom or Slacks website and check out the bearings. All our ceramics have always came that way. So your 99.99% doesn’t mean squat to me.

They sell ( Speed Karts ) probably more ceramic bearings than any company in karting, and only once have i seen blue seals instead of black on ceramics.
 
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