Ball or plain bearings

[ghostlymoron]

Which blocks is it worth having the more expensive ball bearing type. All lines brought back to cockpit.

 

[sailorman]

more balls = less friction, having said that i have a mixture of blocks with deck organisers being plain bearings

 

[VicS]

Which blocks is it worth having the more expensive ball bearing type. All lines brought back to cockpit.

Probably not on a small cruising boat except for any lines you want to run really freely when released.

Sometimes the choice might even be between fairleads and blocks

No balls in blocks on my boat, but there are some fairleads that could usefully be replaced by plain blocks.

Different on a hot racing machine where a few nano seconds here and there makes all the difference between winning and coming in second

 

[Debenair]

I have tended to replace with ball bearing blocks when the need has arisen as I like the comparatively reduced effort involved when " tweaking" my rig. Indeed having just sold my 36 and replaced it with a Hawk dayboat I am doing a little light rerigging and upgrading at the moment.
As Vic S says there is a school of thought that says plain bearings are ok when you pull in, and ball bearings better when you release. Also plain bearings for things like main and genny halyards where loads are fairly static.

I am trying out Allen small boat blocks , but for that elusive mix of quality and value on a cruiser I would go for Garhauer from California: garhauermarine.com

 

[Davegriff]

All leads on our Jag25 are led aft. Ball bearings certainly helped a sticking mains'l uphaul when on the way down, so when needed, I'm gradually replacing all. Makes halyard handling almost featherlight.

 

[john_morris_uk]

Be careful of the loads. We fitted Lewmar ball bearing blocks to the guys on a Sigma 33 and despite being the exact correct size for the line, they exploded. We complained and Lewmar pointed out that their plain bearing blocks had a much higher load rating. (We did get replacements FOC though).

 

[Lon nan Gruagach]

The choice is about cost and size, and a wee bit of how its used.
For a given size plain bearings will stand a much greater load while ball bearings will have lower friction. Plain bearings are more suitable for mainly static loads, ball bearings would need to be much larger in order not to dimple the ball race and distort the balls.

If size is king, plain is the choice, if friction is the key then its balls.


Why has no one mentioned roller bearings, a really tidy half way house between balls and plain?

 

[ghostlymoron]

I didn't know you could get blocks with roller bearings.

 

[rogerthebodger]

The choice is about cost and size, and a wee bit of how its used.
For a given size plain bearings will stand a much greater load while ball bearings will have lower friction. Plain bearings are more suitable for mainly static loads, ball bearings would need to be much larger in order not to dimple the ball race and distort the balls.

If size is king, plain is the choice, if friction is the key then its balls.


Why has no one mentioned roller bearings, a really tidy half way house between balls and plain?

Roller bearings are not very good with sideways loading and some will not take side loading at all.

If you wish to have roller bearings with side loading you really need double taper roller bearings as used in some car wheel bearings

 

[Lon nan Gruagach]

Roller bearings are not very good with sideways loading and some will not take side loading at all.

If you wish to have roller bearings with side loading you really need double taper roller bearings as used in some car wheel bearings

Thanks, yes, I knew about sideyways loads, just didnt expect them on sheaves and blocks...