Campgems

I've got to second W8YE's advise. Get a set of standard bearings.

The ceramic bearings are high performance bearings, IEhigh speed. How many high performances things are as durable as the stock items? None.

If a guy was flying Pylon, I could see the need for the bearings. I mean these guys burn up a piston every other flight, they are pusing the engine so hard, so a set of bearings every few flights is just the price they pay.

In my view, Ceramic bearings have there place and nothing will replace them there, but that place is high RPM and lighter loads. That doesn't describe our day to day flying, given a prop strike now and then. .

You have to ask yourself this. Paul sells a set of bearings for about 30% of what you would pay for the replacement from the manufacture. They are as good as the orginal bearings, I've used them in several engines.. Those bearings probably lasted many years, unless you had some hard nose front crashes. Why pay the extra bucks, Unless you are racing, for bearings that are no where near as tough and cost more??? I've gone through this argument with myself the last couple time Ibought bearings. I ended up buying the standards.

BTW, the photo looks like the front bearing spun on the crank, which would be expected if a ball let loose and locked the races.The outer race also looks as if it may have spun. Check the fit on the new bearing befoe you assemble them. Feel the ground bearing surface on the crank, and if there is any roughness, use a fine stone lightly to knock them down.

A last though just came to mind, if you didn't get the bearings completely seated against the shoulders in the crank case, and the crank fully seated against the rear bearning, you were putting a high stress on the bearings when you seated the tapered hub. Everyting is machined to put the right load on the bearings, and more load means early failure. This may be what happened to your bearings.

I am a journeyman Machine Repairman from way back when, and have been replacing bearings since 1960. I've screwed up more than my share by trying to seat a bearing on the shaft by pressing on the outer race and vise versa. Even when things look right, they may be off by a few thousandts. After seeting the bearings and every thing is assembled and tight, a couplesharp whacks on the back of the crank and then one on the threaded end, protect the trheads by having a nut screwed on at flush withe the end of the shaft, This will make sure things are where they are susposed to be. After finall assembly, if the bearing shows any roughness, it isn't going to last long. I should be smooth as silk and easy to turn. Bearings don't break in, they wear out. Some to soon because they were not properly installed.

Don