RE: Saito 82a Ceramic Bearing Failure
I ordered and received a set of stainless steel bearings from rc-bearings.com. I slipped the large bearing over the crank. I placed both the front bearing and the crank / rear bearing assembly in the freezer. After a couple of hours I fit the front bearing into a room-temperature case - smooth and easy. I then inserted the crank / rear bearing into the back of the case. Same deal - smooth and easy - seated beautifully.
In retrospect ...
Ceramic bearings were an absolute pain in the arse to install. They subsequently failed after 6 flights.
Stainless bearings (at 1/3 the price) were a breeze to install. Will they fail? I'll let you know.