Originally Posted by
EvilV
I'd never put in more balls than the manufacturer did. Why would one think an amateur mechanic knows more about the required number of balls than the designer and manufacturer?
That is a very good question.
I once read (at Sheldonbrown?) that since the load is shared by the balls, the higher number of balls is better. Retainers increase friction, but make assembly easier and also allow manufacturers to get away with fewer balls. I have seen retainers with huge spaces between balls. So the wisdom was to dump the retainers for better performance, and put in as many balls as will fit in comfortably.