Oh, BALLS!!
 

bearing balls, that is, for Shimano and other popular non-cartridge hubs.

Seem to be lots of choices concerning where to buy them and just what kind of steel they should be made out of.

Looking to buy 1/4" and 3/16", perhaps 200 of each.

So who's your favorite over-the-Net-and-through-the-mail supplier and what type/grade steel should I get? Nothing fancy, just most durable and most bang-for-the-buck.

Also, how should I store the unused ones to keep them from rusting? (big problem in the Houston area where I used to live, less so here because I am at 1000' elevation, but still, to play safe . . . I was thinking to just put'em in a quart yogurt container, spray'em with WD-40, snap on the top and call it good . . . any better ideas?

As always, Thank you, Mahalo, Salamat, Domo Arigato, Gomapseumnida, cảm ơn bạn, and etc. Lotsa different lingos here. :D

This is where I get my . Bike Tools Etc. - 1000's of bicycle tools and parts for the home mechanic!= . As far as storing them , just keep them in the container they come in . I never have any rust during that time . Grade 200 is good for bike use . Putting WD-40 on them wouldn't hurt any if needed .

McMaster Car.

McMaster-Carr

[h=3]Hardened Shock-Resistant S2 Tool Steel[/h]
An extremely strong tool steel, S2 offers excellent impact resistance. These balls have been through hardened yet retain a tough core that resists breaking under shock loads. They are ground and polished to a reflective finish.
View detailed performance properties and composition for steel, and heat-treating guidelines for tool steel.
Warning! Hardness and yield strength are not guaranteed and are intended only as a basis for comparison.

Hardened Balls—Reflective Finish
http://images1.mcmaster.com/Contents...g?ver=22764351

• Yield Strength: 290,000 psi
• Hardness: Very Hard (Rockwell C55)
• Meet ASTM A681

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[TD="class: ItmTblCellSpec ItmTblColSpaceSpecBefrPartNbr ItmTblContentCell NoWrapCell, colspan: 1"]100[/TD]
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[TD="class: ItmTblCellSpec ItmTblColSpaceSpecBefrPartNbr ItmTblContentCell NoWrapCell, colspan: 1"]100[/TD]
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[TD="class: ItmTblCellPrce ItmTblColSpacePrceAftrPartNbr ItmTblColSpacePrceTblEnd ItmTblContentCell NoWrapCell, colspan: 1"]8.63[/TD]
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Dunk them in a container of motor oil for storage if you are concerned. Honestly, I've had a baggie of 1/4" balls in my garage for more than a decade and have noticed zero rust whenever I dig into it for a rebuild.

Go to any bearing house (search bearing balls) and shop for grade 25 balls. These are better than you need, but the cost difference between those and grade 100 (the lowest I use for bicycles) is very small, so you can afford to treat yourself to Champagne in lieu of beer on this one. Pass on the grade 1,000 which is OK for roller skates and Huffy's, but not for quality bike parts.

Since you're in Hawaii, check shipping policies. You need a seller willing to use Priority (or 1st class) Mail Flat rate to keep the cost down. Many sellers simply won't and whatever you save will disappear in shipping cost.

BTW- here's a link to an explanation of the ball grading system. But in a few words the grade number is equal to the LOT tolerance in millionths of an inch. So all the balls in th same lot of grade 25 balls will be within .000025" of each other. Note that the batch to batch to batch tolerance is 5 times the lot tolerance (in all common grades), which is why you don't mix balls from different lots.

I store balls either in plastic condiment bottles or ZipLok baggies. Either way, I add some machine oil, shake well to coat them all and have never had issues.

Bike Tools Etc. to support the bike industry. McMaster-Carr, Bearings Inc. or Grainger, which are industrial supply houses. Most auto supply houses if one is close by. Grade 200 is adequate but Grade 25 is better and the cost difference is very minor. Rust is usually not a problem and like bikeman715, I've just left them in the original plastic bags in an unheated garage for years and never had a rust problem. A spray with WD-40 or light oil is fine but probably not needed.

Finally, remember bicycles are very low-demand applications for bearings. The rotational speeds are low, the loads very modest and the temperature range laughable compared to many industrial applications. So, buy decent bearings and don't agonize over the unnecessary.

Yeah, shipping cost is a major hassle here, along with sky-high cost of living and taxes through the roof. But the climate, God, you just can't beat it. I've lived in some pretty inhospitable places; and used to drive an 18-wheeler tanker with hazmat industrial chemicals all over US and Canada all year round. When I remember that, tears of gratitude come to my eyes that I'm here . . .

Well, I just tried McMaster-Carr; and they expect you to place your order without being told what the shipping cost is gonna be. Never saw that before. Needless to say, I will punish them by taking my paltry business elsewhere.

Just tried biketoolsetc--their cost for gr25 200 3/16 + 200 1/4 shipped is $38.80

Grainger cost for same is $42.26, except they are "temporarily unavailable"--no hint as to when they might be available. But the really good news is "You are only $1,468.22 away from FREE ground shipping!"

So biketoolsetc is gonna be the BIG WINNER here unless somebody's got another recommendation . . .

Try Boca Bearing.

Only loose balls they carry (that I could find anyway) are ceramic for $$$.

bearingsinc web store temporarily closed (but "will reopen in 2014"). You can telephone but my hearing isn't that good; also I like things in writing, not verbal.

Search 3/16" Gr 25 balls, or try this link. BTW- I don't know these folks, they were just the 1st name that came up when I searched.

Note that balls commonly come in Chrome or Stainless. Stainless are far pricier, with little benefit in your application.

http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=418342
And the winner is $33.80 with free shipping to Hawaii! Damn, FB, you did it again!
BIG THANKS TO EVERYBODY FOR HELPING!!!

No one sells them more cheaply locally? The LBS here sells them for a dime each, which seems like a rip-off, but competitive with what you paid.

I haven't bought loose ball bearings in a ton of years. Last time I ordered them, I got them from Nashbar (when they actually used to sell parts and build wheels to order).

They were having a sale on all sizes at $.01 each. I didn't know what sizes I was going to need in the future, so I bought like 500 of each of the sizes that they had.

Could be, but I don't have a car and would rather pay more for home delivery than ride the bus for two hours . . .

You owe me a beer!

Just get them locally.
Bearings Honolulu - Maguire Bearing Co. Ltd.


or try these guys this is for 800!
http://www.motionindustries.com/shop...IEW&LANGUAGE=0

Sure, See you at Moe's
http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=418357

I just hate to ride the bus, because the women all hit on me, even the ones under 75.

OK OK, maybe not the ones under 75.

Motion Industries - Shopping Cart


This is for a quantity of 800! Usually they also have 100 pkgs which is what I get.

You have no items in your shopping cart.

Order's already been placed--too late now--where were you when I needed you?http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=418358

So I went to their website and no matter what I entered into search, I couldn't find them. Give me a link to the actual product, please, if it's that great I'll bookmark it for next order. Thanks

https://www.motionindustries.com/pro..._taxonomy=true


https://www.motionindustries.com/pro...p?sku=01674950

Wheels Mfg Tub O' Bearings - Loose Ball Bearings Grade 25C is over kill, but it's what I use.