What's new
By:
Filters

Slowpoke attempts to kill himself in a golfcart!

CarterKraft said:
You think a better precision bearing class is worthwhile?

Like back in the day, the better ABEC rating on skate bearings really made them much faster/smooth than the regular shit.
Click to expand...

I'm sure precision or REM polished bearings would be better than stock but ceramic bearings are amazing. We ran them in all 4 Winters hubs and for all the bearings in the quick change rear end on our circle track cars and the difference was nothing short of amazing. The car would roll 1000X easier when we pushed it around the pits and would coast forever through the pits when we pulled off the track. I'm a cheap motherfucker when it comes to spending money on unnecessary parts but ceramic bearings are 100% worth whatever they cost performance wise.
 
I just don't get how the bearing can make that much difference on a rubber tired vehicle. You'd think that's where the bulk of the rolling resistance comes from.
 
arse_sidewards said:
I just don't get how the bearing can make that much difference on a rubber tired vehicle. You'd think that's where the bulk of the rolling resistance comes from.
Click to expand...

Nobody ever thinks about how much bearing drag there is in a vehicle because most of it is hidden in or on the parts that make and transfer power to the ground.

Extreme example but best i can do to explain it:

Top fuel blowers takes almost 600hp to run 98% overdriven on a 500CI engine but when you are making 12,000hp its not even a concern. Pull the belt off but still be able to drive the blower with magic (ceramic bearings) and you would then have a 12,600hp motor without making any other changes.

I'm just trying to free up the 2 or 3 horsepower that's already there but currently being used up by the bearings in the transmission, transfer case and hubs.
 
Last edited:
SLOWPOKE693 said:
Nobody ever thinks about how much bearing drag there is in a vehicle because most of it is hidden in or on the parts that make and transfer power to the ground.
Click to expand...
OEMs think a ton about this because the Bebops of the world get huge bonuses for even a tiny reduction in drag. They'd happily use $200 bearings instead of $100 bearings to shave a couple hp of off of the load it takes to push it down the road.

SLOWPOKE693 said:
Extreme example but best i can do to explain it:

Top fuel blowers takes almost 600hp to run 98% overdriven on a 500CI engine but when you are making 12,000hp its not even a concern. Pull the belt off but still be able to drive the blower with magic (ceramic bearings) and you would then have a 12,600hp motor without making any other changes.
Click to expand...
That's not bearing drag though. That's energy being mostly spent compressing air (and generating heat in doing so), not bearing drag/heat.


SLOWPOKE693 said:
I'm just trying to free up the 2 or 3 horsepower that's already there but currently being used up by the bearings in the transmission, transfer case and hubs.
Click to expand...
I agree in principal but I just don't see it being the cheap/free lunch that you're saying it is.
 
arse_sidewards said:
OEMs think a ton about this because the Bebops of the world get huge bonuses for even a tiny reduction in drag. They'd happily use $200 bearings instead of $100 bearings to shave a couple hp of off of the load it takes to push it down the road.
Click to expand...


Show me a single production car that comes from the factory full of ceramic bearings. I'll wait....
 
SLOWPOKE693 said:
When everyone is running at the same weight and making roughly the same power the little things become advantages.
Click to expand...
If you're not making changes to get better and move forward, your competition is. Sitting still is moving backwards. If you think the bearings will make a difference, then go for it.
 
SLOWPOKE693 said:
Show me a single production car that comes from the factory full of ceramic bearings. I'll wait....
Click to expand...
That's what I'm saying. If they made a sizeable dent in rolling friction they'd be using them or at least trying them out. But ceramic bearings have been around for a long time and the OEMs don't even seem to be trying. If they were really that great you think they'd show up in random places where the speeds are high and loads are low.


665.0coupe said:
If you're not making changes to get better and move forward, your competition is. Sitting still is moving backwards. If you think the bearings will make a difference, then go for it.
Click to expand...

:shaking:

Resources aren't infinite. Time spent investigating this is not spent investigating something else.
 
SLOWPOKE693 said:
Show me a single production car that comes from the factory full of ceramic bearings. I'll wait....
Click to expand...
Fuck, show me one that comes with enough grease in the bearings. At 26K I've all ready replaced 1 unit bearing and another is starting to sing. Pulled the first one apart and it was dry. Every unit bearing I have taken apart has almost zero to none.
 
arse_sidewards said:
:shaking:

Resources aren't infinite. Time spent investigating this is not spent investigating something else.
Click to expand...
We know your resources are not infinite. You're the one trying to sell a ranger in a tree line for $100. What else should he be investigating? Please, tell us all about your winning golf cart setup. He said he has experience with the bearings and he feels like they are worth while. Quit f'ing up the thread.
 
:shaking:

If I was strapped for cash I wouldn’t be selling a truck cab for a hundred bucks dumbass.

The performance sounds great from what he’s saying but the fact that there’s seemingly nobody else doing it seems to raise a red flag that should probably be investigated. Maybe the juice isn’t worth the squeeze. Or maybe all the winners are doing it and not telling anybody.
 
SLOWPOKE693 said:
Nobody ever thinks about how much bearing drag there is in a vehicle because most of it is hidden in or on the parts that make and transfer power to the ground.

Extreme example but best i can do to explain it:

Top fuel blowers takes almost 600hp to run 98% overdriven on a 500CI engine but when you are making 12,000hp its not even a concern. Pull the belt off but still be able to drive the blower with magic (ceramic bearings) and you would then have a 12,600hp motor without making any other changes.

I'm just trying to free up the 2 or 3 horsepower that's already there but currently being used up by the bearings in the transmission, transfer case and hubs.
Click to expand...
I didn't give these bearings a single thought until Slowpoke brought it up.

If you think a $1200 set of bearings is worth it you have my attention.
 
arse_sidewards said:
That's what I'm saying. If they made a sizeable dent in rolling friction they'd be using them or at least trying them out. But ceramic bearings have been around for a long time and the OEMs don't even seem to be trying. If they were really that great you think they'd show up in random places where the speeds are high and loads are low.
Click to expand...
OEMs aren't looking for maximum performance. They're looking to maximize profit. They spend big money to save seconds on the production line, or save 10 cents a car. No way they'd 100x bearing costs to make the cars perform a little bit better.
 
CarterKraft said:
I didn't give these bearings a single thought until Slowpoke brought it up.

If you think a $1200 set of bearings is worth it you have my attention.
Click to expand...

I can't explain how good they are, but they are that good that I'm going to spend the $1200 on a set.

I spent over $600 on the transfer case bearings and don't feel like I wasted a single cent doing so.
 
How is the load rating and durability? Short course is a bit different, but the loads can still be pretty high during accidental contact with another racer or stationary object. Is it possible to explode one of these during a race? From the sounds of it, it is worth it either way in your situation/opinion.
 
Squeaky Clean said:
How is the load rating and durability? Short course is a bit different, but the loads can still be pretty high during accidental contact with another racer or stationary object. Is it possible to explode one of these during a race? From the sounds of it, it is worth it either way in your situation/opinion.
Click to expand...

From what I read they hold up to loads better than steel bearings because they are harder.

Here is a bunch of info on them to nerd out to....
www.hambini.com

Ceramic Bearings vs Steel Bearings: An Engineering Analysis - Hambini Engineering

One of the most controversial topics in the cycling industry is with regards the topic of Ceramic bearings and whether they do or do not reduce friction
www.hambini.com www.hambini.com
 
Harder can be good, but can likely mean brittle as well. I wouldn't necessarily be concerned about blowing one up, but I would be upset at the replacement cost if it did happen. That being said I understand the thought process. I prefer to run lighter components and replace them more often then have something indestructible. If I screw up that is my fault. If I don't screw up it is a good advantage.

From my quick search, "When it comes to load and speed ratings, 440 stainless steel bearings are the clear winners. Full ceramic zirconia bearings can support roughly 90% of the 440 stainless bearing load and 20% of the speed. Next come silicon nitride bearings with 75% load/25% speed while the clear loser here are the much softer 316 stainless steel bearings with 15% load and roughly 6% speed.

I don't think it is applicable for the Honda's, but I know some of the desert guys do a lot internally in the transmissions. Delete low gear, delete reverse, delete park, lightened gears, cryotreament and polishing surfaces, etc.
 
Squeaky Clean said:
I don't think it is applicable for the Honda's, but I know some of the desert guys do a lot internally in the transmissions. Delete low gear, delete reverse, delete park, lightened gears, cryotreament and polishing surfaces, etc.
Click to expand...

That may or may not have happened already. 🤐
 
CarterKraft said:
I would hate to race against you.

Just watching what you have done from the Internet I would really be scratching my head how you keep kicking my ass :lmao:
Click to expand...

I like racing but hate losing. I don't know if that's good or bad......

Guy I used to battle with at Texplex stepped up his game at the end of last year and is now running a BACCO built RS-1 at MAO in Vet N/A that is a top of the line no expense spared build. Easily an $80k car all in and capable of winning Pro N/A races at any track with the right driver. I can't afford to compete with that dollar wise so I'm using every trick I can think of and throwing it at my car to beat his ass on a limited budget. If I can keep up with his car off the starting line and down the straights he won't have a chance against me and he knows it. :smokin:
 
Last edited:
This is the car I'm competing against......

utvactionmag.com

KAINAN BAKER’S RZR RS1s - UTV Action Magazine

Baker won three Texas rounds in a row and was second in the July Texas round, but a bad. Here’s an inside look at Kainan Baker's RZR RS1s.
utvactionmag.com


IMG_6131.jpg
 
Last edited:
arse_sidewards said:
OEMs think a ton about this because the Bebops of the world get huge bonuses for even a tiny reduction in drag. They'd happily use $200 bearings instead of $100 bearings to shave a couple hp of off of the load it takes to push it down the road.
Click to expand...
Win by an inch or win by a mile, a win's a win.
 
arse_sidewards said:
OEMs think a ton about this because the Bebops of the world get huge bonuses for even a tiny reduction in drag. They'd happily use $200 bearings instead of $100 bearings to shave a couple hp of off of the load it takes to push it down the road as long as it will last through the warranty period and gain 0.25 MPG.
Click to expand...
FTFY :grinpimp:


Aaron Z
 
white-rhino said:
But withgrease….
Point is, seems like that’s where most of the resistance would be.
Click to expand...

Winner winner chicken dinner!

So I called someone way smarter than me in these kinds of things back home in Rhode Island and asked what their thoughts were and I was told that because they have seals and grease the drag will be almost the same and all the benifits of running ceramic bearings in an application like that would be mostly thrown out the window. He said the non shielded ceramic bearings I used in the transfer case will net me a way bigger performance gain. I forgot that when we switched over to ceramic bearings on our circle track cars that we also switched from grease to oil hubs for the added benefits of not using grease. I'm glad I made that call before I spent the $1200 and found out the expensive way.
 
Last edited:
Ex-engine guy designed and had a couple of these made and I'm getting #2 of 2 sent to me to put on my car.


IMG_6150.jpg


That's a remote oil filter mount that bolts in place of the stock cover and allows me to run an external oil filter and more oil in the engine. A couple of -10 lines, fittings and this filter housing and I'm in business......

Screenshot_20230815-085154_Samsung Internet.jpg
 
And if I can find the god damn dowel pins for the head in my race car trailer tomorrow after work I'll then have everything to put the engine back together and put it back in the chassis this weekend!!!!! It's been a looooooooooooooong time since those two have seen each other. :laughing:

Oh, I also picked up one of these the other day.....

20230816_212251.jpg


It's a Hess Motorsports engine coolant line re-routing kit that eliminates the coolant loop that bypasses the radiator and flows straight back to the head. Honda does it for emissions reasons but race cars don't need that shit. There was no real way to eliminate the loop before Hess Motorsports came out with this a couple weeks ago.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top Back Refresh