Alchemy Grade 3 Ceramic Upgrade Kit Description
HSC ceramic bearing kits for Alchemy's ORC rear and ELF front hubs. These are the same HSC hybrid ceramic bearings that we've been working with for years now and still highly recommend. HSC's ceramic hybrids use grade 3 silicon nitride (Si3N4) balls matched with hardened steel races and low-friction seals and retainers. The grade of the ball bearings refers to their sphericity in thousandths of an inch. Put simply, the lower the number, the closer the ball is to being perfectly spherical. As a reference, the highest quality stainless steel ball are rated at grade 25, and many ceramic hybrid manufacturers use grade 5 ceramic balls. Advantages over standard steel bearings include: lighter weight, lower thermal expansion and deformation under load, lower friction with reduced start and running torques, and reduced wear for longer running life. Again, put simply, ceramic bearings allow you to roll faster with reduced effort over a longer period before needing replacement.
Alchemy Ceramic Bearing Hub Installation
As with all ceramic bearings we recommend an experienced mechanic with a professional quality bearing press perform all hub overhauls and bearing installations. Improperly side loading the inner race will ruin a bearing causing increased drag, negating the performance advantages, and potential failure.
Free Installation on New Hubs
We'll install all Alchemy Ceramic Upgrade Kits purchased with an ELF or ORC hub free of charge before shipping. This way you can make sure that your bearings are properly installed and you'll receive all the performance benefits of ceramic bearing upgrades. Make sure to drop us a note on your order letting us know you'd like your bearings installed.
