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Apex Spool Bearing Set
Apex Spool Bearing Set
Two Apex spool bearings as a matched pair for your baitcaster. Find your reel in the reel finder and the right size pair is selected for you. If you already know your sizes, pick them directly.
Apex is maximum performance, the best spool bearings we make: S30 ceramic balls, PEEK ribbon cage and precision stainless races, built to ABEC 9. The spool starts up earlier, reacts to the slightest input and keeps spinning longer. You notice it most with light lures.
- Our pick for reels built for lure weights from 2 to 60 g
- Open design without shields for the lowest possible resistance
- Set of 2 spool bearings, one for the spool shaft and one for the side plate or cast control cap
- Available for all common Shimano, Daiwa and Abu Garcia spool bearing sizes
Recommendation, not load limit: 2 to 60 g is what we recommend Apex for, based on what your reel is built for. The load capacity of the bearing goes up to 150 g. How much load your reel can take is set by the reel itself: spool, gears, drag and body.
Good to know: ceramic bearings run a little louder than stock steel bearings. That is normal and not a defect.
Reel built for heavier lures? Then Edge (5 to 100 g) or Core (8 to 200 g) is our pick.
Why the spool bearings
The part that decides how your spool starts.
When you cast, the spool sits on two small bearings. If they drag, the spool starts late and slows down early. Light lures suffer first.
Fresh, matched bearings let the spool start earlier and keep running. That is the whole idea behind our sets.
Casting distance
Same cast. Up to 30 % further.
Worn or sluggish spool bearings slow the spool down while the lure is still in the air. Ours let it start earlier and keep running, so the lure carries further. Those extra metres can be the difference between a few small fish and the one you came for.
- Stock bearingsThe spool slows down early and the lure lands short.
- Kazemaki bearingsUp to 30 % more distance with the same cast. Out where the big one can be waiting.
How much you gain depends on your reel, your lure and your cast.
Free spin
Stock stops after seconds. Ours spins for over a minute.
Same reel, same spool, spun the same way. Straight out of the box the spool stops after 3 to 5 seconds. With our bearings it keeps turning for 1:10 minutes. That free spin is what carries your lure further.
Stock bearings
0:04
3 to 5 seconds
Kazemaki bearings
1:10
1 minute 10 seconds
Measured in our workshop on a Shimano 24 Metanium DC, stock out of the box against our bearings. Shown in time lapse.
Why swap at all
Same bearing. A few seasons apart.
You do not see it from the outside. Open an old spool bearing and this is what sits inside. It still turns, but every cast pays for it.
After a few seasons
- Grease or gummed oilMany stock bearings are packed with grease, which brakes the spool hard from day one. Old oil thickens and goes sticky on top.
- Dirt in the racesSand and fine grit stick in the residue and grind with every turn.
- Rust and pittingWater gets in, the steel pits. You hear it as a rough, scratchy cast.
Fresh bearing
- Dry, or one drop of oilApex and Edge ship dry and can be fished that way. We recommend one drop: a touch quieter, and with regular re-oiling they last longer.
- Clean racesNothing between ball and ring. The spool runs out quietly instead of stopping.
- Smooth balls and racesNothing rough left to grind. Less noise, more distance from the same cast.
One drop costs a little free spin. You see it in a spin test, you barely notice it on the water. Our pick: Glitch Oil High Spec for Apex, Tumble Weed for Edge. Core comes pre-lubed, nothing to do.
Fit them yourself
Two bearings. A few minutes.
You do not need a workshop for this. Where the two spool bearings sit depends on your reel. There are two layouts.
Layout 1
Both bearings in the reel
- In the side plate, opposite the handle.
- Under the spool tension cap, the small cap on the handle side.
You need a small screwdriver and a pick or tweezers for the clip.
Layout 2
One bearing on the spool
- In the side plate, opposite the handle.
- On the spool shaft, usually at the end, held by a small pin.
You need a pin remover for the pin. Exact Fit tells you if your reel is one of these.
Three steps per bearing
Handle side, under the tension cap
Clip outUnscrew the spool tension cap. A small wire clip holds the bearing. Lift it out with a pick.
Old bearing outHook the bearing through the bore and pull it straight out.
New bearing inPress the new one in with a fingertip until it sits flush. Clip back in, close up, done.
Side plate
Clip outTake off the side plate. The same small wire clip holds the bearing here. Lift it out with a pick.
Swap the bearingPull the old bearing out and set the new one into the seat with your fingers.
Check the seatThe bearing sits flush and turns freely. Clip back in, side plate back on.
Always swap both bearings. Only then do you get the full casting distance.
Bearing on the spool? Watch the pin come out.
The pin remover pushes the small pin out of the spool shaft without bending anything. Two and a half minutes from our Berlin workshop show every move.
On the bench and on the water
Where these bearings end up.
-
Open, with ceramic ballsBuilt for the earliest start-up and the longest free spin. -
Small part, big effectSmaller than a fingertip. Two of them carry your spool. -
Made for light luresOur pick for reels built for 2 to 60 g.
Part by part
What you are buying.
- 1Balls
- S30 ceramic
- 2Cage
- PEEK ribbon cage
- 3Rings
- Precision stainless steel
- 4Seal
- Open
- Precision
- ABEC 9
Recommended is not the limit.
Our pick for your reel2 to 60 g lure weight
What the bearing takesup to about 150 g
The lure weight is what we recommend this class for, based on what your reel is built for. The bearing itself takes far more. Your reel sets the limit: spool, gears, drag and body.
In plain words
What the specs mean.
- BallsS30 ceramic
-
The balls in Apex are ceramic. Ceramic is lighter and harder than steel.
For you: Light balls need less force to get rolling. The spool starts earlier, which you notice most with light lures.
- CagePEEK ribbon cage
-
The cage keeps the balls evenly spaced. PEEK is a high-performance plastic: very light, tough and low in friction.
For you: Less weight turning with the spool, so less to slow it down.
- SealOpen
-
No seal and no shield on the sides. Nothing touches the rings while the bearing turns.
For you: The least resistance and the longest free spin. In return, a drop of oil now and then matters.
- PrecisionABEC 9
-
ABEC is a scale for how exactly a bearing is made to size. It runs 1, 3, 5, 7, 9. The higher the number, the tighter the tolerances.
For you: ABEC 9 is the top of the scale: a rounder, smoother run at high spool speed.
Fit
Two bearings carry your spool.
Where they sit
One bearing at each end of the spool shaft. Depending on the reel they sit on the shaft, in the side plate or in the cast control cap. The two sizes can differ.
Compare the classes
Three classes, three jobs.
All three are built to last. Pick by what your reel is built for, not by price.
Built for
Maximum performance for light lures
The all-rounder: performance and durability
Big baits and hard use
Recommended lure weight
2 to 60 g
5 to 100 g
8 to 200 g
Load capacity of the bearing
up to about 150 g
over 250 g
over 500 g
Balls
S30 ceramic
S25 hybrid ceramic
Stainless steel
Cage
PEEK ribbon cage
Japanese ribbon retainer
Sturdy load-rated cage
Seal
Open
Sealed or Open
Metal shields (ZZ)
Precision
ABEC 9
ABEC 9
ABEC 5
The lure weight is our recommendation based on what your reel is built for. The load capacity is what the bearing itself takes. Your reel sets the limit: spool, gears, drag and body.
Find the class for my reelWhat anglers say
Felt on the first cast.
-
The spool just keeps spinning
“Thought there was a motor built in, it just does not stop spinning.”
-
A different league from stock
“The result is a reel from another planet! No comparison to the factory condition, you will not regret this purchase.”
-
You feel it on the spool
“The spool really does spin better.”
-
Exact fit
“The bearings look great, fits my Abu Garcia Zenon perfectly.”
FAQ
Good to know
Which size do I need?
Type your reel into Exact Fit at the top of this page. It selects the exact spool bearing pair for your reel. Your reel is missing? Send us the model and we add it.
Is the lure weight a load limit?
No. The lure weight is our recommendation, based on what your reel is built for. The bearings take far more: Apex up to about 150 g, Edge over 250 g, Core over 500 g. How much load your reel can take is set by the reel itself: spool, gears, drag and body.
Are ceramic bearings louder?
A little, yes. Apex and Edge use ceramic balls, which run slightly louder than stock steel bearings. That is normal and not a defect. For a quiet reel, Core is the full stainless option.
What do I need to fit them?
For most baitcasters a small screwdriver and tweezers are enough. On some reels the spool bearing sits behind a pin. Exact Fit tells you if your reel is one of them, and we carry the pin remover.
What if I do not feel a difference?
30-Day Performance Boost Guarantee: if you do not feel a clear difference in spool start-up, casting or overall performance within 30 days, send the bearings back.