replacing cup and cone loose bearings with caged bearing ?

[cyberknight]

Can it be done and is it even possible?
My r501 wheels need regreasing and i was going to replace the bearings while i was at it but a certain shop known for selling car parts as well ( only one open on a Sunday no LBS ) only had caged balls ( @Fnaar ) and the guy said they were fine ?

 

[Hugh Manatee]

I have certainly done the swap the other way. Not with those wheels though. You are going to end up with less bearing surface so I would rather use loose balls (giggidy) than caged ones.

 

[cyberknight]

I did not buy any , i think they just need a dang good clean and regrease as they are clicking like they are dry .

 

[Yellow Saddle]

Can it be done and is it even possible?
My r501 wheels need regreasing and i was going to replace the bearings while i was at it but a certain shop known for selling car parts as well ( only one open on a Sunday no LBS ) only had caged balls ( @Fnaar ) and the guy said they were fine ?

Caged balls are a convenience issue, nothing else, but then only if you going to do a replacement and not clean and repack. If you plan to open the assembly, clean everything, inspect the balls with a magnifier and then replace them all, a caged set just adds one step to the process. If you are going to open, chuck and replace, a cage is convenient.

Nowadays caged sets are available only in poor quality balls, class 200 or perhaps even worse, and then as far as I know, mostly for BB assemblies. Loose ball BBs are a thing of the past and renegaded to the low end of the market.

Retro-fitting cages is only possible if you can source the right cage. It is just now worth it, use what you have.

 

[Tim Hall]

Caged balls are a convenience issue, nothing else, but then only if you going to do a replacement and not clean and repack. If you plan to open the assembly, clean everything, inspect the balls with a magnifier and then replace them all, a caged set just adds one step to the process. If you are going to open, chuck and replace, a cage is convenient.

Nowadays caged sets are available only in poor quality balls, class 200 or perhaps even worse.

Retro-fitting cages is only possible if you can source the right cage. It is just now worth it, use what you have.

If you're going to replace the balls, why inspect them (other than for curiosity's sake)?

 

[Yellow Saddle]

If you're going to replace the balls, why inspect them (other than for curiosity's sake)?

Place them back into the hub i.e. replace them, is what I meant. It was a bit ambiguous, I agree.