The Aura Steel 12x21x5 Revolution bearing (6801-RSZO)
is best categorized as a budget-minded performance bearing. Because it is oiled, the bearing will perform almost as well as our high-end Aura line but at half the cost. It is designed for the highly competitive racer that wants to have an edge but does so much racing that spending the money on the Aura Ceramic's isn't always practical. Just remember though, while the oil does increase performance by an immense amount over grease, it also lubricates the bearing for a much shorter period of time and will cause the bearing to fail sooner if not maintained.
The bearing comes in our Revolution seal, which we innovated back in 2003, which is a rubber seal on one side and metal on the other. We are offering it this way because it is the most versatile option available. For example, if you are running in a nearly dust-free environment such as onroad or some indoor offroad / carpet tracks, you can pop off the rubber seal, leave it off, and run the metal shield facing the outside world for that maximum performance.
Specifications
- Deep groove chrome steel 52100 rings with a premium surface finish.
- Lubricated with high-speed AeroShell light oil.
- Revolution seal, which we innovated in 2003, (1) rubber seal and (1) metal shield. Allows you to remove the rubber seal if you are racing in a dust-free environment.
- Tighter tolerances than our greased $1 Halo bearing line.
- Includes: (1) bearing. Product image is only used to demonstrate the seal/shield configuration.
Chromium Steel vs. Stainless Steel
- All our bearings are made with Chromium Steel races because the surface finish is smoother than other materials such as Stainless Steel. This results in less noise and better performance. Since our product line is focused on land-based racing, we are less concerned with rust and more with performance. This is why the most demanding bearings in RC, engine bearings, use 52100 Chromium Steel and not Stainless Steel races.
Bearing Maintenance
- You should never use motor spray and especially not brake cleaner on any RC bearing. Those products make cleaning a breeze but at a price, because they are caustic and eat away the surface causing excessive pitting on the races. The best way to clean bearings is to use a citrus cleaner which you can usually find at home depot or even the grocery store and safe to have on your skin. It takes a bit more work but your bearings will thank you. There are several ways to do it, an ultrasonic cleaner is the best to make a soak with but with our current Aura line having no seals you may pour the citrus cleaner into a bowl and put the bearing on a top shaft, diff outdrive, or idler pin so you can submerse it in the solution and lightly spin the bearing so any debris will work its way out. Once the bearing is smooth again, remove the residue left behind by the citrus cleaner by running water over them and then immediately dry them. We suggest using an air compressor to make sure no water is left but don't let the air compressor spin the bearing (very bad for the balls and races to be operated at such high RPM). Once dry, lubricate quickly to protect the bearings from humidity and so you don’t accidentally run them dry. We suggest using Avid Slip Oil or Slide Grease.