There are 3 types of bearings all with different strengths and applications.
1) Roller Bearing – the weakest as far as side load – but the freest and least drag of any of the bearings,
2) Angular contact Roller Bearing – kinda the best of both worlds here, has a little more drag than the Roller but has more side load strength because of how the race is made. The big draw back to these is they have to be installed in the correct direct or they will basicly fall apart.
3) Tapered ( Timken type ) bearing – unbelievable side load, you can’t tear these up. But they have tremendous amount of drag compared to the other 2 types. These are what’s in your boat trailer axels that you put under water and never maintance them. My last pick of the 3
My personal pick for bearings in my wheel center – the Roller Bearing. Cheap, easy to maintance and I don’t need a ton of side load capacity.
Next up – I’ll get into how to lube and what to lube with.
We might get into how you make a cheap roller bearing spin as good or better than a high dollar ceramic bearing and have less drag.