Grizzly bandsaw bearings seized up

[Art Mann]

I have a Craftsman/Rikon 14 inch steel frame saw that has always had the same problem. I discovered that the bearings are the same size as skateboard bearings. These are better quality and much cheaper than the OEM bearings. I still have to replace them every once in a while but they are $12 for a tube of 10 at on line skate suppliers. My problem is the extremely poorly designed and manufactured guide adjustment mechanism.

[Wes Ramsey]

Since these bearings aren't load-bearing and only spin when the blade flexes into them I'm not worried about the grease overheating. Plus I used high-temp wheel bearing grease, which has worked well in my F150 wheel bearings for years. Different application, yes, but not that different. If they seize up again I'll either repack them again or buy sealed bearings. Thanks for the great tips and conversation guys!