Has anyone done this to their reels? Do you feel a significant different? Or is it just a gimmick? I am thinking about putting them on my ultegras.

Gimmick unless you like your handles spinning for eternity. 

 

I do it on most of mine just because I tear them apart all the time but I pack each bearing with grease to keep them smooth and not spin freely. It's really a preference thing for freshwater fish imo.

I do but I don't notice much of a difference. 

Yes, it does make a difference. For me anyway.

I add the extra bearings to a lot of mine but I don't think it makes that much difference on a reel that already has 1 per knob. On reels with no bearings adding 2 does make a difference. I change out a lot of knobs and bearings are cheap, so why not.

14 hours ago, Darnold335 said:

Has anyone done this to their reels? Do you feel a significant different? Or is it just a gimmick? I am thinking about putting them on my ultegras.

 

The bearings in handles make a solid difference. The ones with bushing suffer from wear by accumulated detritus, if the knob shaft is made of duralumin. Brass-shafted knobs tolerate bushing way better than duralumin ones.

So, if you have duralumin knob shafts, bearings are a must-have.

 

Several companies don't do that, since using bushing-duralumin shafts is cheaper.

1 hour ago, ska4fun said:

 

The bearings in handles make a solid difference. The ones with bushing suffer from wear by accumulated detrits, if the knob shaft is made of duralumin. Brass-shafted knobs tolerate bushing way better than duralumin ones.

So, if you have duralumin knob shafts, bearings are a must-have.

 

Several companies don't do that, since using bushing-duralumin shafts is cheaper.

This was kind of my thought. A bushing is more for wear, shock absorption and taking of space where a bearing is to make something spin freely. Which is what you would want. I also figured the metal of the bearing would give you more feel as it’s two hard contacts.

Bearings in knobs are great, an easy way to upgrade your reel. I put good bearings in all my reel knobs, I love to see and feel them spin.

2 hours ago, Darnold335 said:

This was kind of my thought. A bushing is more for wear, shock absorption and taking of space where a bearing is to make something spin freely. Which is what you would want. I also figured the metal of the bearing would give you more feel as it’s two hard contacts.

The same happens in worm gear bushing. The bushes allow detritus to accumulate and wear the worm shaft ends. With bearings, they are sacrificed, but keep wear off the shaft. 

1 hour ago, ska4fun said:

The same happens in worm gear bushing. The bushes allow detritus to accumulate and wear the worm shaft ends. With bearings, they are sacrificed, but keep wear off the shaft. 

The pawl and the channel that the pawl rides in will wear out long before a bushing. It's better to have a good bushing than a junk bearing for the worm shaft - most of the 4×7×2.5 bearings on the market are cheap ones. 

 

I say this but have ball bearings in mine. I take one of the retainer rings off on each one and point the opening towards the outside of the reelin in case it gets dunked so it drains easier.

 

I have never noticed an improvement from bushings to ball bearings.

I add them just so I can spin them and have them make a whirring noise when im not catching fish ... I use them all the time

Why can bushings get contaminated but bearings can’t? I’ve seen lots of seized bearings hardly ever a bushing. Either way the reel should be cleaned and lubed regularly. If you like the free spin in handles that’s fine but just a personal preference. I’m with Jfranco in lubing handle grips to be smooth but not free spinning. As to the OP there’s no NEED add grip bearings, try one reel and see what you prefer. 

8 hours ago, JediAmoeba said:

The pawl and the channel that the pawl rides in will wear out long before a bushing. It's better to have a good bushing than a junk bearing for the worm shaft - most of the 4×7×2.5 bearings on the market are cheap ones. 

 

I say this but have ball bearings in mine. I take one of the retainer rings off on each one and point the opening towards the outside of the reelin in case it gets dunked so it drains easier.

 

I have never noticed an improvement from bushings to ball bearings.

If you fish on brackish and saltwater, detritus will accumulate easily in both ends of the worm shaft. And the bushing will allow it to wear the shaft ends, even more so in cheaper ones. But I agree, decent bushing can mitigate or avoid this problem. But seems like decent bushes are pricier than cheap bearings...

3 hours ago, Delaware Valley Tackle said:

Why can bushings get contaminated but bearings can’t? I’ve seen lots of seized bearings hardly ever a bushing. Either way the reel should be cleaned and lubed regularly. If you like the free spin in handles that’s fine but just a personal preference. I’m with Jfranco in lubing handle grips to be smooth but not free spinning. As to the OP there’s no NEED add grip bearings, try one reel and see what you prefer. 

Bushing allow to detritus get stuck between them and the shaft, in a way bearings don't do it.

19 hours ago, ska4fun said:

If you fish on brackish and saltwater, detritus will accumulate easily in both ends of the worm shaft. And the bushing will allow it to wear the shaft ends, even more so in cheaper ones. But I agree, decent bushing can mitigate or avoid this problem. But seems like decent bushes are pricier than cheap bearings...

Bushing allow to detritus get stuck between them and the shaft, in a way bearings don't do it.

We’ll have to agree to disagree on that one.