Is it really worth the money? What does it improve, distance?

Yes. Go see Ron @ Reel Time Rods @ Popes Landing @ Lake Fork. He can fix you up.

Not worth it but I have done it a bunch of times.....I like to tinker.

Unless you fish with zero brakes and no spool tension.....the distance you gain is very little to none.

it makes it a lot less effort to make a cast, and a little more distance.

Anyone a little closer to Texarkana area do them?

They are easy to do and does make a differance.

Where do you get them from and what kind should I get?

Easy to do. Not as much effort to cast. I wouldn't do it without one of these. This is da' bomb for removing the spool pin.

http://tackletrap.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1517_1521&products_id=6465

Your improved casting distance depends on the replacement bearings you use. There are many different ones out there. With some you may not see much difference and others you will see a huge difference. I get a lot better distance with the air bearings over the stock and over the Boca orange ones as well.

boca bearings are nice google them

or


http://www.hedgehog-studio.co.jp/product-list/100

Not much of a difference for me , but I swing for the stands every cast

Just flush the grease out of your factory bearing and run them dry or with very little oil. I've had boca orange seals in a Daiwa air d and it cast light lures better than normal but not enough to really justify it imo. Now a super tunes reel is a different story.

IMO most high end quality reels perform pretty well as is out of the box without ceramic upgrades (aside from the occasional lemons that all manufacturers inadvertently let slip through the QC cracks). My advice would be to find someone who went with ceramic bearings and do a comparison to what you currently have, you may be surprised one way or the other. Like anything else you'll get favorable or non-favorable opinions here, typically favorable from people who have already invested in it and non-favorable from tho's who have never tried it. Do yourself a favor and find out for yourself if the return is worth the reward.