Thread: Turbo Bearings

We have a shop in our local area that is pretty poplar and they swear that journal bearings are superior to ball bearing turbos for high horse power cars. Do any of you guys agree with that statement. I am going to get more details for their reasoning later.

at the end, the wheels and housing is what makes the HP.

Bearings decide how quickly you get there though Keo... Less rolling friction of the wheel, sooner you make power.

Did they also tell you shitty suspension can be overcome by superhuman driving ability?

so does this means bearing turbos are better?? lol

True, but OP asked about top HP not spool.



it's only an 86!

If you had two of the same exact turbos one being ball bearing and one journal bearing I personally cannot see the all bearing one making less power than the journal bearing but that's just my personal opinion.

Maybe the shop was referring to high hp BUDGET drag cars.

In which case I would agree to some extent. A gt55 cost what $4k-5k? and if you blow it after a few runs pushing everything to the limit then your up for another 4k.

Where as a jb turbo of similar size can be had for less than half that and rebuild for about 1/8th of the price of a gt55 replacement.

now on a time attack car where transitional response is needed then its a different story

^ Good point


"Superior" in what sense? JB can defiantly be more practical in a financial sense.

When someone mention high horsepower cars I automaticly assume dyno queens.