There are basically three types of drive shaft bearings to consider.
Ball or roller bearings may seem great, but they are not durable because of corrosion and because they are not engineered for low-RPM, high-load conditions.
Another type is metal-to-metal. Some manufacturers use bronze, while some use aluminum or even plastic bearings. In both cases, they require frequent lubrication and maintenance. We feel that a boat lift should free up your time, not use it up with additional chores.
Maintenance-free, engineered polymer bearings are a very high-tech, self-lubricating material. IMM Quality Boat Lifts have used these bearings for many years, and our Igus tribopolymer bearings have never worn out. They are dirt-resistant, corrosion-free and quiet, reducing maintenance costs and increasing the service life of our boat lifts.
For these reasons, IMM Quality Boat Lifts uses maintenance-free Igus bearings on all of boat lifts for sale.