The head stock comes with ball bearings in it and a simple upgrade to tapered bearings will make it run smoother and quieter. I may leave the nylon change gears as they provide a weak point should something go wrong and just upgrade to a metal drive gear.I've heard other people mention changing out gears and bearings on Grizzly lathes. Why is that? Are those parts sub-standard but easy to change out? I have a Grizzly drill press and it's solid as a rock.
OK that makes sense. After I posed my question I read the reviews on Grizzly and have a clearer understanding now.The head stock comes with ball bearings in it and a simple upgrade to tapered bearings will make it run smoother and quieter. I may leave the nylon change gears as they provide a weak point should something go wrong and just upgrade to a metal drive gear.