Ball Bearing

RF45501

Series 40 Ball Bearing Orbit Block™, Fiddle with Dyneema® Link Head

Lightweight Fiddle Block

FEATURES

Ultra Lightweight.

Low friction 2-stage Orbital ball bearing system.

Highest working load in its class.

Low profile and compact.

Easily fitted and securely retained Dyneema® Link head.

Convert to a becket version by adding a Dyneema® link.

Specifications

Product Specifications
Type of BlockFiddle
B.L. (kg)700
M.W.L. (kg)325
Max. Rope diameter (mm)9
Weight (g)47
Notes:Small fiddle block sheave has a high load full contact bearing (i.e. not ball bearing). Main sheave has 2-stage, ball bearing. Replacement Dyneema® Link Available as RF9003-07

Product Information

Lightweight
Kilogram for kilogram of working load, BB and RT Orbit Blocks™ are the world’s lightest. The unique orbital design allows the bearing to only be in the active areas of the floating sheave. This minimises the mass of the inactive return race and hub. Weight and bulk are further reduced in the different block configurations. The ball bearing single and becket block has a through-sheave becket arrangement. The result? The lowest weight possible. Multi-sheave blocks have only single intermediate cheeks and an ultra-light and efficient head arrangement. This gives a 30% weight saving advantage over the nearest competitor. Other brands just link together their single blocks. This results in unnecessary double cheeks between each sheave, held together by a heavy steel channel across the top of the block.

Highest working load in its class
The orbital ball-bearing arrangement gives the largest possible bearing race diameter. This maximises load performance. The proven Ronstan 2-stage bearing system features high compression grade acetal ball bearings and a secondary full-contact bearing. This gives minimum friction across the full working load range. The floating sheave and bearing system is supported by a fibre-reinforced load frame. The design was computer modelled to be stress optimised.

Fiddle block flexibitlity

Becket fiddle blocks use a Dyneema® Link attachment for the sheet termination and are suitable for both spliced and un-spliced lines. If you need additional purchase, a becket take-off can be simply added to any fiddle block version just by adding a Dyneema® Link.

Dyneema® link specialties

To gain peak performance, we engineered out the heavy steel load straps, head post, shackle, full-length fasteners, and cleating accessories. Through extensive research and development, we replaced virtually all metal components with high-tech polymers and fibre equivalents. The Dyneema® Link is produced from Robline SK75 fibre, which is 10 times stronger and lighter than steel, and provides the final connection from the block to the load point. The flexible Dyneema® Link provides controlled rotation and 0° or 90° orientation. It connects directly to the head of the block rather than to an intermediate head post. This reduces weight and gives the lowest possible profile while allowing full articulation. Beckets have been carefully designed to minimise height. It is easily fitted and is retained securely by a moulded retainer clip. The flexible link can be left with one end attached to the block when fitting - no more lost shackle pins. The system is compatible with Dyneema® Spectra strops, webbing and carbon connection points - much more so than steel loop tops or shackles.

Technical Information

Applications

Spinnaker sheats on dinghies, sportsboats and small keelboats to 5m (16ft).

 

Materials

  • Ball Bearings: High compression strength acetal.
  • Stage 2 Bearing: Glass fibre reinforced, MoS2 impregnated Nylon
  • Frame/Cheeks: Toughened, glass fibre reinforced Nylon.
  • Sheave: Carbon fibre reinforced, PTFE reinforced nylon
  • Rope/Link: UV-stabilised, multi-strand impregnated SK75 Dyneema®

 

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