Heat destroyed a ball...

[foreverincamo]

Not my ball, but a guy on my pair this past Monday in our sport league had his ball crack about 6 inches after a shot. We finished practice and were about 5 frames into game one when it happened. I put my hand on the ball to spin it around to see the damage, and the ball was really warm. Turns out he left his equipment in the car all day, and it was 93 degrees outside, and I assume it was much hotter in the car.
Ball isn't that old, and our PSO is going to see if Track will replace the ball under warrantee. Just was amazed how warm that ball still was after being inside in an air conditioned building for at least 1/2 hour.

[jimgilmore]

did he use anything on the ball ? I would think after being in a car the whole ball could be at 120-140 degrees. Car temps inside the car easily get 40 degrees hotter. And the core might take some time to cool to the same temp.

[foreverincamo]

He just pulled it out of the bag and started bowling. Crack started at the 3 o'clock of the ring finger. Higher end Track ball if I remember correctly.

[LOUVIT]

wow I leave my Track in the car once in a while in the trunk and I live in Florida. I won't be doing that anymore

[Blomer]

The extreme heat or cold can do damage to a ball. If you leave it in your car, need to let it get back to normal temperture before using. Those who don't have time to go home and get their gear before bowling should seek out a locke at the center. Usually not that costly.

[mc_runner]

I keep older balls/plastic in the trunk and my newer "good" balls in a locker. Only problem is if I want to bowl a tournament or somethign I have to stop by the center to grab the balls or remember to switch them out ahead of time.

Works though since most of the time if I'm going to another center it's for practice or open bowling anyway and I don't really care which balls I use for that. I'm lucky enough that I've never had a ball crack when I'm actively using it (balls in storage is another deal - I cracked 3 in a year that were sitting in storage in between my moves). I think it's generally harder on a ball in the extreme cold of winter moving into a warm indoor center, but neither situation is good for the ball

[Jessiewoodard57]

I live in central Florida and have seen way too many cracked balls. I leave mine in the air conditioned house till just before leaving for the bowling alley. Once home they come out of the truck and back into the house. have way too much invested to take chances.

[Jessiewoodard57]

[QUOTE=foreverincamo; Ball isn't that old, and our PSO is going to see if Track will replace the ball under warrantee.[/QUOTE]

I would be very surprised if Track warrantees the ball

[LOUVIT]

I live in a second floor condo it's a PITA to carry the 3 ball bag up and down. but I will be from now on.

[JaxBowlingGuy]

I personally have had the majority of my balls in the trunk for over a year now. When I take them out to bowl I don't notice them being warm or anything. I'm thinking the bag keeps them insulated. Like right now there is 10 balls in my trunk

[NewToBowling]

I live in a second floor condo it's a PITA to carry the 3 ball bag up and down. but I will be from now on.

Or rent a locker at alley. Mine is $25/year

[got_a_300]

Like right now there is 10 balls in my trunk

Whoa that's like having an extra person in the car weighing 140-160+ pounds
riding around with you at all times.

I've had a couple of my retired balls crack open that were setting in the
storage room for several years getting hot and cold. if I remember correctly
both of them were Track balls at least I know one of them was a Track ball.

[Tampabaybob]

Think about how much money you have invested and the pain/cost to replace them and you'd be way ahead of the game by getting them out of the heat.

[ep1977]

I have my 3 ball tote in the trunk at all times and I have never noticed the ball being extremely warm when I take it out of the bag. Every once in a while it is warm but by the time I put my shoes on and do everything else the ball is normal feeling. If any of my balls that are less than 1 year old crack my PSO will replace them.

[JaxBowlingGuy]

Whoa that's like having an extra person in the car weighing 140-160+ pounds
riding around with you at all times.

I've had a couple of my retired balls crack open that were setting in the
storage room for several years getting hot and cold. if I remember correctly
both of them were Track balls at least I know one of them was a Track ball.

Only balls I have had crack in 15 years were sitting under my bed for about 2 years and cracked all the way around. I have almost always kept my equipment in the trunk. Just a pain loading and unloading every day. Plus no point in taking them out at night since they go right back in, in the morning to sit in the parking lot at work.

I think the bags they are in help. There's a styrofoam(ish) material between the fabric on all the sides. I never notice heat, but when it's colder for the 3-4 days a year I notice that.

[foreverincamo]

Mine are in a temperature-controlled room and then put in the back seat of the car where the temps are maintained. I get to the lanes 45-60 minutes before play so they can acclimate and I can get my stretching in ( I'm old ). Only ball that cracked on me was several years old and on it third drill.
Still a bummer to see that happen to anyone. Also had a guy, just before his first shot of league play and after 15 minutes of practice, step into a puddle of clear soda with his slide shoe. Luckily he had shoes he could switch out the sole and keep going. I would have had to wear lane rentals. Yuck

[LOUVIT]

what I am getting here is that the ball's are ok to get hot as long as they are not used hot. So if they are in the trunk and then brought to the alley and left to get to room temp it is safe.

[foreverincamo]

It's not good to let them get hot for prolonged amounts of time. Don't know how long it would have taken to get that ball to room temperature. It was really hot when I touched it and it was 20-30 minutes after he started.

[bowl1820]

what I am getting here is that the ball's are ok to get hot as long as they are not used hot. So if they are in the trunk and then brought to the alley and left to get to room temp it is safe.

NO, You shouldn't leave your equipment in a hot car if at all possible.

Going from cold to hot or hot to cold too fast, like from a hot car trunk into a cold bowling alley can stress it. The cooling and heating can be uneven, the outside can cool faster than the core or the outside warmup faster than the core etc.

While you don't want extremes one way or the other, The main thing about temperature is you want to store balls at a constant temperature. It's the fluctuation , the going from back & forth between hot & cold that can stress the balls cover.

[RobLV1]

Last week I had an appointment with my Chiropractor before bowling league. I knew I would be in the office for about an hour. It was 120º outside. My 4 ball bag came into the office with me!

[foreverincamo]

I practiced Saturday morning from 9 until noon, then went to my wife's business to volunteer my services for the afternoon. It was pushing 90 degrees and I put my two 3-ball bags in her office. No way we're those balls going to sit in that heat after what I saw.

[Blacksox1]

Heat will destroy a bowling ball. Lost some myself. Ball heats up and when it cools, the core holds the heat longer, the cover cracks. RIP Storm Marvel Pearl and Brunswick Meanstreak Brawler.