I disagree. the composite bearings are sooooo much easier to install and remove. I have done both. my boat currently has a composite bearing in the front end of the tube and a metal one in the rear end and I really wish that I had just put composite in both ends. removing a composite one is literally a 15 minute job. they are so easy that you can beach your boat at high tide, let the tide go out and pull the shaft and replace the bearing and re install the shaft before the tide comes back up. save yourself the cost of hauling out.