bearing cleaning & packing

[tcona-AGT]

What's the best procedure for cleaning & packing bearings?
Remove seals
Wash out with??(will varsal dilute new grease if not completely blown out)
Repack lightly with new grease(synthetic)
Replace seals
OR/& ?

 

[sledheadgeorge]

What's the best procedure for cleaning & packing bearings?
Remove seals
Wash out with??(will varsal dilute new grease if not completely blown out)
Repack lightly with new grease(synthetic)
Replace seals
OR/& ?

I wash out with brake clean, dry with air from compresser, and then repack.

 

[dexter]

ditto

 

[apltx08]

Be careful not to OVER pack...and make sure that their nice and dry after cleaning, before you repack them give them a spin and make sure that they spin super SMOOTH or else their TOAST! check for any rust or piting and everything should be fine.

 

[tcona-AGT]

Thanks All

 

[RX1Jim]

It's a little late now but I like to clean and repack the bearings right after the last ride that way the accumulated water does not get time to rust them. I actually clean and repack the drive axle bearing after every major ride (several hundred miles). The only reason the bearings in our sleds fail is due to the accumulated water causing them to rust. I know the bearings are cheap these days (most of them coming from China) but I'd rather not keep spending money on them. I actually found some stainless steel bearings. I am running half of the wheels with these and half with the standard bearings to see if there will be a difference other than the price.

 

[darv]

i found a place to ceramics bearing they are $ pr-icy but they do not rust

 

[yamadog1]

darv

how much per bearing? where did you find in canada or the states?

 

[darv]

i have a dealer account with albearing company the one for the drive axle was 60.00 and the idle wheels
around 40.00 but they shure last

 

[grader]

bearings are a wear item, not an investment. drive shaft bearings are 20 bucks and should easily last 2 years if greased regularly. as for skid bearings, buy the cheapest and grease them when new, change them out at end of year.this also allows you to inspect everything else and catch problems before they ruin a ride.

 

[thinksnow]

I guess I don't see a problem with packing the bearings full. How can you overpack them? If there is too much grease, it just comes out the seal and all is good. I have always packed them full and I haven't had a bearing failure yet.

Please explain how overpacking them is bad. Maybe a little more resistence, but that's it. How can having too much lub be a bad thing.

 

[**sj**]

what is the best grease for idler and bogie bearings?

 

[Budweiser]

I use low temp sythetic grease for all of them. I pump a small syringe full and use that to pump the grease in. I also use brake clean and blow dry with compressed air.