How do you clean ball bearings?

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progressive816
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How do you clean ball bearings?

Post by progressive816 » Sun Apr 16, 2006 9:36 pm

i'd like to clean the gunk that's in my ball bearing housing. i was thinking about brake cleaner or some kind of solvent but am afraid it would actually damage the bearings.
My goal is to remove all the old grease and oils off my reel and apply new lube and grease. I've never done this before so any suggestions or opinions would be greatly appreciated.

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Re: How do you clean ball bearings?

Post by fishingfe » Sun Apr 16, 2006 10:55 pm

I use a R/C car greaser,you can find those in hobby-shop,it's about $40

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TOPWATER
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Re: How do you clean ball bearings?

Post by TOPWATER » Mon Apr 17, 2006 4:07 am

Look into Acetone.

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Re: How do you clean ball bearings?

Post by bigpapajim » Mon Apr 17, 2006 4:08 am

people have stated that they use lighter fluid (Ronson?) and then stick them in a jewelery cleaner or on the tip of a pencil and spin them around, let them air dry after and add 1 drop of oil.

More will chime in on this one.

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Re: How do you clean ball bearings?

Post by Doc Reel Good » Mon Apr 17, 2006 4:26 am

I use naptha, you can get it at your local hardware. Pour about a half inch into a clean jar. Soak the bearing for 10 minutes, spin it and put it back in the jar. Soak for 10 minutes, spin it. Blow it out or let it sit on a paper towel for 20 minutes. Lube it up.

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Re: How do you clean ball bearings?

Post by shimdailoomis » Mon Apr 17, 2006 4:29 am

ChuckE........you want to chime in?

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Re: How do you clean ball bearings?

Post by Vladimir_Kazan » Mon Apr 17, 2006 6:18 am

I shall use sequentially mineral spirit ("white-spirit" - net, most light kerosene), thin oil and basic lubricant.
Sop, then banish with the help of a dental drill.
I fay bearing on a boron through a plastic tubule. For this purpose there is a parcel with tubules of miscellaneous diameter.
The speed of a drill is adjusted by a leg. I stick an external bearing ring by the hand. The lubricant I add from above some times. It a little is heated and perfectly flows past in the bearing and through it.
In result the completely washed out bearing, completely filled by net lubricant is received.
Enjoy!
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just4kix
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Re: How do you clean ball bearings?

Post by just4kix » Mon Apr 17, 2006 6:27 am

I think I'll be trying the acetone when the time comes, soaked individually as suggested by ChuckE.

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mhood
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Re: How do you clean ball bearings?

Post by mhood » Mon Apr 17, 2006 6:30 am

just4kix wrote:I think I'll be trying the acetone when the time comes, soaked individually as suggested by ChuckE.
Be careful with acetone...that can be some nasty stuff if you breath the fumes. :shock:
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just4kix
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Re: How do you clean ball bearings?

Post by just4kix » Mon Apr 17, 2006 6:49 am

Thanks mhood! What do you think would do the job well?

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Re: How do you clean ball bearings?

Post by mhood » Mon Apr 17, 2006 6:54 am

just4kix wrote:Thanks mhood! What do you think would do the job well?
I'm no expert, Vladimir and ChuckE sure are...take their advice. Just be careful with acetone...it's very toxic stuff.
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Re: How do you clean ball bearings?

Post by Texas_bullet » Mon Apr 17, 2006 10:53 am

Ronsonol is supposed to be a very pure (ie, clean) solvent that leaves no residue, unlike others. Once the bearing has been soaked and dried, the only spinning should be on the end of a pencil while slowing turning the outside race to feel for roughness. Never spin a dry bearing fast. Lube it first. Maybe passing along a little folklore here, but that's my story, and I'm sticking to it! :P

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Re: How do you clean ball bearings?

Post by mcgill398 » Mon Apr 17, 2006 9:04 pm

I use the lighter fluid as well. Simply place the bearings in the cap of a soda bottle and cover with lighter fluid. Soak for a few minutes, take out and spin on the end of a pencil or q-tip, depending on bearing size. Repeat until you have a smooth feeling bearing, then you can clean further with some Simple Green(I find it works great to clean most all internal parts of my reels before relubing or greasing). Allow the bearing to dry, then apply a drop or so of oil and spin on the pencil to evenly distribute the oil. Just keep in mind, once you have oiled and not greased bearings you will need to keep up with applying oil if needed after consequent fishing outings. I always carry some oil along, just in case I need to add some while out on the water. Hope this helps and good luck.

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Re: How do you clean ball bearings?

Post by Vladimir_Kazan » Tue Apr 18, 2006 6:27 am

Marc, good joke... Joke so more!

About acetone I agree. It nevertheless not detergent, and solvent. The application of the synthetic remedies often is ended by %^&&t:
http://darwinawards.com/legends/legends1999-07.html

One comrade hardly has soiled by a paint the jacket. Has tried to wash by an acetone. In result - the clot of slime instead of the jacket. While the wife did not see, he has thrown it in a water closet.
But the wife has seen. Because this comrade has perched on a water closet, has lit the cigarette and has thrown a match there, under itself.

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Re: How do you clean ball bearings?

Post by ChuckE » Tue Apr 18, 2006 12:34 pm

I use Acetone to clean all the bare metal parts in my reels. Yes, you need to ensure you don't breath the fumes, and make sure you handle it correctly just like any flammable. The nice thing about acetone is that it totally removes any oil and oil bases from the surface of the metal--just look at your hands sometime if you get a bit on you. I do not recommend using it on plastic components, the painted frame, etc. You can soak bearings in the acetone--periodically agitating and spinning them between soaks. An ultrasonic cleaner works great and takes a lot less time.

For plastic parts, the disassembled frame, handle knobs, etc. I use a medium solution of Simple Green in my ultrasonic cleaner, followed by liberal amounts of water to rinse. You can use a sprayer and small tooth brush instead of an ultrasonic cleaner, it will just take a little more elbow grease.

I dry everything with a dental air compressor, which is free of oil and any particulate. I even periodically spin the bearings in between ultrasonic cleaning periods with the compressed air.

Chuck
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