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Fri May 05, 2006 6:53 am

Hey,
I don't want to trash em. What do you guys clean your front bearings with?
Thanks

Fri May 05, 2006 6:56 am

I use whatever solvent I happen to have on hand, such as paint thinner, acetone, etc. then blow them out with carb or brake cleaner, let them air dry, and repack with new grease.

Fri May 05, 2006 7:00 am

Mr. Bubblehead wrote: I use whatever solvent I happen to have on hand, such as paint thinner, acetone, etc. then blow them out with carb or brake cleaner, let them air dry, and repack with new grease.

Unless they're pitted or worn. Then, trash them.

Fri May 05, 2006 7:01 am

Yeah pretty much whatever like that you have on hand will work - the key is to make sure you get ALL the old stuff out, and make sure you don't let any grit get in there before or during re-greasing.

As an aside, it's fun to dry the clean bearings with an air nozzle, because you can really make them spin!
:)

Sat May 06, 2006 12:01 am

TeamSpatula wrote: As an aside, it's fun to dry the clean bearings with an air nozzle, because you can really make them spin!
:)

Ouch!!!! You probably just destroyed the bearing. :roll:

Sat May 06, 2006 4:33 am

TeamSpatula wrote: As an aside, it's fun to dry the clean bearings with an air nozzle, because you can really make them spin!
:)

Never, ever, EVER do this! Not for the bearing's sake, but your own. The high speed of spinning them with air can cause the roller to push through the cage (retainer) and fly out like a bullet.

I work for a bearing manufacturer, and this is the #1 safety issue for "do it yourself" bearing replacement.

Don

Sat May 06, 2006 5:03 am

cleaned mine with gasoline, cheap easy and effective.
also cleaned cv's with it before repacking.

Sat May 06, 2006 6:35 am

musktchup wrote: cleaned mine with gasoline, cheap easy and effective.
also cleaned cv's with it before repacking.

Dumb and dangerous.

Sat May 06, 2006 6:42 am

Icy wrote: musktchup wrote: cleaned mine with gasoline, cheap easy and effective.
also cleaned cv's with it before repacking.

Dumb and dangerous.

I must be dumb, I do not see why. :?:

Sat May 06, 2006 6:42 am

I use a big ole bucket of nitroglycerin, or maybe a gallon of this:

Actually lots of rags and Gum-out carb cleaner, rags to get out most of the grease and cleaner to finish the job, Safety Kleen would be nice.
I wonder if it was more dangerous to use gas in the days when everybody smoked?

Sat May 06, 2006 6:59 am

I was focused on bearings.
I did not see, that was a warning about handling hazardous substances.

mightyart: Nice jar, add gasoline for a bunch of Molotov cocktails.

Sat May 06, 2006 7:21 am

twinfalls wrote:
I did not see, that was a warning about handling hazardous substances.

I use dumb dangerous gasoline as a pre-knock off the grease solvent, then switch to Gum-Out for the final rinse, and thaou shalt never spin caged bearings. Now that the environment is weighing on me more heavily, I don't know if I like the hydrocarbon release of evaporating gasoline.
Colin