Has anyone used ball bearings as window guide rollers? Good or bad idea? I need to replace the window guide wheels for my 64 Riviera. They spin, but are tight. I soaked them in penetrant (Gibbs), and spun them on a electric motor, but they're still stiff. For the cost of the replacements, I can get high quality radio control ball bearings that are the exact size I need (17mm diameter, 5mm wide). Metal bearing housings riding in steel tracks might scrape some, but to me if it's greased it should be fine. Closest thing I've seen is nylon rollers (with internal bearings) for shower doors. But they're all too wide, and would need machining to fit. I bought one to test with, and the plastic roller part is too thin to cut down. Done it, or seen it done?
Wrong type roller. Riviera had to be different, and seems to use specific parts. OPGI wants $12 each. Found them with the right diameter (11/16) but too thick by about 1mm. I bought one, and the plastic is too thin to shave down to the right thickness. Nothing at all. It's just from a hot rodding perspective, isn't it always a quest to improve things? Nylon rollers seize and wear. A good sealed bearing won't, and should outlive the car. Also, it's kinda just to see if it's do able. I might just buy some and give it a go. Cheap chinese junk ones are 50 cent each, good rubber sealed ones are $1 each. Flat faced bolts are at lowes, probably a couple bucks for a few. Mostly wondering if it's been done, and how it worked out.
Never done it, but if you try, maybe you could put something like a small section of heat shrink tubing around the outside edge of the bearing to cut down on the possibility of scraping noises.
Maybe not the same ,but I have always replaced the plastic rollers in a power window motor gear (that break apart in cold weather) with steel ball bearings. Quiet and never failed, packed with wheel bearing grease.
Thanks for all the info. The composite bearings are really interesting, but seem to be pretty expensive. I really like the heat shrink over the bearings idea, I'm going to try it. I'm going to buy some bearings, and give it a try, and see what happens. I'll post back here with the results.
Was this at the gearhead part, at the end of the helical gear? I have my motors out, I would like to put bearings in them too. Seems like cheap insurance.
Top of motor has large gear and 3 plastic rollers inside of this gear- replace the 3 plastic rollers with steel ball bearings. I salvaged the bearings that fit from certain front wheel drive hub axle bearings.