Technical NOS Bearing Stuck

I have a NOS ball bearing. The grease has dried and it won't turn. Any suggestions on how to un-stick and repack? I don't want to damage it.

 

Soak in mineral spirits to loosen it up....followed by brake clean or similar solvent to help remove residual. Use air to blow it out, however dont let the bearing spin, restrain it while using air gun

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I've used lacquer thinner before

 

A little heat may be in order.

Ben'

 

NO FRIGGING BLOW GUN ON BALL BEARINGS.
I have never been a fan of washing a bearing in solvent either as the solvent tends to stay in the bearing and prevent the grease from sticking to the bearings. Some times you just don't have many other choices though.
Truthfully for that bearing I rather like the suggestion of heating the bearing. Maybe just place it in something like a coffee can and set it on a hot plate and heat it and melt the old grease or at least heat it to the point it will flow.
I'd think there are more problems with that bearing than hard grease though. It may be rusted inside where you can't see it.

 

Funny, been doing it that way for 40 yrs with never an issue including many, MANY, bearings on equipment large and small in power plants. What you dont do is "spin" the bearing making a -neat- whizzin sound destroying ball or roller coating due to overspeed w no lubricant. Heat may help. You should be able to turn individual balls once clean up to see if damaged or corroded....alot of times it will have corrosion of the plating that renders it useless....like spots or marks where it was erroded, kinda like spalling

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Me too

 

Here is your answer.

 

Kerosene works well too if you can hack the stink.

 

I’m agreeing with kerosene. I also wouldn’t worry about blowing it dry but wouldn’t let it spin.

 

Maybe we should ask if it's a sealed bearing or not before we recommend how to free it up, eh? Some of the solvents or too much heat could damage seals. Is it open, does it have a rubber seal on just one side, or on both sides? Or is it a bearing that just has a metal shield on one or both sides?

 

Curious where this comes from. Though I agree that you shouldn't spin a bearing with an air gun, you should definitely dry a bearing with one, specifically to get rid of that solvent. Every bearing on every aircraft you've ever been on has been cleaned and repacked this way, guaranteed (unless the new guy f'd up...)

Bingo.

 

Both of these! If it's sealed, most can be removed using a pick, carefully! If not removed, you can at least lift the edge of rubber seals and flush the dried grease. Clean lube and reinstall. A grease needle, like you use with a grease gun on some ujoints helps get the grease in there.

 

I have cleaned many many bearings in solvent . I air dried them , no spinning . Then soaked them in oil for a few minutes . Hang them up to drain out the oil , then packed with grease . Many of us make the mistake of packing with incorrect grease for the designed use of the bearing . Just be sure to match the grease to your usage and all will be good .

 

And more importantly; no matter how cool those things sound, don't hold it with your finger stuck tight in the bore, when you spin it up to 10,000 rpm and the bearing seizes up........well, you know the rest.

 

Worked with a school teacher on the weekends at a Standard Chevron Dealer in high school (66-69). He was repacking wheel bearings, had cleaned them, and was "spinning" them with the air nozzle. One literally "exploded". Bearings everywhere, the cage destroyed, and the finger he had stuck in the bore to spin it up was a little bruised up. Shocked the heck out of him, and the bearing had to be replaced at the stations cost. He is the same guy who drove a VW bug. Changed his oil one day, cleaned the scream, and bolted it backed together, then drove it out to the parking lot; he never put oil back in. But, no hard done. What's that they say about God and idiots? I am Butch/56sedandelivery.

 

Have you ever read up on bearings,,,ball bearings?
The balls are not chromed plated,,,they are ground and micro polished,,,,all to the correct size. I think the material is hard chrome steel that is used. When I was a kid,,,I thought they were chromed and that the chrome had worn off.
Nope,,,just worn and no longer shiny ,,,that means they are not perfectly round any more,,,and neither is the race they ride on.
I can’t imagine how much work is involved and the calibration of the machines to make this happen .

Tommy

 

Some pics.

 

Nos throw out bearing?

Looks like the old grease has hardened.
No big deal,,,,,I would spray with brake cleaner.
Soak it if need be.
Gently remove that rubber o ring first,,just to be safe.
Tommy

 

heat.

 

Throw it in the solvent tank overnight, blow it out, then soak it in clean solvent, blow out again, repack with grease.

 

Good point, but if it's a sealed bearing I'd toss it and source another.