How to Clean/Maintain Your Bearings

[Bushman]

Anybody have some environmentally friendly cleaning instructions? Does anybody know of proper ways to dispose of solvents like acetone?

Acetone can be reused for many many times by pouring the dirty acetone into glass jar and letting the sediment settle for a week, then carefully pour off the top 75% of the acetone and reuse. You can let the remaining sludge evaporate, it will not harm the environment, as it occurs naturally in the earth. When the sludge is dry ( a few minutes) just dispose in the garbage.

[Greenamtern]

More pictures and directions for opening up the bearings.
http://www.thelongboardstore.com/ple..._tool_main.htm

And as suggested to me by Mile High Mark:
o Clean with mineral spirits (AKA paint thinner)
o Rinse with 99% rubbing alcohol
o Lubricant if speed > protection
o Grease if protection > speed

[RocknRon]

Even if you dont have a RocketWash Bearing Cleaner, this is a good video showing you how to wash, heat dry, cool, lube and preserve your skate bearings.....
http://www.californiabearing.com/RocketWash.wmv

With the aggressive cleaning action of the RocketWash, 91% of better Isopropyl Alcohol that you can buy at the drug store is used. Alcohol has the right specific gravity to work in the washer to to allow the heavy contaminants fall to the bottom. Some solvents are "heavier" and the heavier solvent goes to the bottome instead of the dirt, so cleaning solution , i feel is very important. Not one Citruis Cleaner or soapy detergent cleaner on the market is good for your beairngs. Its amazing they are allowed to sell it.

[cptncha0s]

I have ceramic bearings would i change the process at all, also with the ceramic's do i need to clean less often? Would white gas work for the first step, i have it for ski tuning and wondering if i could use it.

[RustyBurrito55]

Yeah same deal for ceramics.

[setkaos]

anyone ever tried a dry lubricant such as graphite powder? i dont really think it would work but i am curious?












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[p0rk]

is that rocketwash cleaner really worth it? and do you just use rubbing alcohol in it?

[Slob-air]

Is that the bearing-cleaner equivalent of "vapor ware"? It slices, it dices, it minces better than any knife you've ever seen, never needs to be sharpened and includes a free lunch! Not yet available. Out of Stock.

I have one... works great!

[EBasil]

No doubt. Slick design.

[dman1260]

I just read the $1.25 bearing cleaner article and since I ordered my biltins on-line I'm not sure what sort of bolt they are talking about. Does anybody know what thickness it should be or does it even matther as long as the bilitns fit on it?

[Slim]

The same size as a skateboard axle. 5/16" by whatever length you need. It won't matter if you get the 18 course thread or 24 fine thread as long as you get the matching nut to whichever size you buy.

[lblman]

damn man thanks this will really help out. i have always had troble with my bearings.

[1009photo]

making an agitator out of a gatorade bottle and a long axle bolt+nut through the cap works like a charm, saves you a lot of solvent too.

http://www.silverfishlongboarding.co...aring-cleaner/

[Steve D.]

the rocket cleaner , IMO is a big time consumer only cleaning 2 bearings at a time, but i guess if youre going to race or something spiffy, the time spent cleaning may be worth it

[baden69]

to clean dirty or rusty bearings just take the covers off and soak them in a tub of asetone and they work as good as new no joke it is like the best bearing cleaner EVER but make sure to lubricate afterwards.

[SRskater]

I just read the Rocket Rons bearing cleaner......Im ready to go do u think i could just pop the bearings back in without having to lube them...i dont have any lube.

[king edward]

Go get some. Then go skate.

[i eat it ALOT]

how do i know if the bearings are bent?

i think it'd take some monstrous force to actually bend the actual bearing

are you talking about the shield/seal??

[emgeemann]

Just wondering, is the process any different for Biltin bearings? What with the built in spacers/washers...my buddies and i want to clean our bearings today but not sure if the process is different for Biltins, don't want to dive in not knowing what we're doing.
-edit-
Also, I have some lube that is intended for biking, it's a dry silicone lube with teflon...wondering if this is an okay lube to use

[GPymp]

I never take Biltin's apart. I put mine in a quart cup with a cleaner or 99% alcohol. I swirl (with lid ON) for a minute. I spin dry a couple times then place on a paper towel for an hour or two. I then use a can of air to blow out anything else. I then put 2-3 drops of Speed-Cream for each bearing.
Others have other methods.

Plastic quart cup can be had at a paint store or clean out a PowerAde bottle-save the lid.