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How do you clean and tune your ball bearings?

How do you clean and tune your ball bearings?

Old 12-21-2006, 12:57 AM
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Default How do you clean and tune your ball bearings?

Hello,

how do you clean and tune your ball bearings? I have a Mugen MTX-4 and the ball bearings all have a rubber shield.

How do you open it, so that you can use it again?
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Old 12-21-2006, 01:37 AM
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I open the seal with a needle, from inside / inner diameter, peel the seal off. Some seals are hard to open, so don't force it.... just move on.

After the seals are off, soak all the bearings and seals in WD-40 for 20 minutes. You can stir them....... and see the black things come off.

Spray each bearings with WD40 for clean up.

Put each bearing on Tissue so all liquids are gone.

I put lots of Tamiya Ceramic grease inside each bearing on both sides.

Clean the seals, ( make it flat if they are twisted / bent ) and close the seals by pressing it with your nails.

It's done.

I'm still using the same bearings for 2 years now on MTX3.

All bearings service intervals : 10 race meetings

Rear Diff bearings and Main Shaft Pulley bearings ( two speed shaft ) : every 3 race meetings.

2nd Spur Gear bearings & One way 1st Gear : put two drops of Serpent Oil bearings before every race meeting.
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Old 12-21-2006, 02:12 AM
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1. Use the Serpent cleaning clay:


Serpent Cleaning Gum (Part no. 1690)

to pick up and remove exterior dirt.

2. Remove rubber seals with an Xacto from the inner race and pry.

3. Use RPM bearing blaster:


in combination with a cleaning solution...


such as electric motor cleaner spray.

4. Dry them.

5. Clean the seals. (just spray them clean with the motor cleaner and make sure no dirt is left behind.)

6. Apply LIGHT bearing oil to balls. Oils I highly recommend are:


Serpent Premium Lube (Part no. 1683)

or


Serpent Bearing Lube (Part no. 1682).

7. Rotate the bearing so that lube will contact all the balls and lines the races,

8. Then reapply the seals.


Regular maintenance provides for prolonged bearing life and an extremely free drivetrain which is always a good thing.

Hope this helps you. Good luck!

All of these fine products can be found at your LHS, and if not, you can contact Kamikaze Toys and Hobbies: www.kamikazetoysandhobbies.com
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Old 12-21-2006, 02:13 AM
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I will try it and make of course a little guide about it with photos.

Thank you.
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Old 12-21-2006, 10:07 AM
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I started to clean my ball bearings. It works perfectly. There a simple to open and to close and now there run really fine.

The rubber shield is from high quality so it makes all much easier. I must say, that I don´t use the kit bearings. I have bought a ceramic ball bearings kit for the mtx4.
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Old 12-21-2006, 11:30 AM
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You should blow the bearings completly dry with a compresser or canned air before you apply grease because motor spray or any type cleaner is bad for your bearings once they heat up. Just my .02
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Old 12-22-2006, 12:43 AM
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i did say to dry them.
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Old 12-22-2006, 01:01 AM
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i use zippo lighter fluid to clean the bearings and re-oil them with a kyosho lube i usually only need to do this every 3 months

cheers
Chris
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Old 12-22-2006, 06:42 AM
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I also do the same method as niglenuggets but i use different lubes and cleaners ,to clean the out i use CRC break cleaner wich is alot cheaper than most of the nitro washers,and for lubing the bearing i like really fine oil,i use Remington gun oil with teflon,you can pick it up at Walmart foe $1.50 a bottle..
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Old 12-22-2006, 08:36 AM
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Originally Posted by Roniel_R
I also do the same method as niglenuggets but i use different lubes and cleaners ,to clean the out i use CRC break cleaner wich is alot cheaper than most of the nitro washers,and for lubing the bearing i like really fine oil,i use Remington gun oil with teflon,you can pick it up at Walmart foe $1.50 a bottle..
Remington gun oil? if your Big Daddy sees this you're fired! j/k,
What's up Roniel? how is it going?
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Old 12-22-2006, 09:29 AM
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Watz up Sam how are you my freind??i hope you and your family are good,and i wish you and yours a merry xmas and happy new year be safe...

Roniel
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Old 12-22-2006, 11:05 AM
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Ronnie is the expert is cleaning his BALL bearings. hahahaha I can see the boss now
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Old 01-07-2007, 07:41 PM
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guys, i have bad experience with cleaning bearings, and few of them were damaged, as in it tends to stuck at certain area, so i dare not open them up again. i previously use car engine oil, then open the seal, and soak them, shaking them in a bottle. then i apply trinity royal bearing oil. my question here is these bearings use grease or oil? how many drop of oil u put in each bearing?

so now, i normally clean the outer dirt with serpent cleaning gum, then apply trinity bearing oil directly onto the seal.

but i think i m gonna try again with WD-40.
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Old 01-07-2007, 08:27 PM
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How many people use the RPM bearing blaster? Are they worth getting?

Cheers
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Old 01-08-2007, 09:39 AM
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I just replace my bearings when they start to get gritty, cleaning works but it can be time consuming and replacement bearings can be had for $1.- ea.

When factoring in my time I have found it cheaper to just replace them as needed.

Mark
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