wollow86

iTrader: (7)

So, what's the low down on bearings.

I'm looking to replace the bearings in my Mi1, and also thinking about cleaning and re oiling the bearings in my new XI before I run it. So here's the questions.

Do I NEED ceramic bearings? Or, can I use any bearings as long as I'm willing to pull the car down and clean them after every club meet.

What's the process for cleaning bearings? And can all bearings be cleaned and re-oiled?

Should I keep the bearings I have in the Mi1 and just clean them or is it to late? There are about 8 months old, run 1-3 club meets a month.

Finally, where is the best place to get bearings from? There's some packs on ebay for about $20 shipped on all the drive line bearings for the mi1.

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Econo-Pow...ht_3755wt_1401

Same for cleaning products, where should I look? What works well?

Thanks peeps.

sosidge

Here is my view...

As soon as you flush the grease out of a bearing, you are signing its death certificate. Oiled bearings may seem free on the bench under no load, but they will wear out quickly. The oil will do a worse job of lubricating the bearing when it is under load.

Ceramic bearings are expensive. I suspect the price of a set of ceramics for an Mi1 is similar to the price of the car itself. Decide for yourself whether that is good value.

Good quality steel bearings work well. Leave the grease in and they will last a long time. Once they wear, replace them. They are inexpensive.

Are ceramic bearings better? Probably. Are they faster? Probably not measurably so.

Buckaroo

iTrader: (3)

Bearings are like bodies and tires: CONSUMABLE high wear parts that need minor maintenance and seasonal replacement.

I use ceramic diff and thrust balls because of the high compression and the fact that the ceramic ball won't pit or flat spot if something goes wrong. They'll also run smoother with less lube, too, so as more lube gets flung from the diff, it'll still be smoother than old metal balls.

Everything else is $1 Avid brand bearings. Clean 'em and oil 'em once in a while and they'll last for quite some time. If one goes bad or gets destroyed by a bad crash, I'm out $1 (can't say that about a ceramic). For the price of ceramics, you can get 8-10 seasons (2 seasons a year outdoor and indoor) worth of Avid bearings. By that time there's a new car on the street or enough is worn out on the car that it needs replaced anyway.

For_the_win

iTrader: (9)

That is not true, for years as a skateboarder and now doing thins. I will clean my bearings in gas or mineral sprits. They have yet to wear out. I cheek them every other races. I'm still using them and there smooth as butter.

Shawn68z

iTrader: (6)

If you want to clean your bearings, get a small ultrasonic cleaner (check amazon) for $20. Its just a small jewelery cleaner. Alittle simple green and water works wonders. You can also buy a water soluble rust preventor too. (I have not tried these yet, but lee Valley sells the stuff)



Afterwards blow them out, and oil them so they dont rust.

Personally though, I dont bother. If they get gritty, and are not working smoothly, i toss them, and install new ones.

Timbulb

iTrader: (2)

A regular set of steel bearings can last a season easily. Check them regularly and replace individual ones that are not smooth anymore.

wollow86

iTrader: (7)

Ok cool. So its basically a case of buy spares and replace when needed. Easy.

I checked out avid bearings, looks like a winner. But in terms of which bearings to choose, it looks like i have 3 options, steel guards, rubber guards, or a hybrid of each. From what I can tell, the steel don't last as long but are freer, the rubber last the longest, but have the most friction, and the half-half's are well, half way between the two. Any tips?

sosidge

Steel for on-road, rubber for off-road. I suppose the hybrid bearings might be useful in applications where one side of the bearing is exposed to moisture/contaminants and the other is dry.