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So I need to clean and re-pack the sealed bearings on the wife's wheelchair castors.
I've checked and I can get the cover off - but it's not a pretty site, black gunk and grit/sand.
So if I use WD-40/GT85 to flush the crap and grease out what can I use to flush the WD-40/GT85 out?
I've got some brake cleaner - will this be ok?
TIA
Dont bother. WD40 has some very light oil in it. So when the smelly spray bit evaporates just put grease in.
Yes but be VERY careful not to allow the bearings to spin while they are ungreased. Alternatively gt85/wd40 will evaporate over time if you can afford to wait.
Brake cleaner will do it and will stop the wd40 "watering down" the new grease.
I'm sure most would just let the wd evaporate though and all would still be good.
It might be worth seeing if you can get the number off of the bearing (it's usually on the seal/bearing itself somewhere) and ordering some replacements while you've got the whole lot in bits, then when they get graunchy the next time you can swap them out for new, properly grease packed ones.
Thanks all.
This is 'emergency' maintenance as the guy who came to service it the other day did swap the castors (admin cockup apparently....) and after he 'cleaned' the axles they've started sounding very graunchy.
Will order some new bearings too as I have no idea when they're coming back to finish the job....
Work as a factory fitter and we “ocassionally” need to “rescue” bearings on various bits of kit. The stw wisdom is to replace asap which is good advice. However you need to rescue your situation now. Can you acquire some paraffin or diesel and access to compressed air?
Basically wash out till as clean as you can with whatever you can lay your hands on then fill with grease. It may not feel or sound great but is unlikely to fail in a catestrophic manner. As above there will(not always)likely be a bearing number somewhere on the castor, if not measure it and google it, BSL and other bearing suppliers will have something. The manufacturer should have something listed.
Thanks all.
Bearings are 6000 RS.
Found some 6000 2RS for a decent price as a replacement - am I right in thinking that the 2 refers to additional seals?
Cleaned and greased this morning and all seems ok so far.
RS = rubber seals (seal on one side)
2RS = 2 rubber seals (seals on both sides)
http://www.engineerstudent.co.uk/bearing_numbers_explained.html
Get brand name rather than cheap no name e.g. SKF. Your local bearing supplier will have them in stock.
be VERY careful not to allow the bearings to spin while they are ungreased
What's the logic to this?
I wondered that as well. Spinning them gets more muck out
In an emergency I whip the seals off both sides of the bearing and flush with out thoroughly with disk brake cleaner. Leave said bearing to dry out and pop some fresh grease in there.