JSY0829
RCTalk Talkaholic
Do you have to do anything special or can you just wash them with soapy water and then oil them?
-
Welcome to RCTalk! 🚀
Join the #1 RC community where hobbyists connect, share, and get expert advice on RC cars, trucks, boats, drones, and more!
- ✓ Friendly & passionate RC enthusiasts
- ✓ RC tips & troubleshooting
- ✓ Buy, sell & trade RC gear
- ✓ Share builds & upgrades
Cleaning ball bearings?
- Thread starter JSY0829
- Start date
This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate
links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
Do not use soap and water to clean it.
This is what I use after a day of racing and also during regular maintainance...
[inwindow=300]http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXEV92&P=7[/inwindow]
No need to remove the seals either. Insert, apply mild pressure with cover, spray with motor cleaner through the spray hole ... Flip it and do the other side. Let it dry on a rag or paper towel then relube with this ...
[inwindow=300]http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXJY55&P=M[/inwindow]
A few drops then spin it on a pencil to spread the lube to all the ball bearings.
Both are available at towerhobbies.
This is what I use after a day of racing and also during regular maintainance...
[inwindow=300]http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXEV92&P=7[/inwindow]
No need to remove the seals either. Insert, apply mild pressure with cover, spray with motor cleaner through the spray hole ... Flip it and do the other side. Let it dry on a rag or paper towel then relube with this ...
[inwindow=300]http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXJY55&P=M[/inwindow]
A few drops then spin it on a pencil to spread the lube to all the ball bearings.
Both are available at towerhobbies.
Last edited:
SVORay
RCTalk Addict
Thats a bit more high tech than what I use....I use brake clean, paper towels and oil. Now my question is, will either of this clean out and metal shaves from shreded spider gears or should I just replace the bearings 
onder2:
onder2:Couldn't tell ya if it could or couldn't. Hasn't happened to me, yet. Best bet is to just replace. If your spider gears are gone, chances are that the bearings are gone or close to it as well. It's an inexpensive part to replace but can give you a load of headaches in the end if it was never replaced. Might as well do it since everything is already disassembled.
SVORay
RCTalk Addict
Diver6127 said:
Ya, thats what I was thinking. I got them spinning pretty good but I'm still wondering if there is some metal stuck in them some where. This is my set up for the rear...hopefully it want tear up to much since it's for off roading only. Just need a new pinion and bearings.
bustedgears
Hardcore RCTalk User
What do you run that in? Revo?
The bearing blaster is a great way to clean bearings and does a great job. The bearing oil listed is one of many that will work well.
HOWEVER!!!!!
Bearing oil and bearing grease are two different issues.
Bearing oil is used for bearings if you are looking to get the most performance. it reduces the drag caused by grease but needs to be re-oiled OFTEN. Oil is thin and will be thrown from the bearings. Its recommended to re-oil bearings after each and every run to keep them lubed.
Unless your racing or are willing to put in the time to do this kind of maintenance you will want to use grease. Grease will stay in the bearings for a long time and required little to no maintenance.
If you are using the popular rubber sealed bearings that are common in todays RCs. you shouldn't have to maintain them with grease unless they get compromised. The best way to clean them is to use a tooth brush on the outside and rid them of dirt. After this is done, if they feel not smooth, loose or sloppy, they should be replaced.
You can remove the shields and clean them but they are usually trashed by that time.
OILED Bearings are great for wheel bearings and bearings that are easily gotten to. It is popular for people racing on-road. I would not recomend oiled bearings for people with off road RC or for bashing. If you use an oiled bearing inside your diffs or trany it could spell disaster in a very short time. If you use a non sealed bearing not only does it not keep the lubrication in, it lets dirt and moisture in as well.
I'm not saying don't clean the inside of your bearings if you choose to do so, but I am saying for most of us, its not nessacery.
HOWEVER!!!!!
Bearing oil and bearing grease are two different issues.
Bearing oil is used for bearings if you are looking to get the most performance. it reduces the drag caused by grease but needs to be re-oiled OFTEN. Oil is thin and will be thrown from the bearings. Its recommended to re-oil bearings after each and every run to keep them lubed.
Unless your racing or are willing to put in the time to do this kind of maintenance you will want to use grease. Grease will stay in the bearings for a long time and required little to no maintenance.
If you are using the popular rubber sealed bearings that are common in todays RCs. you shouldn't have to maintain them with grease unless they get compromised. The best way to clean them is to use a tooth brush on the outside and rid them of dirt. After this is done, if they feel not smooth, loose or sloppy, they should be replaced.
You can remove the shields and clean them but they are usually trashed by that time.
OILED Bearings are great for wheel bearings and bearings that are easily gotten to. It is popular for people racing on-road. I would not recomend oiled bearings for people with off road RC or for bashing. If you use an oiled bearing inside your diffs or trany it could spell disaster in a very short time. If you use a non sealed bearing not only does it not keep the lubrication in, it lets dirt and moisture in as well.
I'm not saying don't clean the inside of your bearings if you choose to do so, but I am saying for most of us, its not nessacery.
SVORay
RCTalk Addict
bustedgears said:
It's for the rear end of my Revo. I still have to order some new bearings and Pinion for it before I can try it out.
Ray
greenwing7
RCTalk Addict
- Messages
- 729
- Reaction score
- 0
- Points
- 0
- RC Driving Style
sorry for a dead thread but the best thing to do on todays RC's cough*savage*cough bearings is to go through them when ever you break it down, check them for roughness, and replace as needed. ed you have bearings right now right, how often do bearings last (in terms of galons of fuel)
bustedgears
Hardcore RCTalk User
greenwing7 said:
That totally depends on the way you maintain your model. I always clean mine within a day of running. Some people throw them in the garage at the end of the day.
There are many contributions to how long it will last, i.e: humidity, salt in the air, whether or not you run through water, how often you lube them, ect.
