Cleaning Bearings with Turpentine
Quick Question,
Will using Low Odour Turps (100% LIQUID HYDROCARBONS UN 1993) be an effective cleaning agent when trying to clean my bearings, or do I need to go out and buy some acetone.
Will using Low Odour Turps (100% LIQUID HYDROCARBONS UN 1993) be an effective cleaning agent when trying to clean my bearings, or do I need to go out and buy some acetone.
Tags: Bearings, Clean, Turpentine
Views: 6480
Replies to This Discussion
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ASRA AdminPermalink Reply by bernie on -
Geff Gunning said:
Why would you need to use turps, it is a solvent for paints and plastics, not oil and grease?Alex said:Has anyone ever actually tried cleaning their bearings with turpentine
As for acetone and methanol...why bother? they are not really very good oil or grease solvents, and you are not servicing gyroscopes in cruise missiles.
Just use Kero.
Dismantle the bearings completely, and wipe dry with clean cloth before re-assembly.
Kero is just right kind of low cost solvent for washing old oils and grease out of your bearings, without attacking bearing shields.
and best of all
You can blurt out a mouth full of it in front of a bic lighter to impress the crap out of all your friends!
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Permalink Reply by nige on
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if you were servicing a cruise missile or good bearings and are fussy maybe get the kero out aswell because it is abrasive.dont know if you would actually notice any exta wear but fussy is fussy. hey geff...how goes it .
bernie said:Geff Gunning said:
Why would you need to use turps, it is a solvent for paints and plastics, not oil and grease?Alex said:Has anyone ever actually tried cleaning their bearings with turpentine
As for acetone and methanol...why bother? they are not really very good oil or grease solvents, and you are not servicing gyroscopes in cruise missiles.
Just use Kero.
Dismantle the bearings completely, and wipe dry with clean cloth before re-assembly.
Kero is just right kind of low cost solvent for washing old oils and grease out of your bearings, without attacking bearing shields.
and best of all
You can blurt out a mouth full of it in front of a bic lighter to impress the crap out of all your friends!
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ASRA AdminPermalink Reply by bernie on -
nige said:maybe get the kero out aswell because it is abrasive.
Agree 100% with first bit.....".....and wipe dry with clean cloth before re-assembly"
the second bit is something I honestly did not know about.
I know it is a very poor lubricant, but the bit about Kero being abrasive..... is that right?
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Premium MemberPermalink Reply by Fitz on -
Clean with detergent. Metho for final wrinse only. People often miss that bit.
Metho evaporates off clean esp. after bearings have been in hot water.
Kero doesn't evap. as good, leaves residue and stinks likes crap. Not very user friendly on skin (smell, dermititis).
Destroys nylon retainers and rubber shields.
You can reuse your metho by filtering it with a coffee paper filter, rather than pouring money down the sink after just one use.
Job worth doing. Worth doing right.
Kero abrassive? Hardly. Corrosive to polymers, yes.
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yes abrasive. as in it does contain stuff that is abrasive. petrol is no good.I washed pistons still attached to rods out of my GT years ago .after drying the rod and piston were siezed to gudgeon pin.but that is probably the lead etc that is actually meant to lubricate. metho last is best call.
Fitz said:Clean with detergent. Metho for final wrinse only. People often miss that bit.
Metho evaporates off clean esp. after bearings have been in hot water.
Kero doesn't evap. as good, leaves residue and stinks likes crap. Not very user friendly on skin (smell, dermititis).
Destroys nylon retainers and rubber shields.
You can reuse your metho by filtering it with a coffee paper filter, rather than pouring money down the sink after just one use.
Job worth doing. Worth doing right.
Kero abrassive? Hardly. Corrosive to polymers, yes.
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ASRA AdminPermalink Reply by bernie on -
Really struggling with the idea of Kero being abrasive.
Any idea of what is being put in it these days?
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yes, if I was thirty years younger, I would say it is so because my Dad told me so.well in actual fact my Dad did tell me so oh so long ago.I checked with him and he still says so.Can,t recall why he knows but still says so. Yesterday I was lunching with friends.One happens to be ex aero industry engineering,many years my senior.He told me I,d better go back and appoligise.Appoligise to my father for ever questioning his Knowledge and Wisdom.
bernie said:Really struggling with the idea of Kero being abrasive.
Any idea of what is being put in it these days?
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ASRA AdminPermalink Reply by bernie on -
How to Clean/Maintain Bearings, by "Rockin Ron" Foster.
---"Rockin’ Ron, who makes Rocket Bearings, is an Aerospace Bearing Engineer of 24-years (Boeing, NASA etc.)
1) KEEP DRY, STAY AWAY FROM WATER. Water will destroy your bearings immediately. If for some odd reason you need to ride your bearings through water you should lube the bearings with grease. Grease will protect the working components longer then oil. Oiled bearings are faster but will also rust if exposed to water.
2) DON’T TOUCH THE SEALS WITH THE SKATE TOOL OR WRENCH WHEN INSTALLING!! When installing the bearings tightening down the nut, DO NOT TOUCH THE SEAL. Skate tools can crush or smash the seal. Only put the skate tool over the nut enough to turn the nut and keep the tool from touching the seal, at all, during installation.
3) AS SOON AS YOU HEAR YOUR BEARINGS MAKING NOISE, NOT SPIN FREELY, OR GETS WET STOP!!! Don’t continue to use the bearings. Don’t rotate dirty bearings. You are now due to clean and re-lubricate your bearings.
Lubricate your bearings after every 50 hours of riding. The oil will run out usually before the bearings get dirty. Your bearings must be kept clean and lubricated to keep them alive! How long your bearings last depends on you.
1) Carefully remove the non-contact seal with a bent paper clip or something similar. The paper clip must be small enough to fit between the cage and the outer race. Push the seal out with the end of the paper clip or tool from the opposite side by sliding the tool through the opening between the ball cage and the outer ring. The seal should pop out easily. Be careful not to bend seal. Seal must stay straight.
2) It is not necessary or recommended to completely disassemble bearing. You can clean bearings just fine with the bearing “open”.
3) Soak your bearings in your cleaning solution. What solution…Good question and a lot of people have opinions. Unlike most cleaning instructions I’ve seen for bearings. I will not use anything but solvents. Environmental people may not like to hear that but I’m concerned what is best for the bearing. DO NOT use water based cleaners, detergents, Citrus based cleaners or WD40! Some of these aqueous type cleaners use “surfactants” to clean the bearings. Surfactants and penetrates can hurt the “wet ability” of the steel, not allowing oil and grease to stick to the surface of the steel properly.I recommend using kerosene or mineral spirits as a Preliminary wash. Don’t use Isopropyl Alcohol for your initial wash however we are going to use it later. With kerosene and mineral spirits the bearings can even be soaked overnight if needed however, with low concentration Alcohol 70% left overnight, bearings could rust. Soak bearings for at least a few minutes to give solvent a chance to dissolve the dirty lubricant and contaminants. I like using a little stainless steel strainer with one or two bearings at a time and “dunk” then and “agitate” them in the solvent. Try to skim on top and let oil/dirt fall to bottom. Repeat process in clean solvent in new container. After bearing is completely clean and free of foreign matter switch over to the Isopropyl Alcohol, the higher the concentration the better. The sole purpose of the Alcohol will be to “rinse” the bearing and remove all “solvent residue”. This step is important to assure the surface of the steel is ready for lubrication. Shake or agitate the bearings in the Alcohol, remembering not to leave in alcohol for very long. No soaking is required at this point. The alcohol should evaporate and leave you a “bone dry” bearing. Use a blow dryer and make sure bearing is COMPLETELY dry and cooled down before adding lube. This is very important.
4) Do not wash seals in solvent. Very carefully wipe the seal down with a little alcohol on a lint free rag if necessary. Replace the seal making sure it seats in the inner and outer ring grooves.
5) Add 2 drops of skate lubricant. Use grease if you are only going to sidewalk skate. Only add enough grease to fill three ball pockets.
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Permalink Reply by Geff Gunning on
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nige said:yes abrasive. as in it does contain stuff that is abrasive. petrol is no good.I washed pistons still attached to rods out of my GT years ago .after drying the rod and piston were siezed to gudgeon pin.but that is probably the lead etc that is actually meant to lubricate. metho last is best call.
Fitz said:Clean with detergent. Metho for final wrinse only. People often miss that bit.
Metho evaporates off clean esp. after bearings have been in hot water.
Kero doesn't evap. as good, leaves residue and stinks likes crap. Not very user friendly on skin (smell, dermititis).
Destroys nylon retainers and rubber shields.
You can reuse your metho by filtering it with a coffee paper filter, rather than pouring money down the sink after just one use.
Job worth doing. Worth doing right.
Kero abrassive? Hardly. Corrosive to polymers, yes.
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nige said:yes, if I was thirty years younger, I would say it is so because my Dad told me so.well in actual fact my Dad did tell me so oh so long ago.I checked with him and he still says so.Can,t recall why he knows but still says so. Yesterday I was lunching with friends.One happens to be ex aero industry engineering,many years my senior.He told me I,d better go back and appoligise.Appoligise to my father for ever questioning his Knowledge and Wisdom.
bernie said:Really struggling with the idea of Kero being abrasive.
Any idea of what is being put in it these days?
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Permalink Reply by Ryan Pugh on
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Ive found my bearings spin the best if i don't clean them. Ive used the same unclean ones for so long and they are going well.
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Permalink Reply by Brad B on
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kerosene is used as a lubricant when machining aluminum and cutting glass...
"kero" is actually greek for wax. "parrafin wax" is kerosene in a solid form. the idea that it is an abrasive is a bit ludicrous to my mind. it is use when polishing some metals as well, but more for it's cooling qualities then an abrasive function. maybe that's the source of some confusion?
I'd be seeking a bit of evidence before believing otherwise, especially given the abrasive nature of the gunk/ grains of dirt/dust etc you are actually removing from your bearings when "cleaning" them.
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