RCH Quick Tip: Clean Your Bearings The Easy Way

[Tony]

Tony submitted a new Article:

Rch Quick Tip: Clean Your Bearings The Easy Way

When I first got started in Rc, I was racing cars and trucks like the Rc10GT and the TC3. With the TC3 I was needing some of the freest bearings that I could get to keep the speeds up in the corners, this is when I learned how to clean my bearings the easy way and now I"m going to show you how I do it.

[video=youtube_share;Aca1jCXkLCQ]​

Read more about this article here...

 

[Derek]

Very cool! Gotta remember that.

 

[Tony]

Except for the main shaft bearings (10mm ID), I use this on all bearings that I clean. The ones that are too large to put on the handle you can pinch between two fingers and clean them that way. Just watch what chemicals you use. As stated in the video, if you use brake cleaner, wear gloves. I have done this crap for so long that it doesn't affect me anymore lmao.

 

[coolgabsi]

Hello Tony's tummy.. Lol jk


Good little video!!

Fly safe!! have fun!

 

[Tony]

That's right, 6 pack baby!!!!

 

[breeze400]

Good way to do it. I soak mine in a tub with alcohol for 5 10 minutes then spin them clean

 

[Tony]

I have tried that, but it doesn't seem to knock loose the grit inside them. The way I do it gets the bearing spinning so fast that it will sling whatever is in there, out. As stated, it's the way I have done it for many years. Yes, there are some that are a bigger pain in the ass than others, and I may make a video on how to do those later.

 

[Whirlybird]

Now that was easy

How 'bout a smiley face on you tummy

 

[Tony]

That bearing was out of the clutch and was filled with thick grease and clutch dust. And it came clean that fast. And I only wear black lmao. Me and yellow don't get along.

 

[stokke]

Doesn't the brake cleaner get into the bearing and destroy the lubrication inside?

 

[coolgabsi]

Doesn't have hardly any.. If you got silicon grease (if I am right) you can re lubricate it..

Fly safe!! have fun!

 

[breeze400]

Doesn't the brake cleaner get into the bearing and destroy the lubrication inside?

That's the whole point. Cleaning the dirt grime and old lub out of the bearing then re lubing them with fresh lubricant. Like I've said in other treads I use a tool called "The Greaser" to do this. It's a great tool to have on hand for lubing bearings with grease. Now if your like Tony he just uses oil in his bearings. You can set the bearing down on a flat surface put light oil on it and it will seep past the dust shield lubing the bearing.

 

[Tony]

Doesn't the brake cleaner get into the bearing and destroy the lubrication inside?

Yes it does, and that is the point. I blow all of the old grease out of them and I put bearing oil back in them. 3-1 oil, sewing machine oil and the like will work as well. I like my stuff as free as possible. In a bearing the size of the one in the video, I will put 3 drops of bearing oil from Team Trinity in them. Has worked great for years.

 

[Westy]

I Use a mixture of Lithium Polymer Spray .... (After cleaning out the old stuff with Brakleen and Isoprolylene) .... after the propellant evaporates it leaves a long lasting very low friction paste that lasts and lasts.....and 3 in 1 oil. 1000 times better than CRC or some such thing...

 

[Tony]

I'm not sure what CRC is... but I love my bearing oil lol. granted since it's so thin I'm cleaning my bearings after about 5 flights or so. But it's just soooo smoooooooth lol.

 

[Derek]

hmmm, you say that you clean your bearings after 5 flights or so. is that because you fly nitros? should i be doing this with my 500e?

is there some particular "routine maintnance" that I should be doing?

 

[Tony]

I do it that often because of the lack of oil that I run. In a standard bearing (say in your blade trips, the sealed bearing), I use 3 drops of oil. On the main shaft bearings, I might use 5 or 6. But as many times as those main bearings spin, they can sling out the oil and they need to be cleaned again.

White lithium grease is great for bearings if you can get it in there. And it will last longer. But for me, I like showing off just how smooth my heli is and for that reason, I clean it more often. Also, I just like taking crap apart and working on it lmao.

 

[Tony]

Oh, and every 10 flights, per the manual, you should be checking everything including the thrust bearings. They are a wearable item and need to be checked. I just cut mine in half and do it every 5 flights.

 

[Derek]

Sounds good. I honestly did not know that. I like taking things apart and putting them back together, too. I definitely like to "tinker."

 

[Tony]

Then there is no reason why you should ever have a dirty bearing lol.