LondonSkaters Speed Team - Speed Skating & Rollerblading Club in London

Amy · Joined: 11 Oct 2005 Posts: 52

None of my wheels turn either. I spent several hours cleaning bearings today Rolling Eyes

Mikey-two-Names · Joined: 24 Feb 2004 Posts: 4108

LOL, yeah my wheels don't turn, but I'm not gonna do any cleaning. Just skate on them and they'll free up and spin well again, assuming they're greased/gelled like twincams. I've skated 3 or 4 times in the very wet like that, mostly worse than yesterday, and haven't cleaned em once.

CBA to do all that cleaning stuff, it's far too much work and unnecessary.

dan_b · Joined: 15 Jun 2004 Posts: 2428

Amy · Joined: 11 Oct 2005 Posts: 52

Rick · Joined: 25 Feb 2004 Posts: 5914

Just lubing them won't make them turn again.

Seizure is usually due to caked on water-bourne grit in them. It's good to get that out or they may continue to be slow. Gel and grease are quite good for helping to reduce the return of the grit. i.e. keeping water out. But you have to pack them out to do that and that slows them down until they wear back in. When they have worn in, gaps have opened up again and they wil let more water in. Best thing is to have some rain bearings (nothing special just ones you don't mind getting messed up in fact the less special the better) and keep the rest of them for dry days.

The main way to have bearings not sieze up when they get that whistling in the wet sound is to keep spinning them once they are in the dry and try to expell as much water as possible with the grit still in it. This is the time to apply light water repellant lubricants such as WD40 or GT85. If WD40, then you should lube then again when they are dry with something longer lasting i.e. your gel.

Mikey-two-Names · Joined: 24 Feb 2004 Posts: 4108

Don't apply WD40 or GT85 unless you intend to clean the bearings properly soon afterwards and before skating on them again. That's the quickest way to destroy bearings, because it washes all the grease/gel out, and that was what was trapping most of the dirt and grit and keeping it out of the balls and races.

Natasha · Joined: 09 Jul 2004 Posts: 2973 Location: Basingstoke

You have greased bearings? Ugh!

Rick · Joined: 25 Feb 2004 Posts: 5914

Agree with WD40 but GT85 coats your balls with teflon and will last while you stick them on the shelf. It's good for skating too if you don't mind having to respray frequently. If you don't want to keep juicing them then you need to lube them properly. WD40 coats with a very light lubricant which dries quickly and as you say traps (or perhaps attracts) more grit. It's only really useful for helping to get rid of the water but will keep them lubed enough for you to leave them overnight and service them the next day.

Mikey-two-Names · Joined: 24 Feb 2004 Posts: 4108

Having greased bearings means I don't have to be a bearing nerd and go through all that wasted cleaning effort. I just skate for months and months of repeated soakings, and the bearings keep on going.

Fred_Paris · Posted: Mon Jan 09, 2006 4:55 pm Subject:

greased bearings are fine especially at this time of the year...

I don't use greased bearings, because I really like to clean my bearings and wheels on a week basis.

But definitely for the sake of bearings during winter (even more if you're skating in the park ^^) I'll say greased bearings.

I'm no longer using wd40, I just degreased the bearings with some citrus finish line stuff, and them put some skf lubricant in it. roughly 15 min...

Amy · Joined: 11 Oct 2005 Posts: 52

Thanks for all of the information. Hope I can get those two moving again.

Rick · Joined: 25 Feb 2004 Posts: 5914

If they seem really jammed, even after you open them up, a hammering tap around the outside and on the centre with a small hammer/large allen key will usually get them moving, then the cleaning/lubing process will do the rest until you skate on them then after 5 mins they should be good to GOOOOOOO.

Don't whack the crap out of them as that may damage the bearing. You are only trying to dislodge a miniscule bit of caked on dirt.

Mikey-two-Names · Joined: 24 Feb 2004 Posts: 4108

Well I finally trashed my bearings the other weekend. Many sessions of extended skating in the rain, that's about the most abuse I've put them through yet, and that finished off the capacity of the remaining grease to take on grit and still protect the bearings. Time for a cleaning session, I've got a couple of sets ready.

Rick · Joined: 25 Feb 2004 Posts: 5914

Was having a chat with someone about offering a training session on skate maintenance. If people don't bring their own gear along then they get to practice by sorting out your shagged bearing. The best part is you can charge them for doing it as it's educational.

KarineM · Posted: Sat Jan 21, 2006 11:24 am Subject:

I had to clean my bearings a couple of weeks ago afer a long rainy skate. But I was away from home and I didn't have any stuff with me like white spirit.

I just cleaned them with water and washing-up liquid, dried them with a hair dryer and then oiled them with SKF lube after. Rolling Eyes

And they still work Very Happy

Karine

PS. Washing up liquid on the hands smells much nicer than white sprit too.