What Can I Use To Clean Old Grease Out Of Wheel Bearings

Topic: How to clean wheel bearings??

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Posted Past: N6WT on 11/19/13 04:35pm Then what are you using to make clean the one-time grease out of your wheel bearings when yous repack them.

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Posted By: John Wayne on xi/19/13 04:38pm The new grease, just wipe all the old grease you lot can and push in new grease until you see the new grease coming out the other side.

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Posted Past: time2roll on 11/xix/13 04:42pm Clean cotton rag. Finish with some Brake Clean.

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2001 F150 SuperCrew
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Posted By: WyoTraveler on xi/19/13 04:46pm If I spend fourth dimension taking out the bearings I clean them with kerocene or solvent from car parts store. Cleaning them get-go allows you to inspect them for whatever damage. Then make sure grease gets rolled in well.

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Posted By: Do Due north DAT on 11/xix/thirteen 04:49pm

WyoTraveler wrote:

If I spend time taking out the bearings I clean them with kerocene or solvent from automobile parts store. Cleaning them first allows you to inspect them for any damage. Then brand certain grease gets rolled in well.

X2

Yous need to make clean them to inspect.

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1999 Ford F350, vii.iii Diesel fuel, 2003 Triumph 365L

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Posted By: N6WT on 11/19/13 04:53pm Do I demand to soak the bearings in kerosene to get them clean? If so how long?

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Posted By: ScottG on eleven/19/thirteen 04:56pm Spray restriction cleaner or lacquer thinner work good - but you need to clean and dry them thoroughly to audit them properly. Also some grease brands are non compatible then it's best to go rid of all of it.

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Posted By: Road Runners on eleven/19/thirteen 05:01pm I accept cleaned my bearings with mineral spirits for over 20 years now. It works great and is easy to handle and dispose of. However, be cautioned if your wheel bearing contains some plastic retainers do not use mineral spirits as it may brand the nylon brittle.

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'05' F-250 Power Stroke
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Posted By: full_mosey on 11/19/13 05:05pm Gasoline.

HTH;
John

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Posted By: old guy on 11/19/thirteen 05:09pm if y'all utilize a solvent practise non use air to blow out the bears. the bears will turn under the air pressure and that makes them run without any lub and that is not good for the rollers.

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Posted By: RJsfishin on 11/19/13 05:26pm All the commercial shops and dealerships I worked at in the 60s and 70s all used solvent and compressed air. Some used powerwashers.
Me, I don't clean bearings anymore, just when I did, I used gasoline and compressed air. This 24-hour interval and historic period, I simply push in new grease, either west/ a brg packer, or EZ lube axles.

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Rich

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Posted By: westend on xi/19/13 05:28pm

K6DKO wrote:

Practise I need to soak the bearings in kerosene to get them clean? If so how long?

Near ten seconds if yous plan to get your easily on them.

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'03 F-250 4x4 CC
'71 Starcraft Wanderstar -- The Cowboy/Hilton

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Posted Past: WILDEBILL on 11/nineteen/thirteen 05:53pm

westend wrote:

K6DKO wrote:

Practise I need to soak the bearings in kerosene to get them clean? If and so how long?

Virtually ten seconds if you lot program to get your easily on them.

??? What are you talking about???
Neb

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Posted Past: 69 Avion on eleven/nineteen/thirteen 06:01pm Do not use gasoline. It works, simply it is also very dangerous. Too many people have been killed past using gasoline as a solvent.

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Ford F-350 4x4 Diesel
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Posted By: coolbreeze01 on 11/19/13 06:01pm Why clean them? New bearings, grease, replace, and promise you did it correctly. Good luck.

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Posted By: Charlie D. on 11/nineteen/13 06:04pm

WILDEBILL wrote:

westend wrote:

K6DKO wrote:

Practice I need to soak the bearings in kerosene to become them clean? If so how long?

About 10 seconds if you program to get your hands on them.

??? What are you talking nearly???
Nib

Soaking won't clean. Swish them around and utilise a small brush.

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Posted By: MM49 on 11/19/xiii 06:50pm Don't make clean them. If you lot use solvent they volition just get dirtier. Only get a bearing packer and pump new grease into them until clean grease flows. Y'all will never get the contaminated grease out of a bearing without heated solvent. Then information technology is a multiple step process to remove the dust. Just pump in new grease.
MM49

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Posted By: Cobra21 on 11/19/13 06:55pm Ane other big tip while doing this. Wear nitril gloves. They work great for
this mess. They don't rip and you won't have to clean your hands all the time.

Brian

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Posted Past: beemerphile1 on eleven/nineteen/thirteen 07:16pm Mineral spirits. Far safer than others mentioned above. Lacquer thinner and gasoline take a very low flash point. Mineral spirits has a high wink betoken and leaves no residue.

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Build a life you don't need a vacation from.

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Posted Past: SuperDutyFiver on xi/19/13 07:21pm

Cobra21 wrote:

One other big tip while doing this. Wear nitril gloves. They work great for
this mess. They don't rip and you lot won't have to make clean your hands all the fourth dimension.

Brian

X2-these gloves are a God-send for whatever fashion you decide to do begetting work-not to mention almost everything maintenance related!

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Posted Past: westend on 11/19/13 07:36pm

WILDEBILL wrote:

westend wrote:

K6DKO wrote:

Practise I need to soak the bearings in kerosene to become them make clean? If so how long?

Nigh 10 seconds if you plan to get your hands on them.

??? What are yous talking about???
Bill

What are you not understanding?
I've never seen or heard of anyone merely soaking a begetting in whatsoever solvent until they're clean. If the term "soaking" is the same as a parts washing machine, then, yes, there will be some time duration involved. I would assume since the OP is asking how to clean bearings he doesn't ain a machine.

If he does decide to clean them and if he uses kerosene, the best method is to use a parts brush and ringlet the bearings by hand to remove grease. I would unremarkably follow up with a rag.

As someone else posted, I don't make clean them anymore except to remove any excess old grease for inspection. I apply a begetting packer and push in new grease until the old is pressed out. MO is that these hub bearings are not close enough in tolerance and accept sufficient hardness that heroic cleaning methods aren't necessary. Should say that I don't operate my running stock in terribly harsh environments. If I was rock climbing or did a lot of desert travel, I might make clean upward everything equally I don't like clay in moving parts.

BTW, beam grease is one of the nicest skin softeners fabricated.

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Posted By: randallb on xi/xix/13 07:46pm I take the one-time bearings and place them in a plastic bag. I then place the bag in the trash, open the boxes the new bearings are in, rinse them with brake cleaner and pack. By the time you purchase the solvent, dispose of the solvent and all the other trouble involved with cleaning the bearings you lot are about in to new bearings. Actually I need to modify my instructions. I ever have a set of bearings and a hub gear up to go for all my trailers. I replace 1 hub assembly and so clean the other hub and install the new set of packed bearings. Why a spare hub? If I have a bearing failure on the road I can replace the hub well-nigh as fast every bit I can change a flat tire and and then supplant the failed bearings at our next extended campground stay. I will ever have a minimum of one consummate set to go hub when I am on the route.
Randy

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Posted By: Road Runners on 11/20/xiii 07:54am Looks anything goes and anything works when it comes to repacking the bearings. So from what I read yous can or not clean the bearings before repacking. Yous can repack them by hand or a by machine. Perhaps, those bearings are a lot more resilient than nosotros remember.

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Posted By: pdogg on 11/20/13 03:03pm And for sky's sake, whatever yous do, DO NOT employ gasoline..

yous'll die..

P.S. I use gasoline, and e'er in a well ventilated area (outside)

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Posted By: time2roll on 11/20/13 03:22pm

westend wrote:

BTW, axle grease is one of the nicest peel softeners fabricated.

No cheers. I will stick with latex gloves.

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Posted By: 69 Avion on 11/20/xiii 03:46pm

pdogg wrote:

And for sky'south sake, whatever y'all do, Practice Non utilize gasoline..

y'all'll die..

P.Southward. I utilise gasoline, and ever in a well ventilated area (outside)

Ane person in the trade I was in (in Phoenix AZ) used gasoline to make clean a pipe auto (outside in a well ventilated area) and when he switched the machine to motility it the spark ignited the vapors and lit him on burn. He ran effectually until others could stop him. He had 3rd degree burns on most of his trunk and died of his injuries. The ventilation isn't the event, the flammable fumes are.

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Posted By: zedd on 11/20/13 04:14pm I use diesel fuel drained from the h2o separator on my truck. Pretty much the same as kerosene but information technology'south at manus. Blow dry out with compressed air (only don't spin the bearings with information technology no matter how cool the sound) and audit. And then order new ones,

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Posted By: Dyngbld on 11/20/xiii 04:25pm Probably not the best method, merely until recently I have e'er used a masson jar with some gasoline. Swish it effectually a bit and they come up overnice and make clean. Inspect, repack (replace if necessary).

Recently however I have adopted Randallb'southward method. Much safer and you lot know y'all take skilful bearings.

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Posted By: beemerphile1 on 11/20/13 04:52pm If gasoline was pure it would be okay other than the flammability. However it has lots of nasty additives that you do not want on your skin, even if you don't burn yourself. Utilize stove alcohol or mineral spirits, far safer.

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Posted Past: RJsfishin on 11/20/13 06:13pm Gloves ???? You buncha woosies !! Probably never got your hands dirty a miunute in your life !!

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Posted By: john b on eleven/xx/thirteen 06:23pm

RJsfishin wrote:

All the commercial shops and dealerships I worked at in the 60s and 70s all used solvent and compressed air. Some used powerwashers.
Me, I don't clean bearings anymore, simply when I did, I used gasoline and compressed air. This mean solar day and historic period, I just push in new grease, either w/ a brg packer, or EZ lube axles.

I totally concord with poster,been doing information technology this mode for fifty yearsjb solvent and air safely.

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Posted By: welove2drive on xi/20/xiii 06:39pm I apply compressed air to blow nigh of the old grease out of the begetting and and then brake clean to finish removing the last of the film. Works great.

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Dave and Marcia
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Posted By: dieseltruckdriver on 11/twenty/13 07:04pm About 30 years agone I read that whatsoever solvent left behind will contaminate the new grease, and to me information technology didn't make any sense to practise that to the new grease. After that I stopped cleaning them, and I haven't had any failures, ever.

I wipe the former off, inspect and manus pack. If yous don't leave the bearings loose or tighten them too much, and pack them properly, at that place won't be whatsoever impairment to the bearing.

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2000 F-250 seven.3 Powerstroke
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Posted By: jmanatee on 11/twenty/13 07:22pm

full_mosey wrote:

Gasoline.

HTH;
John

Ditto

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Jon

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Posted Past: downwards home on 11/20/thirteen 07:26pm Hnold the begetting in your mitt later on cleaning away all the grease you can and use the fingers to piece of work fresh greas in one side and the former out the other side.
A bearing packer or whatever it is chosen holds the bearing between two cones and yous connect a grease gun to the plumbing fixtures on spindle. It forces grease in one side and old grease out the other.

If y'all have grit or metal in the bearing or if information technology feels loose throw it abroad and get some other.

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Posted By: jmanatee on xi/xx/13 07:59pm Out of curiosity for those of you that just replace the bearing, Are you lot replacing the race too?

I was always under the impression that bearings and races were matched. If y'all have an sometime begetting and race they take worn together so repacking was ok. If you supercede the begetting and not the race it will article of clothing out the bearing faster.

Because races are pressed in its more work then just repacking a good bearing.

Besides. I take never had a correctly packed bearing go bad. Ever.

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Posted By: dieseltruckdriver on 11/20/thirteen 08:22pm

downward dwelling wrote:

Hnold the bearing in your hand after cleaning abroad all the grease you can and utilize the fingers to work fresh greas in one side and the erstwhile out the other side.
A bearing packer or whatever it is called holds the bearing between two cones and you connect a grease gun to the fitting on spindle. Information technology forces grease in one side and old grease out the other.

If yous accept grit or metallic in the bearing or if it feels loose throw it away and get another.

+ane to everything.

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Posted By: N6WT on 11/twenty/13 09:50pm

jmanatee wrote:

Out of curiosity for those of you lot that simply replace the bearing, Are you lot replacing the race as well?

I was e'er nether the impression that bearings and races were matched. If you have an old bearing and race they have worn together so repacking was ok. If y'all replace the begetting and not the race information technology volition wear out the bearing faster.

Because races are pressed in its more work so just repacking a proficient bearing.

Besides. I have never had a correctly packed bearing go bad. Ever.

I have ever replaced the race too if I supercede a begetting. I have never pressed them in, I use a race and seal driver and hammer them in.

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Posted By: N6WT on xi/20/13 09:56pm After reading all the replies I have decided to just utilize a bearing packer and button the quondam grease out.

I do like the idea of just replacing the bearings each fourth dimension but that would get expensive on my 3 beam toyhauler.

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Posted By: renoman69 on eleven/20/13 09:58pm Become a tin tin and fill information technology one-half way full of gasoline. Rut information technology slowly with a propane torch and put the bearings in. The old grease will slowly melt away. Then become into your house and call 911 to written report the burn in your garage. OMG! Toss them and buy new ones!

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Posted Past: Tim2542 on xi/20/13 11:47pm

K6DKO wrote:

After reading all the replies I have decided to just use a begetting packer and push the old grease out.

I exercise like the idea of but replacing the bearings each time but that would go expensive on my 3 axle toyhauler.

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Posted By: Tim2542 on xi/21/13 12:00am The inner race (behind the rollers) sees the highest loads (ii convex surfaces) and the highest speeds (smaller diameter), information technology's also where you lot will most likely observe pitting and information technology's the almost difficult expanse to audit and oftentimes not looked at.
Clean them, dry them, inspect them in skilful light, re-pack them. It's basic maintenance, there are no skilful short cuts.
If you lot want to supersede them every time get ahead, your notwithstanding gonna get your easily greasy packing the new ones, properly maintained they will go a million miles.
My dos centavos.

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Posted By: 69 Avion on 11/21/13 06:36am Make sure when you lot are repacking your bearings you put them back in the aforementioned hub. Mixing them upwardly isn't a practiced idea.

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Posted By: Pauljdav on xi/21/13 07:26am I did my boat bearings this summer but I accept not done my TT ones notwithstanding. I may just use the zerk for the TT bearings.

Overall the boat trailer was very easy. I used brake cleaner and air. I have since then read that air could be bad if the bearings spin dry. I was also concerned that if any brake cleaner was however in the bearing when I re greased them that it would swallow the new grease.

I actually needed to replace the inner bearings and re greased the outer ones.

I may merely simply use grease the next time instead of brake cleaner. BTW both wheels on my boat trailer had a slight rumbling sound when I spun them. Ane was significantly worse than the other, Ane was very hard to meet any impairment at all and I in fact re installed it but it still had a slight rumbling so I pulled information technology and replaced it. No more than rumbling.

Paul

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