Pivot bearing lubing

[charlieking97]

I know its a bit of stupid question, but what would be ideal for lubing up the pivot bearings in my Intense TracerVP? They are just getting a bit creaky. I really dont want to have to do this often has the bolts are very good at loosening themselves, so I dont want to be opening it up so often. So I want to use the best lube straight up. Thanks in advance for the help

 

[T-Rex]

Waterproof marine grease AKA boat grease.

But you need to put it in when the bearings are new, in place of whatever grease the bearings come with standard. If your bearings are creaking now, too late, you need to replace them.

Put marine grease in your new set, they will last heaps longer.

 

[Mitch243]

Waterproof marine grease AKA boat grease.

What I use for literally everything except my chain. Get a dirty big syringe and squirt that blue goodness everywhere.

 

[charlieking97]

I'll squirt away on the weekend. I thought new ones might be an the best way to go. Now just to find someone who sells the bearing kits

EDIT - i'll check out the bearing codes when I get the chance

 

[Camby88]

I'll squirt away on the weekend. I thought new ones might be an the best way to go. Now just to find someone who sells the bearing kits

EDIT - i'll check out the bearing codes when I get the chance

You should be able to get a kit for your bike at diymtb.com.au, eBay, local shop etc. When they say use grease, they also mean do not spray the pivots, or any other bearings, with WD40 or any other liquid lubricant, as this will remove the grease or at the least not help.

 

[The Duckmeister]

See if there's a locally-accessible industrial bearing shop - they'll charge you a lot less for exactly the same bearings than the bike-oriented channels will. (I work in a bike shop.... I source many bearings from my local bearing shop at vastly cheaper retail prices than the bike wholesalers sell them for!)

 

[charlieking97]

Excellent. There is a bearing shop just a few k's away. Is inox or lanox good for the bearings?

 

[T-Rex]

Just to clarify my earlier post about using boat grease in new pivot bearings etc, you want to pick the sides out of the new (cartridge) brearings with a small jewellers screwdriver or similar, clean out the existing grease with degreaser or brake cleaner, then repack them with boat grease and reinsert the sides. Usually you can cram in a lot more grease than they come with standard, which is good.

This practice is also recommended for headset bearings, but not BBs or wheel bearings, as boat grease is heavy and sticky. A wheel packed with boat grease will roll noticably slower than normal, for example.

EDIT: Also grease the outside of the bearing and the recess you are pressing them into, makes it easier to get them out next time.

 

[charlieking97]

Just to clarify my earlier post about using boat grease in new pivot bearings etc, you want to pick the sides out of the new (cartridge) brearings with a small jewellers screwdriver or similar, clean out the existing grease with degreaser or brake cleaner, then repack them with boat grease and reinsert the sides. Usually you can cram in a lot more grease than they come with standard, which is good.

This practice is also recommended for headset bearings, but not BBs or wheel bearings, as boat grease is heavy and sticky. A wheel packed with boat grease will roll noticably slower than normal, for example.

EDIT: Also grease the outside of the bearing and the recess you are pressing them into, makes it easier to get them out next time.

Sure thing mate. Thanks again. No bearing pullers/presses needed for such bearings?

 

[T-Rex]

Sure thing mate. Thanks again. No bearing pullers/presses needed for such bearings?

Depends on the bike. I've always just used a combination of sockets, washers and bolts, which is pretty ghetto. I'd love a proper set of bearing removers, but I don't really change bearings often enough to justify it....... but my birthday is coming up...... .... mmm......:nod:

 

[charlieking97]

i might just borrow the local shop's kits set for the weekend. Thanks for all the tips fellas

 

[bh78]

i might just borrow the local shop's kits set for the weekend. Thanks for all the tips fellas

Well worth getting a blind bearing puller to do the job. I've just used one I bought from eBay. No way would I have got the bearings out with a hammer and punch. One of the bearings was rusted in and had to be pulled out in pieces. Behind the bearing was tapered in further restricting access.

 

[charlieking97]

Well worth getting a blind bearing puller to do the job. I've just used one I bought from eBay. No way would I have got the bearings out with a hammer and punch. One of the bearings was rusted in and had to be pulled out in pieces. Behind the bearing was tapered in further restricting access.

I have had to do some bodgey jobs to remove bearings before. 7 year old pivot bearings where the seal had been misshaped and the internals were falling apart. Bearing puller wouldn't help. Now there is a small hole drilled in the frame to force it out with a screwdriver. Thankfully it was just a cheap frame. I am definitely going for a puller kit for this job

 

[placebo]

Have you injected grease into the pivots through the grease nipples on the frame using a grease gun? If that's not helping than definitely new bearings.

 

[charlieking97]

Have you injected grease into the pivots through the grease nipples on the frame using a grease gun? If that's not helping than definitely new bearings.

I still havent had a chance to look into it at all. Getting a good edumacation and working tomorrow. Hopefully this weekend will run smoothly and the Tracer get get a clean up, where I will check out the bearings.