<VV> re:cleaning rings

[djtcz at comcast.net]

Several ball/roller bearing manufacturers publish bearing cleaning recommendations.  Something like, don't clean new bearings, and only clean used bearings with non non-clorinated, non evaporating solvents.  The  ball and race surfaces are very highly finished and made from low impurity steel in order to survive the repetitive high stresses at and below the contact ellipse.  Unprotected steel rusts almost invisibly real quick, and a blast of air  laden with moisture sprays on a blush of corrosion that cuts deeply into the fatigue life of the contact surfaces.  Debris crushed into the surfaces creates similar stress concentrations too.

I use kerosene or diesel in my cleaning tank, what ever's cheaper.  For final cleaning it is equipped with a big car gas filter, probably good to a little better than 10 microns, and I fill a clean can for flushing after letting  the main tank settle overnite.  That is not really clean enough for ball and roller bearings, but it is the best I can do.
--
Dan Timberlake

-------------- Original message -------------- 
Message: 3
Date: Sun, 4 Jun 2006 09:37:40 +0200
From: "Nick Elzinga" <starship at worldonline.co.za>
Subject: <VV> Cleaning Bearings
To: "Virtual Vairs" <virtualvairs at corvair.org>
Message-ID: <000101c687a9$c33f34c0$640aa8c0 at Office>
Content-Type: text/plain;	charset="US-ASCII"

I maintain that the best medium for cleaning bearings is kerosene.  Having
said that I've used gasoline / petrol and I've used engine degreaser and a
blast of water.  I may even have used diesel once in the absence of anything
else.  I like kerosene for cleaning bearings, as it has lubricating
properties (being a thin oil) and it prevents the balls / rollers / needles
getting stuck in the race and it doesn't evaporate before the job is done.
I've never suffered any ill effects using kerosene for the task.

On another list I got shot down in flames for suggesting kerosene, the
argument being that this is also used as a cutting agent and that it is also
difficult to remove.  I don't understand the association with cutting
agents.  Water is a cutting agent too and that was something the other guy
suggested if degreaser and water washing could be tolerated. He also
suggested then cleaning in gas and drying with compressed air which is all
very well if you have a compressor.  One isn't cutting anything when
cleaning a bearing and paper towel will remove all but the thinnest film of
kerosene.

So, I'm looking for some input on the matter.  How do you clean bearings?

Nick