How to lubricate sealed bearings: tips and tricks from experts

2024 Author: Henry Conors | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-12 02:39

The production of bearings directly depends on the conditions in which they are used. For example, if there is a risk that an aggressive environment can have a detrimental effect on the inner surface of products, they are produced in the form of closed structures. Of course, mechanical pollution does not get inside, but the master cannot get there to carry out maintenance work. The latter are necessary to maintain the working condition of the mechanism. Read this article to find out if a sealed bearing needs to be lubricated and how to do it.

Introduction

Before you wonder how to lubricate sealed bearings, you should understand what they are? The bearing is a key element in mechanisms containing moving or rotating parts. According to experts, it is the design of open bearings that is adapted for maintenance. This means that you can easily apply the appropriate lubricant to rollers or balls thatrotate in the inner part of the cage. When lubricating sealed type bearings, you will have difficulty. However, there are ways to cope with this task. More on them below.

About closed type mechanisms

Before sealing the structure, installing the seal and the fixing ring, a special lubricant is stuffed into its inside. It corresponds to the conditions in which the bearing will be operated. Thus, the lubricant is designed for a certain period, during which the uninterrupted operation of the product is guaranteed. If the resource of a closed bearing is exhausted, it is simply replaced. So that it does not fail for a long time, many craftsmen artificially extend the service life, namely, they periodically process the rollers with one or another lubricant.

About disassembly lubrication. Where to start?

Enclosed bearings must be disassembled before being lubricated. At this stage, you will need a screwdriver, an awl or a needle. First, the sealing ring is pryed off, carefully removed from the groove and removed. If there is no ring fixing the seal in the nodal mechanism, pry off the edge of the washer with some sharp object. According to experts, after such actions, dents may form on the seal, namely its inner surface. This should not be allowed, because through them during the further operation of the bearing, dirt will enter the mechanism. In addition, the dented linkage is rapidly leaking lubricant.

Progress of work

For those who do not know how to lubricate sealed bearings, experienced craftsmen recommend doing the following. After the nodal mechanism is disassembled, you need to remove the old grease. Gasoline is ideal for this purpose. After thorough rinsing, the inner surface of the bearing must be dried with compressed air. During the procedure, the remaining dirt is removed. To check how you have cleaned the bearing, just twist it. If you did everything right, then spinning, it will not produce a crunch.

Further, new grease is clogged into the mechanism. For those who are interested in how to lubricate sealed bearings, experts advise filling no more than 70% of the volume of the nodal element. This means that the space in the bearing between the rolling elements must not be completely filled. At the very end, fit the bearing back with a seal and snap it in or fix it with a circlip in the groove.

How to lubricate a sealed bearing without disassembly?

According to experts, this method is suitable for non-separable nodal mechanisms in which the seal is presented in the form of a metal washer. To work, you will need a medical syringe or a tight-fitting sleeve containing an internal piston.

It is important that the diameters of these devices match the outer diameter of the seal. The essence of this procedure is the formation of excesslubricant pressure with its further penetration into the gaps between the seal and the holder. Judging by the numerous reviews, this method is considered quite laborious and not very reliable. According to experts, the inner part of the mechanism will not always be treated with a sufficient amount of lubricants, and this, in turn, will negatively affect the operational life. For car owners who are interested in how to lubricate the closed bearing on the wheel hub, special new-generation lubricants are being released today. According to the manufacturer, using these materials will significantly extend the life of these key elements.

In conclusion

Many experts recommend checking a sealed bearing before using it as a preventive measure. To do this, you need to disassemble the nodal mechanism. If you have the appropriate tool, you can do this task quickly without causing any special damage to the product. However, most home craftsmen use improvised tools for this purpose. As a result of inept actions in the bearing, the protective circuit is damaged, the stuffing box is bent or the locking ring is broken. This explains why, for packing with lubricant, many craftsmen try not to violate its factory integrity in the bearing.