How to clean 20 skate bearings in 30 minutes!

by XSFred

October 2003

Beating 30 minutes to clean 20 bearings only takes proper equipment and a little experience ; dexterity will help, but only so much. You must also appreciate to do this kind of things by yourself ; if not, do not read this - after all, there are other things in life.

Tools : you have to have the proper tools : the extractor I like is the one sold under the Salomon name ; others may be good, but this one is the total weapon, as it allows you to really rip the bearing off the wheel in a single move. This tool also is an excellent Allen key. WD-40 also is highly recommended, though I perfectly admit many other light lubricants will do. The WD-40 is not only efficient, it comes handy in a spray-with-thin-tube.

Previous experience : you must have done it before at least once. In this instance, you have taken off one flange per bearing, never to put it back again. The open side of each bearing must face the inner side of the wheels. This way, you will never need again to fool around with pins and whatnot to extract the C-rings and then put them back again. So we consider all your bearings only have one flange.

Additional equipment and environment : sink, lukewarm water, tissue paper, dish-washing liquid, toothbrush, old sponge,  big brush, your favorite Rock CD playing.

Bring your skates close to the sink ; prepare all the necessary equipment ; fill the sink halfway. Start the clock NOW !

Unscrew all 10 wheels with the Salomon Allen key ; throw the wheels and their screws into the lukewarm water. With the sponge, clean the frames and let them to drip. With the brush and generous amounts of washing liquid, clean the wheels quickly. Drop in water again.

With the extractor, rip off all 20 bearings, dropped in water again ; also drop the spacers in the same move. When all 10 wheels are done, rinse them under open tap and let to drip. Collect all 10 screws and spacers, make a heap in your hand, generously add liquid and gently roll them in both hands ; rinse under tap, let to drip.

Pick each bearing one per one ; pour liquid directly inside ; rest on the side of the sink ; pile up all 20 bearings full of liquid. Pick the toothbrush ; vigorously  clean the first bearing, then rinse with same toothbrush under the tap ; drop in water ; same with all 20 bearings.

When this is done, quality check time is up : pick each bearing, rinse again under tap water by presenting the flanged side UP and spinning the bearing : this way, if any dirt remnant is still in, it has a chance to merely fall off through the open side. Then spin again the bearing in the air to help evacuate water : listen carefully, any dirt speck will provoke an unpleasant noise instead of the famous "wheeeeeezzzz" of a clean bearing. Let to drip on a tissue, flanged side up. Again with all other bearings.

Rapidly wipe the 20 bearings with tissue paper : they do not need to be absolutely dry. Put them again on the tissue, flanged side down. Take the WD-40 spray and spray every bearing. The amount of oil poured has no importance at all : if you put too much, it will merely go away with centrifugal force.

Collect your wheels (which should be dry by now) and fit them with the bearings + spacers ; after each wheel is correctly fitted with two bearings, check again the quality of your work by spinning the wheel while holding it between two fingers (yes, I have long fingers) : again, the noise will tell you whether you did a good job. Pile up 10 fitted wheels.

Inspect each wheel : the very worn here, the less worn there ; make a choice between them to balance between your two skates. Take one skate and put 5 wheels in place ; put 5 screws in place ; spin all 5 wheels, tighten all 5 screws. If everything is right, all 5 wheels still spin when you are done ; if not, something is wrong and you should dismantle the faulty wheel again. This moment gives the final check : the exact sound of your frame with 5 perfectly spinning wheels should make you ecstatic. Same with other skate. Stop the clock, extract CD, go skating. I guarantee 30 minutes.

Side note : the steel of the bearing does not care much about clean water for a few hours ; it does care about dirt and humidity for days. You can very safely wash your bearings, providing you go skating soon after : this will take care of the rest of the water, which will readily evaporate.

What also helps is WD-40, which stands for "Water Displacement" : when poured over humid bearings, the WD-40 will "push out" the water ("displace" it), so that the steel will no longer be in contact with water, preventing corrosion.

XSFred

(Republished from rec.sport.skating.inline with permission from the author)

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