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 the products, they are released in the form of enclosed structures. Of course, mechanical pollution does not get inside, but the master for preventive work cannot get there either. The latter are necessary to maintain the working state of the mechanism. You will learn from the article how to lubricate a sealed bearing and how to do it.
Acquaintance
Before you are interested in how to lubricate sealed bearings, you should understand what they are? The bearing is a nodal 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 lubricate the rollers or balls that rotate in the inside of the cage. When lubricating sealed bearings, you will have difficulty. Nevertheless, there are ways to cope with this task. Read more about them below.
About closed mechanisms
Before sealing the structure, installing the seal and the retaining ring, a special lubricant is packed into its internal part. It meets 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 sealed bearing is exhausted, it is simply replaced. So that it does not fail for a long time, many masters extend the operational resource by artificial means, namely, they periodically treat the rollers with one or another lubricant.
About grease with disassembly. Where to begin?
Before lubricating sealed bearings, they must be disassembled. At this point you will need a screwdriver, an awl or a needle. First, the o-ring is pulled off, carefully removed from the groove and removed. If there is no ring in the knot mechanism that fixes the seal, use a sharp object to pry off the edge of the washer. According to experts, after such actions, dents may form on the seal, namely its inner surface. This should not be allowed, since through them during further operation of the bearing, dirt will enter the mechanism. In addition, in the knot mechanism with dents, there is a rapid leakage of lubricant.
Progress
For those who do not know how to lubricate sealed bearings, experienced craftsmen recommend that you do the following. After the knot mechanism is disassembled, you need to remove the old grease. For this purpose, gasoline is ideal. After thorough washing, the inner surface of the bearing must be dried with compressed air. During the procedure, residual dirt is removed. To check how you cleaned the bearing, simply twist it. If you did everything right, then spinning, it will not produce a crunch.
Next, a new lubricant is clogged into the mechanism. Those who are interested in how to lubricate sealed bearings, experts advise to fill 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, refit the bearing with a sealant and snap it into place or secure it with the snap ring in the groove.
How to lubricate a sealed bearing without disassembling?
According to experts, this method is suitable for non-separable nodal mechanisms in which the sealant is presented in the form of a metal washer. For 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 correspond to the outer diameter of the seal. The essence of this procedure is the formation of excess pressure of the lubricant with its further penetration into the gaps between the seal and the cage. Judging by the numerous reviews, this method is considered quite time-consuming and not very reliable. According to experts, the internal part of the mechanism will not always be processed with a sufficient amount of lubricants, and this, in turn, will negatively affect the operational resource. For car owners who are interested in how to lubricate a sealed bearing on the wheel hub, a new generation of special greases is being produced today. According to the manufacturer, using these materials, you will significantly extend the service of these nodal elements.
