best bearing lubrication?

[inmidair]

im curious to know what might be the best lubrication for the one-way bearing, all other bearings, and motor bearings?

please post what you know.

[HeliSmith]

I use Di-Electric grease on my one way bearing and on my dampers. I run my other bearings dry. I run my bearings dry because I am constantly tearing down at the field and they would collect dirt otherwise.

I wouldn't degrease or grease my motor unless I had a very pressing reason to do so.

If I wanted to know the right way I would ask Finless.

[Jermo]

The one-way assembly is made with needle bearings. Use a very light machine oil and keep them lubricated. Don't use grease IMHO.

I don't recall exactly where but the basics are that the way our one-way bearing is implemented is contrary to the manf. design for these bearings. In addition they suggest light machine oil for this design regardless of implementation. The information came from INA Bearing Corp.. I'll see if I can dig up the info again.

[HeliSmith]

I would take Jermo's advice over my own.

[HeliSmith]

You know it just dawned on my that I do not use Di-Electric grease on my one-way bearing I only use it on my dampers. I used graphite lock lubricant on my one way once and haven't had to since. I go through a butt load of main gears too! My one way bearing is perfect still though.

I do use machine oil on my tail slider but I do not lube anything else on my heli because of the dust where I fly.

Again I am not an authority here by any measure. This is what I do and I have hundreds of flights on my 450 and my bearings are going strong. I personally do not care if I wear out my bearings as I will just replace them. I just want to be able to slap parts off/on in the field without a lot of fuss. I even carry electric parts cleaner spray and flip my heli upside down and spray the head out good when I get dirt in my head. Then I dismantle and regrease my dampers.

[FBaity]

I use automatic transmission fluid and or Triflow.

[soneebee]

wont the ATF damage the plastics on the heli?

[Funky]

I use a teflon gun oil (Breakfree) on my one way bearing. Since I auto the Trex I need the head to spin as free as it can. Grease would slow it down compared to a light oil.

[Jermo]

it's not so much about wearing out the bearings as it is having an inflight failure..ie lockup.

Breakfree is an excellant lubricant for a wide temperature range. Please note it is a carcinagin<sp> (means may cause cancer) so handle with care.

I'm not sure on dry graphite lubricants as that wasn't mentioned in what I read.

[bugdozer]

I just picked up 'The Greaser' from Pete's Hobbies http://peteshobbies.com/prcp/Greaser...uy_greaser.htm Works very well for car/truck wheel bearings and I just greased my 450SE mains the other day. The Union 76 grease he sells really stays put in the bearings and will work very well in dusty environments as the grease keep the dust out much better than oil.

[inmidair]

interesting. i would not run any bearings dry. but if you are replacing them often then they are not dry.
i crashed in dirt the other week and had to clean the dust off my bearings with alcohol and it took all the lube out. i have some rc car trinity oil that i use, but i was wondering what is the best out there to use. yes i agree on light oil in the one way jermo.
after the crash in the dirt i oiled the motor, then soon after it started squeling very loud. i have upgraded to the XL now.

i was more hoping to hear specific brands of oil specially used for bearings.
i received some tri-flow today and to my surprise it is very light. im sceptical to how this wont just fly out of the bearing at high rpms. i do think it will be a good bearing cleaner because it will just come out and bring dirt and dust with it though.

[amf]

The gun lube Breakfree mentioned earlier is a very good lube. I use it on my bearings and shafts. Just make sure that you shake it well before application.

I am also trying LRP's "Blue Factor" lube specifically made for bearings. A bit thinner than Breakfree.

[EVO76]

I heard from my lhs to use atf SPARINGLY on the one way, after I had greased it figures!!!

[Pinecone]

Not all bearings are well greased from the facotry. When I use The Greaser to do new mains, very little, if any, grease comes out before the red Union 76 stuff comes out.

I use Triflow for the one way, tail slider, washout block and swash. The Greaser and Union 76 grease for bearings.

Oil on bearings may wash the grease out causing problems.

[WillJames]

Tri-Flo on the one way.

[trireme]

I too have been using small amounts of Triflow...

I wouldnt worry about dust getting into the bearing becuase you lubed it, they are lubed when you buy them.... so unless you have been soaking them in paint thinner before you go out....

My spin down is really long..... easiely 4-5 seconds of good head speed, and about 30 seconds of rotations.... really smooth compared to my old heli.

[inmidair]

Originally Posted by Pinecone

Not all bearings are well greased from the facotry. When I use The Greaser to do new mains, very little, if any, grease comes out before the red Union 76 stuff comes out.

I use Triflow for the one way, tail slider, washout block and swash. The Greaser and Union 76 grease for bearings.

Oil on bearings may wash the grease out causing problems.

pinecone, did you get "the greaser" from ready heli? i may have seen it there. where can i find union 76?
or is the greaser just a union 76 applying tube or something?

[WillJames]

I have always heard that the downside of packing the bearings with grease and the greaser instead of oil can cause the balls to skid. I believe this info came from John Garst when he looked at my Spectra-G at some point.. I have also used The Greaser when I flew 3 R-90's and crashed a lot and was short on funds.

Now I usually just replace the main bearings when I crash or when they get knotchy. I don't really lube them at all with anything. On a bad crash I have been known to replace every bearing that needs it.

This is the Greaser and it is available at Pete's Hobbies. www.peteshobbies.com
Pete's also sells the U76 Grease. It works pretty cool and you can see a lot of bad grease coming out when you grease with it.

http://peteshobbies.com/prcp/Greaser...uy_greaser.htm

[inmidair]

i see. your right. if a bearing comes to a point where it needs to be lubed, i might as well just replace the bugger! a new bearing is always better than a freshly oiled/greased one.

i will just stick with tri-flow for the one-way, and the rc car trinity oil for the rotating shafts.

[Pinecone]

That is the one, from Pete's Hobbies.

I don't relube bearings, I lube new bearings before they are installed. And almost no grease comes out of a new bearing.