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CLEANING BEARINGS

There is a pretty good (but incomplete) demonstration of how to clean bearings on the Rollerblade website.http://www.rollerblade.com/site/skate_maintenance.php?site=5&lang=1

To that information I would add the following: The "bladetool" that they are talking about comes with the skates. Manufacturers other than Rollerblade supply similar devices. Hopefully you can still find the proper tool because, if not, you may have a tough time removing the bearings and spacers without causing damage to them. For removing the C-rings a small jeweller's screwdriver works even better than the thumbtack. It is only necessary to remove the C-ring and shield from one side of the bearing. The bearings will still clean up fine. Racers never replace the C-rings and shields –they simply turn the open side toward the centre of the wheel. Cleaning will be easier next time.

You can use a solvent like Turpentine or paint thinner for a "bearing cleaner" or get some environmentally friendly stuff at a bike shop. I use "Releasall", a biodegradable de-greaser and parts cleaner, that I get at Canadian Tire. I like to wipe all the visible dirt off the bearings before rinsing them at least twice. For the first rinse I use the old cleaner from my last cleaning session (which I have run through a coffee filter and saved). Quite a bit of agitation in the cleaner is usually required. I use a couple of water bottles for this -the type that they give away at races. This way, I can shake the container containing the bearings, spacers and axles without losing any cleaner. Sometimes (but not often) it is necessary to soak the bearings for a while, especially if they were packed with grease when they were made. For the second rinse I use new cleaner. I don't recommend letting bearings soak for long in "Releasall". An annoying residue will build up. Do not soak aluminium parts in "Releasall" for too long -they will get gummed up. To free up a seized bearing -try squeezing the centre hub with your fingers (hard) and rolling the outside edge of the bearing on a piece of wood. You know the bearings are clean when they will spin freely in your fingers (hold the inside hub with your thumb and index finger and spin the bearing with the other hand). If a bearing cannot be made to spin freely it must be replaced. I like to give my bearings a final rinse in methyl hydrate (gas line antifreeze) to clean up the residue from the cleaner –but this may be going overboard. I use a hair dryer to dry the bearings so that I don’t have to wait too long before I can add the lubricant.

A lot of inline racers use sewing machine oil to lubricate their bearings. It is available at stores that sell and service sewing machines for under $4 for a lifetime supply. Use only 1 drop per bearing. Spin the bearing after adding the oil.

It usually takes one outing to have all your wheels spinning like new. Don't worry too much if the wheels don't spin like new right away. After your first skate see if all the wheels are spinning well. If not, it is now time to investigate.