Sealed bearings - how to overhaul?

[SleepyCyclist]

Got some Zipp Vumaquad cranks and ceramic bearings (unexpected; they are beautiful cranks - if campy went to the 4 arm spider why didn't they do something like this?).

Anyways - the used set of bearings was really gritty when installed. Came with a new set so I installed those. Spins smooth.

These bb's are pricey so figured I'd overhaul the used set - never tried to clean/lube sealed bearings before. Seal off easily. Retainer ring? Really dirty inside. WD40 flush didn't do much. How to clean? Brake cleaner? What to lube with?

Thanks, M

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[rustychisel]

wash in kerosene bath... leave to dry... lube with light grease... they'll never be the same [anyway].

[FlashUNC]

IIRC those had a tendency to crack at the spider. Probably why they offset the 4 bolt at Shimano/Campy.

[cmg]

try using a de-greaser that has an orange smell.

was there a model number on the rubber seal? you can use bearing cups for a 30mm spindle. http://wheelsmfg.com/threaded-to-30mm-abec-3-bb-black.html For use with BB30 Wide 30mm diameter cranks with a spindle length of at least 104mm

zipp has probably spent all of their engineering design budget figuring out how to prevent removal of the bearing from the cup to force you to buy proprietary bearings. :)

[oldpotatoe]

[QUOTE=MandM;2089731]Got some Zipp Vumaquad cranks and ceramic bearings (unexpected; they are beautiful cranks - if campy went to the 4 arm spider why didn't they do something like this?).

Anyways - the used set of bearings was really gritty when installed. Came with a new set so I installed those. Spins smooth.

These bb's are pricey so figured I'd overhaul the used set - never tried to clean/lube sealed bearings before. Seal off easily. Retainer ring? Really dirty inside. WD40 flush didn't do much. How to clean? Brake cleaner? What to lube with?

Thanks, M(QUOTE)

The Zipp cranks are one BCD so no compact, mid compact and standard, correct? shimano and Campag, so you can do a variety of chainring combos, is why their design.

Take apart, clean, WD-40 is a great solvent, let dry, add grease, grease is ol in soap..BUT if they are still gritty, means the races are pitted(common with ceramic, non-hardened steel races)..chuck them and find stainless rather than ceramic.

[SleepyCyclist]

The Zipp cranks are one BCD so no compact, mid compact and standard, correct? shimano and Campag, so you can do a variety of chainring combos, is why their design.



110bcd on the Zipp's - standard and compact both fit the same spider.

Finding replacements, that's another story. There are custom CF chainrings for the WW crowd. Maybe Shimano 4 arm chainrings fit?

[El Chaba]

I'm batting about .300 for getting a cartridge that has gotten rough to ever clean up and be smooth again after it has reached that point. The fact that the cartridges are "sealed" often keeps moisture and damaging grit in the bearing track during operation instead of being run off outside. Combine that with the fact that many of these cartridge bearings are of Chinese manufacture and are very often made of substandard materials to substandard tolerances and it is a wonder that they don't fail outright more frequently. I usually look at it as an opportunity to go ahead and replace the bearing with a better quality one. The easiest way to do it is to get the bearing dimensions and type and get the genuine SKF replacement. They often cost 5 times what a generic bearing does, but the cost is still relatively low...and I am yet to replace any SKF bearing that I have installed as a replacement for myself or anybody else for whom I have done the procedure....

[SleepyCyclist]

If they don't clean up or are pitted - then any tips on how to remove?

Not much of a lip on the backside to punch it out.

I see the Wheel Manufacturing pullers:
http://wheelsmfg.com/presses-tools/bearing-extractors/6806-30mm-sealed-bearing-extractor.html

Any homemade options for extraction?

[Fatty]

If they are in fact easy to open up, pop the seals off, then you may want to open up your new set. Just to check, make sure there is an adequate amount of grease in there. Bearing manufacturers sure are sting with the grease lately.

[PaulE]

If they are in fact easy to open up, pop the seals off, then you may want to open up your new set. Just to check, make sure there is an adequate amount of grease in there. Bearing manufacturers sure are sting with the grease lately.

They are "lubricated for life" at the factory, and that lifespan may not meet up with your expectations (a self-fulfilling prophecy)!

[Fatty]

They are "lubricated for life" at the factory, and that lifespan may not meet up with your expectations (a self-fulfilling prophecy)!

I know. Life span of a housefly maybe.