Superlube or White Lithium Grease - Page 2

TrevorW · #21 29-05-2011, 08:51 PM

Try Teflon grease used on bike chains, gears etc

bartman (Bart) · #22 29-05-2011, 09:34 PM

Heya Trevor,
The SuperLube contains PTFE, which apparently is Teflon ( but spelled in a funny way

the 'p' must stand for "add 'lon' and mix the other letters)
I haven't continued yet with regressing the bearings until this thread dies.
If anything I will have a look at the local bikeshop and see what they have.
Cheers
Bartman

[1ponders] (Paul) · #23 29-05-2011, 10:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by multiweb

Not a chance. Unless it's a really bad grease. You'll have to sand that DEC shaft to get rid of the bearing tracks. If the shaft is marked like this then the bearings have to be worse and need changing. I reckon this mount coped some serious water contamination.

That's what I thought. The mount is around 7years old and two years ago it was sent away for a regrease and service. This is the first time I've looked at it since it came back. The large round aluminium bushes that sits inside the large round taper bearings under the large gear had grooves worn in it from the edges of the bearings. I'll have to see if losmandy have replacements for it. I've lightly sanded the edges but there is a significant gap now between the edges of the aluminum bush and bearings. I'd replace the roller bearings inside the axis' but I they are press fitted and I doubt I have the tools to remove them.

These bearing are very different to the EQ6 ones Bart but I'd imaging the same rules apply. The idea is to lubricate, not pack (they aren't car wheel bearings). If I get a chance tomorrow to get a pick I'll grab one, but the roller bearings are press fitted in the axis bore and not easy to get, a piccie of the amount of grease could be a challenge but. I'll see what I can do though. If you were to look at it though you wouldn't see any obvious lumps of grease.

this might help
http://www.astro-baby.com/EQ6%20rebu...own%20Home.htm

multiweb (Marc) · #24 29-05-2011, 10:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by [1ponders]

That's what I thought. The mount is around 7years old and two years ago it was sent away for a regrease and service. This is the first time I've looked at it since it came back. The large round aluminium bushes that sits inside the large round taper bearings under the large gear had grooves worn in it from the edges of the bearings. I'll have to see if losmandy have replacements for it. I've lightly sanded the edges but there is a significant gap now between the edges of the aluminum bush and bearings. I'd replace the roller bearings inside the axis' but I they are press fitted and I doubt I have the tools to remove them.

The aluminium bushes are part of the bearing. That's the bearing track. Doesn't matter if it's marked. You get two new ones when you buy a new bearing anyway. The important thing is that the shaft marking are not too deep as to still show even after a light sanding. Otherwise you have to get a new shaft and that could be an expensive exercise. To recap bearings are consumables, you lub them then change them if needed. No big deal. If you got the wrong type of grease then wear happens and if the bearings start wearing out other critical mechanical parts in the mount then you have an (expensive) problem. It only takes 1min tops to remove a DEC or RA shaft on a G11 and check the bearings, or spray a bit of WD40 in there and run them with your fingers. You could do that every month if you wanted to. No need to even remove the worm blocks for a quick service.

bartman (Bart) · #25 29-05-2011, 10:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by [1ponders]

this might help
http://www.astro-baby.com/EQ6%20rebu...own%20Home.htm

Thanks Paul, that link is one of the reasons why I asked about the 'packing' of bearings. In my #5 post I mentioned her link. In this part of her rebuild 3/4 down the page you will see how much grease is on the taper bearing....this is what confused me. It looks to me like its PACKED!!!!!
So hence the confusion

.
To me -yours, Adam,David and Marc et al, make more sense than what she has done. ( BTW she must have been nervous doing this cause she has bitten all her nails to the bone

)

Bartman

Visionoz (Bill) · #26 29-05-2011, 10:58 PM

Hey Bart

I use the same SuperLube grease (gel in a grey tube) - the best way is to use "just enough" for the tapered roller bearings; ie not too much, not too little - I think what you has shown in the picture which you did for yours looks OK to go; just MHO

HTH
Cheers
Bill

bartman (Bart) · #27 29-05-2011, 11:53 PM

Heya Bill,
ummm in those pics I packed and packed till it was squeezing out the other end of the bearing. Maybe the pics didnt show it to well?
I really over did it!

Now I'm even more confused!!!!!!

Eventhough what I said in post #25 (" make more sense than what she has done") , I cant see why packing it full of grease would do it harm now that I have thought about it a bit more. Its slow rotating.
Yes I can understand that more grease might attract more particles that could contaminate it (including H2O)....but the mount ( or should I say bearing enclosures) is more or less sealed.?

I'm still going with the thin approach and see how that goes.
eventually.........
Bartman

Brundah1 (David) · #28 30-05-2011, 04:57 PM

G'day Ponders,

The dried grease on the shaft does look very old - re-greased two years ago? I doubt it! Grease takes quite some time to get that hard. That type of hard grease residue can occur on wheel bearings subject to water ingress (eg car wheel bearings, but they involve the heat factor was well).

Read the Mobil One PDS - one very important characteristic - it resists "water washout"!

However when you apply just a smear of grease as has been discussed, there will be a very small "reservoir" of oil in the grease applied, so clay based greases such as wheel bearing grease will dry out prematurely.

Have you tried acetone to soften the residue? I'd be reluctant to get too heavy handed with wet and dry paper as you may do permanent injury to the close tolerance components.

So back on the synthetic grease - remember in operation this stuff spreads easily, so use "just a smear". I doubt Mobil One Grease will ever dry out, but use too much and it will sure leak out!

Hope that helps,

David

[1ponders] (Paul) · #29 30-05-2011, 05:44 PM

thanks David, but the wet and dry was for a heavily gouged enter bush

and just to take the sharp edges off. I won't be taking it to the shaft anytime soon. All the old grease finally came out and the bearings are moving freely. I'll be getting replacements for if possible as soon as possible. The only ones that worry me to get out are the press fitted ones in the RA and Dec.

Yeah that's what I thought, regreased??? I don't think so. Original grease from 7 years ago more like it.

Visionoz (Bill) · #30 30-05-2011, 09:18 PM

Yep the photos do lie!

"Just enough" mate! If you look at layer of grease you had covering on the outside of the rollers in the pic (assuming that you didn't pack all that other amount elsewhere - you probably followed Beevo's tute), I supoose you give that a twirl around a few times and that would spread nice and even and that's it mate!

Even if you had it packed full it just would be a bit "sticky" causing stiction but I don't reckon that's going to ruin the movement of the rotation at all as the servo motor has a lot of torque and the Superlube is not like treacle/molasses and become very very viscous and sticky over time - haven't seen this kind of grease doing it anyway before - I might be wrong and I'm sure if that's the case it'll be pointed out by others with more expertise that I!

HTH
Cheers
Bill

Quote:

Originally Posted by bartman

Heya Bill,
ummm in those pics I packed and packed till it was squeezing out the other end of the bearing. Maybe the pics didnt show it to well?
I really over did it!

Now I'm even more confused!!!!!!

......

I'm still going with the thin approach and see how that goes.
eventually.........
Bartman

Brundah1 (David) · #31 30-05-2011, 11:03 PM

Ponders wrote
"The only ones that worry me to get out are the press fitted ones in the RA and Dec."

Yes me too, an old style "solid" bearing puller should do the trick. If it still won't budge apply low heat from a gas torch to only the bearing and try the puller again.

Better still if you have a local engine builder, they may have a 20T press and bearing plates - then again how much clearance is there?

I'm sure you would agree, nothing worse than hammer bruises on you beaut Losmandy shaft!

BTW thanks for those pics of the G11 Mechano set.

D

[1ponders] (Paul) · #32 31-05-2011, 06:50 AM

I very much doubt there would be a hammer come anywhere near that lovely finish. I'm sure one of the machine shops in town would be able to remove them and then replace the new ones.

Yeah i love the way the G8 and 11 just fall apart and go back together. I could likely do a disassemble and reassemble in my sleep these days.

I particularly like how once the motors are removed the whole lot can be immersed in degreaser and then washed in warm soapy water then rinsed, dried and regreased. Makes it too easy.

multiweb (Marc) · #33 31-05-2011, 09:15 AM

Hmm...couple of things here...

1_ I wouldn't apply heat to the bearing. It will expand. To place large bearings in mining equipment (10kg and over) we used to keep them in the freezer for a couple of hours then drop them in place. Besides the inside of the RA shaft is some kind of very soft metal, likely bronze..

2_ Very easy to get a bearing out. You just need to tap it gently. As long as it's square to the tube it's fitted in it will slide.

In the worst case scenario if the bearing is sticking to the walls you can use a small press to crack the seal but my guess is that a few gentle taps will dislodge it. Then it will move.

Just get a long threaded rod from Bunnings or other hardware store, let's say 500m long, M14 and two nuts. Cut a little piece of steel that would be just a bit under the diameter of the bearing and thread it in the middle with the rod attached. Then all you need is a heavier piece of tube (mass) to hammer/tap against the other nut. You'll get it out no problem.

If this still doesn't work there are a number of tools to remove bearings that you can find in any automotive mechanical shop.

Good luck.

[1ponders] (Paul) · #34 31-05-2011, 11:43 AM

I reacon I could just about manage that Marc. How about seating them back in? I like your idea of putting them in the freezer for a couple of hours.

Zaps · #35 31-05-2011, 03:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bartman

Thanks Paul, that link is one of the reasons why I asked about the 'packing' of bearings. In my #5 post I mentioned her link. In this part of her rebuild 3/4 down the page you will see how much grease is on the taper bearing....this is what confused me. It looks to me like its PACKED!!!!!
So hence the confusion

.
To me -yours, Adam,David and Marc et al, make more sense than what she has done. ( BTW she must have been nervous doing this cause she has bitten all her nails to the bone

)

Bartman

One of those howtos is basically nothing more than a copy of the other, so it's not surprising they both used similar quantities of grease.

multiweb (Marc) · #36 31-05-2011, 03:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by [1ponders]

I reacon I could just about manage that Marc. How about seating them back in? I like your idea of putting them in the freezer for a couple of hours.

Do you have a mate of yours who has a lathe? You could get a block of plastic machined as a cylinder to knock them out and back in.

[1ponders] (Paul) · #37 31-05-2011, 04:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by multiweb

Do you have a mate of yours who has a lathe? You could get a block of plastic machined as a cylinder to knock them out and back in.

I could likely find a piece of PVC or poly pipe the right diameter

multiweb (Marc) · #38 31-05-2011, 05:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by [1ponders]

I could likely find a piece of PVC or poly pipe the right diameter

Could work but you need a big enough surface to hammer on with a rubber mallet and something that's not going to flare in the shaft and transfer the shock to the bearing exposed surface. Tube wall might be too thin.

We had some soft plastic bits. They're between plastic and rubber kind of material. Polypipe might be a bit too hard and brittle.

Anyway whichever way you're going to do this take your time, keep everything inline and it'll come out nicely once it starts moving. Bearings are not rocket science. The only time they'll jam is if you kink them off axis and they bite in. Then you're gone. So litlle taps, bits by bits. You'll feel it when you do it.

Another thing that might help is a bit of acetone in a syringe and wet the line between the bearing and the bronze, let it soak. That should help loosen up any stiction to start with. Acetone gets into anything by capillarity.

[1ponders] (Paul) · #39 31-05-2011, 05:43 PM

Ok so I might have to go for Class 12 or high pressure

I hear what your saying about the brittleness of the bar. I have experienced the odd, one or three off center removals and putting back ons, over the years so I know where you are coming from there. Nothing like trying to get two bits of similar smooth material to part company when they jam. Glass springs to mind

Ok i'll remember the acetone

peter_4059 (Peter) · #40 31-05-2011, 06:28 PM

Paul,

I'm not sure of the arrangement of the bearings that you are talking about but I had issues with my EQ6 and Bob Grimes made a tool to remove and re-install them. This really made light work of it. Have a look in this thread

http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/s...ight=hypertune