Need Bearing Cleaning Help

[chips and more]

I have a cleaning project. It's two precision angular contact bearings that are coated in old dried grease. The bearings have phenolic cages. How do I clean the bearings? I'm not going to ultrasonic clean them. If you read the proper web sites and from my own costly mistake, ultrasonic cleaning is a bad idea for precision bearings. I'm soaking them in kerosene for now. Any ideas and won't hurt the phenolic.

[kvt85]

Soak,  then pull them out and spin them then repeat the process, That way each time you spin them around with it helps loosen up the old grease and moves it around.

[TerryWerm]

+1 to what Ken said. Kerosene is a decent solvent and should loosen up everything pretty well.

I am really glad to know that you did your research and chose NOT to use an ultrasonic cleaner. They are great cleaning devices but they have their limitations and drawbacks too. Precision bearings don't belong in them.

[34_40]

My cleaning solvent of choice is Mineral Spirits, but Kero is good too.  When you pull'em out to inspect progress,  blast'em with WD40 aerosol spray,  it'll help get in behind the buildup.  My point oh two.

[chips and more]

I just tried some 91% alcohol. Boy did that work good!!! Thanks for all the help!

[Adasha_Machining]

My major cleaning solution in the shop is a 50/50 acetone and 99% isopropyl alcohol.
The acetone adds a kick to alcohols cleaning ability and the alcohol helps the acetone not flash off so quick.
Also, the alcohol by itself is very good for a gentler clean as acetone can be quite harsh.

However, when I clean up a machine, I'll throw the components in the parts cleaner with mineral spirits and a nylon brush.
Compressed air or the aerosol wd40 for push the gunk out - avoid spinning the bearing at any rate of speed.

I have been known to put bearings in the ultrasonic cleaner for a moment or two for a final flush. No issues found.

[chips and more]

I have also noticed that when I use my shop air the bearing doesn't turn smooth? Not a crazy spin with the air, just with my fingers and a partial turn. When I use canned air the bearing spins smooth. I guess my shop air is dirty? And for a last flush I'm going to try starting fluid (ether). As for doing all of this in a clean room, what's a clean room? LOL

[34_40]

Back "in the day", a shop I was working at we would use virgin Freon for flushing bearings. Now a container of R22 is 3 grand! Can't get R14 easily. Who knew?

[4GSR]

The last thing you want to do is spin any bearing using air.  And don't spin if there is crud catching on the balls. Rock the bearing back and forth slightly to dislodge the crud along with flushing the bearing with solvent. A blast of compressed air will also help dislodge crud too.

It makes sense about not using ultrasonic cleaners for cleaning bearings.  The vibration causes the balls to scratch the surfaces of the races as well as on the balls, too.

[34_40]

Another home brew cleaner is acetone and any auto transmission fluid. Cuts the grime nicely and leaves a protective layer after.

[chips and more]

Well, I cleaned and cleaned and just short of using my ultrasonic cleaner, I could not get the last residual crud off the bearings. I could see it with a loupe and feel it when turning the bearings.

I'm trying to clean a matched set of precision angular contact bearings that are $$$$. Being an angular contact bearing one side has a higher race than the other side. I made two blocks so I could push the bearing apart. And with my rear end puckered knowing the money involved and a slight nudge of my small press, it came apart with no problem. I was surprised at how easy it was. And then it was even easier to clean the crud off. A light coat of grease and press the bearing back together. I didn't heat or freeze any of this operation. If I should have oh well.

It's all back together and turns nice and smooth now.

Thank you for all your input