This youtube video, like most others on your channel, is incredibly organized, describes what to do and why you do it thouroughly. This is by far my favorite skateboarding channel.
I haven't been on a skateboard in at least fifty years, but this video is an excellent example of a thoughtful, effective instructional video. Well done.
thats because new ball bearings are usually packed with grease because it will last longer and protect from wear better. These bearings are also considered maintenance free. The problem is that the grease causes drag which in this application you don't want. So by using a lighter lubricant and cleaning and lubricating more often, you can get less drag and protect the bearing. But this is no longer a maintenance free bearing.
After watching this video, I decided to try and make my own cleaning kit. It wasn't nearly as hard as I thought it would be, and required only household items. Having just bought a penny board with a Abec-7 bearings I really wanted bones bearings. I looked in the garage and found a 9 year old board that had been left in the rain through the years and had really just been tortured. I took the bones off of that board in hopes off restoring them through the process shown in the video. To my amazement, my wheels can spin for over 30 seconds now with the old bones bearings! When my penny first arrived, I could only get a wheel spin with the Abec-7's for around ten seconds. I would highly recommend to anyone who has watched this video, to give it a try.
Found this video randomly in RUclips when looking for a way to clean my bearings. Very informative and I was able to retain the info. My Spaceballs bearings have spacers built in so I could only clean 4 at a time in my Oust kit but it worked just fine. The orange liquid was black afterwards. Thanks for the great video
Really in-depth and great tutorial. I came into this knowing almost nothing about how to clean the bearings, and now I feel confident about getting started. Once I get my hands on some citiric-based cleaner in an hour I'll get right to it. Thanks.
I cleaned bike parts, bike chains, bearings etc. many many times. What I can say - citrus cleaner and other kinds of “organic” cleaners and dishwasher liquid etc. work like shit and even if you can reach the same results as with petroleum based degreaser it takes much more time and effort because you also need to wash the citrus cleaner afterwards and make sure to dry out all the parts really fast to prevent rust before lubricating. Isopropyl alcohol is much better and completely harmless for you and for the environment but make sure to use highest available concentration (99%, but eh, 70% is also fine). Kerosene, gasoline, brake cleaner etc. absolutely the best at cleaning and evaporates quickly so you are ready for lubrication almost right after. Just use common sense and take precautions.
I used this video maybe 7 years ago when I had rollerblade bearings to clean. Now I'm using it again to clean my skateboard bearings. Thank you for making a timeless video with advice that's still good even after TikTok and RUclips shorts shows me bearing cleaning videos that use bad advice.
Don't ask about WD-40. It says, do not use WD-40 in the video, and in the description, but people still ask. WD-40 is not specifically designed to clean or to lubricate. It's terrible for bearings.
I use acetone and Bones speed cream - the speed cream seems to change once the bearings are in use, and is plenty fast. Acetone is often used by dermatologists to clean skin for procedures, etc. and since most of us are not planning on coating our skin in it, it's fine to use to clean your bearings once a month or however often you do so. You can skip water and blow-drying bearings by using it, it evaporates extremely fast.
You're on point! If we shouldn't use something, it should be because it can ruin the items we are trying to fix/renew. Nothing is dangerous until we make it dangerous, and everything we use is dangerous without common sense. Therefore, being paranoid about compounds only serves to make utility, efficiency, and effectiveness inferior, if not nonexistent. He lost me at "it's too dangerous". While his homemade bottle kit is creative; someone else out there, has a how-to video, possibly using these very same kits, only, far superior, without all the extra silly nonsense.
Your body releases acetone when it breaks down fat. So he doesn't really know what he's talking about in regards to acetone. He isn't a chemist so I don't blame him but acetone is perfectly safe.
DUDE you look at skating the way i do.........its so sick keep up the good ,well thought out videos man skating about 10 years on and off but this last year mostly on and all this is so helpful.
70% alcohol is the best to clean. It evaporates fast and leaves no residue, its also cheap and accessible. For lubricant I recommend teflon oil like Tri-Flow. leaves your bearings silky smooth and last ages.
Dish soap and an old tooth brush is all you need. Pull the shield(s), pour the soap into the bearing, spin them around, brush them, then rinse and tap/spin them dry. I use wahl clipper oil.
Here's what I found, I used citrus cleaner numerous times, it works great😀 highly recommend it! But here's what I do now. I know that water is a no no for bearings but this is my bearing cleaning technique Turn on your sink till the water runs hotter then my mixtape Get some dawn dish soap cuz a drop of dawn and grease is gone Fill up a small bottle with hot water and dawn Throw those crummy ol bearings in the water Shake that bottle like you shake your willy at night Rinse them bearings in hot water (it's gonna burn a lot) Dry them with a towel and hair dryer Lube them like I do to my orphans Go skate Call me a dumb ass but it works better
I use natural herb on my dick but side question how did your bearings preform after you degreased them with dawn and rinse with hot water then lubricate did they work better ??
Very good basic info from Rat Vision. Do what he says and your bearings will last a lot longer. The only thing I would do is not reuse the cleaner too many times as a coffee filter will not remove the small particles that can do the most damage to bearings.
+Seebass G see if ur taking a shower dont just use clean water just reuse the water u already used since whats the point of using clean water if ur already dirty just use dirty water. Lol
When I use to skate, I use to completely remove the balls from each bearing in order to clean them, and then replace them after. Yes it is possible to do this.
My method (all my friends do it this way) 1. Take rubber shield out and wash them. 2.Put all 8 bearings in rubbermaid container, pour and shake with isopropyl alchohol (99% preffered) 3. Put bearings on an absorbant surface such as newspaper or paper towel and set them to dry for 1-2 hours. 4. Re lube with speed creme and apply the clean shields.
This is my new favorite skateboarding/longboarding account, you explain nicely and clear and always giving detail what not to do and what to do. You have a nice happy attitude that everyone likes. You earned a sub!
That's why it's better to use rubbing alcohol; because you don't have to rinse them; it will just vaporise off the bearings without leaving any stains nor corroding/damaging the bearings...
right, I mean if rubbing alcohol is what is recommended for cleaning the contacts on cartridge based retro video games, I don't see why they'd hurt steel bearings
@@NodakSavage Rubbing alcohol is not as good at removing grease. Just try it, go under any car and put your hand in there and rub. Put some isopropyl on your and see how much it would remove vs acetone/citrus cleaner limonene/dish soap
You're cleaner set-up is genius! Try to stay away from the science in your recommendations. Acetone has low toxicity; it works really well as an "organic solvent." Also just because a lubricant is "thin," doesn't mean it necessarily promotes rotational velocity. Skateboarders in the science community would be much more compelled by your personal experience in these technical videos.
In the cleaner part of the video you said to avoid petroleum distillates. Is this for our personal health or because it is bad for the bearings? The reason I ask is because the Singer brand machine oil contains petroleum distillates.
Fantastic video. I followed all the steps and my board rolls much smoother. The only difference I did was I washed the bearings in a bathtub faucet for more pressure and a more thorough rinse to get the orange cleaner off. I used a blow drier for about 5 minutes, I thought an excessive dry was better than being hasty. I was using Sewing machine oil for a while, but after using the OUST kit I threw in some OUST oil and found it's thinner and had a much better roll and collects less debris. Also, I tried straining the orange solution through a coffee filter, and you can see the dirt and grime sit at the bottom. So I'd just recommend buying some orange cleaner and cleaning with a fresh batch every time. 5 S.T.A.R.S. for the tips and video. Cheers foolio.
Are citrus-based, non-harmful chemical "all purpose cleaners/degreasers" okay to use? The only orange oil cleaners at my grocery stores are wood cleaners.
DO NOT USE HEAT TO DRY YOUR BEARINGS!!! Especially the 608z bearings he is using, they are only sealed on one side, bearings and housing will undergo thermal expansion and are not guaranteed to cool and shrink to original size, this will FUCK THEM UP GOOD AND SOLID!!!! Better to use compressed air if you have access to it, then re-lubricate
This would ONLY be true if bearings were made of PVC and paper. Thank god they aren't. There is not enough heat coming out of a hair drier to cause any deformation at all. Skating alone can cause more heat. Know what you're talking about before you post a comment.
I used a dryer for like 10 Seconds and unfortuatly my bearings deformed and are Shit now. Were Not The cheapest... so i Would Not hot dry them again. Other tips worked out fine, just I prefere The bones speed cream. Cheers
The greatest video available on cleaning your own bearings! The completest maintenance bible ever! Every skater must pass it on if they want to keep their and their friends bearings working.
I think I have a small problem. Basically yesterday I cleaned my bearings with water and then I dried them. Today I watched ur vid and cleaned them with citrus cleaner and used olive oil as my lubricant. Will that work. This is my first time cleaning bearings. I recently started skating. I want them to work. I didn't pop off the seal I might do that tomorrow and repeat the process. Do u think I should buy new bearings and a cleaning kit or should I still use citrus cleaner and buy some normal lube and a kit? PLZ help rat vision. PLZ. I think I may have ruined them I don't know. Btw I have spitfire cheapsot bearings
So what you're saying is don't use acetone or rubbing alcohol in that sealed container to clean your bearings.... Because even though they clean well, breathing them in is bad. And you are at high risk of breathing them..... In that closed container of yours......
J Peterson hello I’m like 14 yrs and i bought the bones cleaning unit and they say you should use acetone but I don’t have any and I wouldt be able to explain to my mom to buy me some I live next to an auto zone and family dollar but I’m not sure if I could just go in and buy acetone lol what would u recommend
in Mother Russia we use gasoline for cleaning bearings. Because even a bear which studied chemistry in school know nothing harm in using gasoline for bearings.
Logic ya’ll. Bears know there is no harm in using gasoline. That is if your outside like a bear, and aren’t near a fire source like humans, and breathing in the fumes like a human. Bears are great at cleaning their bearings in mother Russia. Keepin it petrol fo eva!
Yep, acetone and gasoline are "extremely dangerous chemicals", because every time I smell gasoline or nail polish remover I die... Using acetone removes the need to use water/heat which will rust your bearings very fast. Just do it outside or with a fan on you and you'll be fine - source: am mechanical engineer
I dont get it are you really supposed to use oil on a ball bearing???? I always use grease made for forestry (heavy duty ball bearings, motorsaw, etc) It may not spinn like a fidget toy but it last alot longer and reduces wear
I once had some completely rust seized oust moc 9 airrr bearings that I disassembled, cleaned the balls in alcohol, cleaned the races in alcohol, and polished everything back. When I re-assembled them, I lubed them with the oust lube and they worked great. I still skate them and they roll just about as good as they did new (I religiously clean and lube them). So to anyone who feels that there bearings are shot, if you take them apart to the component level, clean, reassemble, and lube them, you will be in the clear. I also did the exact same to some yellow jackets and they are great too.
I just cleaned my skate bearings with citrus cleaner as you recomended rather than the 2 stroke I usually used. Works great. Now lubricants...as I had access to as many bearings as I wanted for free (rink skate bearings) which are greased. I would clean that out, spin them with WD40 and compressed air, wash them in methylated spirits and then put a thin film only of light grease on them as I did 40 years ago and the last 10 years (I am 67), doing this after about 20 - 25 skating sessions. We don't have Oust readily available here in Australia but Speed Cream, yes. Working on the principle that grease is thick (slow) and thin oil would have a tendency to be flung out and leak on your wheels (Ok on a skateboard I guess but hazardous on a concrete or timber floor), I was thinking chain saw oil which I use on lathe parts. It is thinner than grease is for high speed lubrication and has a tendency to grip the moving parts so should be good and certainly better than grease. I am running Reckless Envy wheels for general skating a timber or concrete floor and do a few fast laps as well. Should I try this or use Speed Cream?
Ye, I have been using WD-40 and rubbing alcohol, now I need to buy a set of new bearings ;] This kid saved me from buying swiss because I love speed,......the verb and not the noun!
I use just a little vinigar and it works like charm, thanks for this new methods and bottle cleaner it will really help me out not to wash every single one by hand.
+Albakry Azis even then a floppy ass ziplock back won't have enough force to clean them that's why buying or making a bottle bearing cleaner works better because the bearings are fixed and the liquid when you shake it it hits the bearing with force and can knock all that gunk out
I got some cheaper bearings and they were really slow so next day i opened them and i found out there was a thick-ish white grease used on them. I read about cleaning and oiling bearings as much as i could and so i did it (also this video helped me a lot). I cleaned them with 99% isopropyl alcohol, washed them with dish soap, washed them with hot water, dried them with hair dryer and then i used precise engineering oil (was packed with sister's sewing machine) to make them fast and oh man :D After i drove them around and waste oil leaked out they became fast as hell so it was totally worth it.
i wish i watched this video before all the others, because i let my bearings oxidize over night. but this one is verry helpfull and infomatic! thank you!
glad to see that Rat Vision *doesn't advertise any specific company* but says that nothing will work other than in this video...even though the same things that they say can't be used are in some way, shape, or form used in what they recommend. And believe it or not, Rat Vision, WD-40 actually can help in certain situations* if used with before another cleaner as it will prevent rust as WD-40 is specifically designed to CLEAN rust and lubricate certain surfaces.
Just cleaned my bearings by fully disassembling the entire bearing and wiping down every ball and inner and outer race clean and dry with a paper towel. I used some grunge-off (a bong cleaner that I believe has citrus cleaner in it) to clean the nylon ball cage and got in all the crevices with a qtip and let it go into an ultrasonic cleaner to get all the parts I couldn't clean, reassembled and are flying like new!! Just gotta find out what oil I want to use. I cleaned my bearings with brake cleaner and kept them in the balls in the nylon cages the 1st cleaning and used the suggested 2 drop from bronson in my bronson raws and were slow in 2 weeks so I spent 3 hours cleaning them today, was worth it though!!!
I actually found just rinse the bearings in running water works best in removing all the sands and dust inside, with some foam dish detergent. Then just dry the bearings completely using a blow dryer (it drys really quick). Using the Bones Bearing Cleaner bottle with alcohol actually did not remove all the sands and dusts completely for me.
THANX! for the electronic oil mention! I need thin as possible for fast-spinning yoyos. That's why I'm going to try Liberty "Triple Elite" because cleaner/lubes and penetratrating oils are thin but they also are thinned with solvents that evap over time leaving the true, thicker oil behind. But that product claims it's just the thin viscosity of the plastic-safe synthetic oil, period, so it remains thin (for clocks). Even worse than a skate board about slowing down is a lightweight yoyo with no 1-50 lb. rider. Pretty much to test how much a lube slows down a bearing I just use the bearing's own weight only for the inertia of spin and flick it around by itself and see how much less time it spins. without a yoyo even, than dry (for competitions you just use a new, dry bearing). So far the only non-volatile-solvent cheating solution for me has been the proprietary, kinda cheapo thin lube sold by yoyo companies, but there's got to be a slicker, more residual lube that's just as thin. Like Break Free CLP has this AMAZING ability in the machine shop to stay residual, relentlessly on parts, remaining mysteriously well despite it's thin/low viscosity (but it's not quite thin enough for 1A-style yoyos without solvent). I can't actually complain about yoyo thin lube (not the thick for 2A style) so far, it's like thinner sewing machine oil. You might want to try it on a skate board wheel and do a side-by-side spin test. I've heard it's trumpet valve oil cheaper in larger quantity but I'm not sure if that's true. I use Yoyo Jam (YYJ) thin lube currently. Thanks again I can't wait to try electronic oil.
I learned recently not to use typical oil - use equal parts paraffin wax & paraffin oil & some PTFE (Teflon powder/spray) if you can get some. Heat to a liquid and then test by dipping in a butter knife and then letting the wax solidify on it which you should then be able to smear. If it doesn’t smear add some more paraffin oil. If it smears to much, add more was. Then drop your bearings in (after you’ve cleaned them of your old oil lube of course). Take them, give a quick wipe of any excess, install bake in your wheels and enjoy! The paraffin wax lube is the BEST you can get for bearings under pressure etc and won’t attract dirt or even hold water. And because the waxed bearings don’t hold dirt, relube (miles after you normally would of with an oil or grease), you can pretty much just “redunk” them in the mixture you made. When you store the mixture again, just skim off most of it and chuck the last bit at the bottom that may have any crap in it.
Two big corrections: Use alcohol instead of the citrus degreaser. Degreaser is for cleaning surfaces and other non-working areas and is absolutely not supposed to be interacting with machinery of any type. Alcohol IS the primary solvent for this purpose in any application. It works very, very fast making the waiting step you do in your video unnecessary, typically, and alcohol evaporates extremely quickly which also eliminates the drying step. If you're doing this in a container that's properly sealed then there is no danger to the user and alcohol will save a TON of time and not leave behind a potentially annoying citrus smell. Use GREASE and not oil to lubricate your bearings. You make a very common mistake that I see tons of people making. Grease makes bearings spin slower only when the bearings are cold. In low RPM applications where the bearings do not generate sufficient heat to liquify the grease, it shouldn't be used, but bearings on skateboard wheels spin at very high RPM for a very long time which generates a LOT of heat. High heat causes thinner lubricants to become very fluid which then allows the hot lubricant to escape bearings which is why you see skaters having to reapply lube constantly. You also in this video state that grease will collect and hold onto contaminants which is the exact opposite of what is true. The thickness of grease actually helps it keep contaminants out which is another reason why grease is ideal for this exact purpose. Using thinner lubricants also has the potential to cause gumming. If you've ever cleaned out your bearings only to find a random black gunk inside of them, that is not dirt, that's the lubricant that was in there last, likely mixed with metal shavings from the bearings.
My bearings got really wet and had a little rust on them too and they didn't roll or spin like at all(0 sec), but i just cleaned them by this tutorial and now they spin for 25 sec and are hella nice :D
I highly recommend using base cleaner sold by OneBallJay. It's typically used for cleaning bases on snowboards, but it was the only thing I could find lying around my house. Took my bearings to my board waxing bench and tried it out, used a tiny drop of speed cream on each bearing after rinsing them with water, and my bones swiss spin like they're fresh out of the box!
I like using acetone because of its strength as a solvent. Just can only use it outdoor and have the hassle of disposing correctly. Usually wear a filtration mask as well(not a normal paint one). Also no need for the water rinse because acetone evaporates very quickly and you just clean the other parts of your board while they dry outside. But I've had the same set of bones red bearing for 6years and every time I clean them they work just as well as out of the box.
Just open a brand new Zealous bearing and you will find grease inside. I moved from using sewing oil to white grease and they are much more comfortable now. The viscosity of machine and sewing oil is quite low. Oil is dispersed by water, i do ride in the rain so eventually the bearings run dry and get stuck. In average a set of bearings run about 2 months before maintenance and i can use them for about 3000 km before they turn bad. I clean them in a ultrasonic cleaner with handsoap or citric cleaner. Grease up with white grease and skate them for 2 months. Now when i open them, the balls are still shining as with oil they would have start to rust already.
Back in the 90s when we saw a kid with wheels that don't stop spinning we knew his bearings were toast cause they had no grees inside. Now kids remove the grees and put oil inside to their frigit spinners can spin even longer :) All well, I am not a skating expert but the simple rule is: Grees for Bearing and Oil for Chains. Just because a bearing moves faster when there is no weight attach to it does not mean it will roll faster when there is a heavy weight attach to it. But I am willing to experiment.
I use citrus cleaner and it works great! But, I don't rinse off the cleaner after i washed the bearings because my cleaner contains orange oil. It seems to not only clean, but also lubricate my bearings. And trust me, they spin AMAZING (about 90 sec)
Brilliant, well organised and I was particularly impressed with your rant on cleaners and finally your recommendation on using d-limonene for all the reasons you mention.
Acetone is the best way to completely clean your bearings and it's perfectly save to use outdoors or in a very well ventilated environment. The acetone being a simple very high VOC always will fully evaporate leaving a clean surface. Any water based or low voc cleaner will always leave a tiny film behind. This film will then contaminate your new oil or grease.
Who let this man escape from the 90's?
come on I thought he was pretty fly.... for a white guy!
Minerwo Im DEAD🤣💀
Omg 🤣
You should probably come visit southern california, it's still the 90s
Brought his pogs case too
This youtube video, like most others on your channel, is incredibly organized, describes what to do and why you do it thouroughly. This is by far my favorite skateboarding channel.
agreed
Stop
Clearly an Oust advertisement
I haven't been on a skateboard in at least fifty years, but this video is an excellent example of a thoughtful, effective instructional video. Well done.
I love spending an hour cleaning my bearings, and then five minutes later they are covered in shit again.
Don't lube the outside, take off the shields and lube the balls inside (ha). Make sure the shields are completely dry when you skate it
Stop riding through shit then bro. 🛹💩🚫😜
Use CLP for firearms, it will clean them, llubricate them and protect them as well. But let them soak for a few hours for maximum effect
@boof toot Yeah that's unusual, bones are the best though.
@boof toot I don't believe you
“This needle is so I can lube my board officer”
ahhahaahahaahahahaahahahhaha
No, no, no, lube your wood! 😂
I did exactly what you told me and my bearings actually started spinning way better even better than when they were brand new. Thanks
thats because new ball bearings are usually packed with grease because it will last longer and protect from wear better. These bearings are also considered maintenance free. The problem is that the grease causes drag which in this application you don't want. So by using a lighter lubricant and cleaning and lubricating more often, you can get less drag and protect the bearing. But this is no longer a maintenance free bearing.
After watching this video, I decided to try and make my own cleaning kit. It wasn't nearly as hard as I thought it would be, and required only household items. Having just bought a penny board with a Abec-7 bearings I really wanted bones bearings. I looked in the garage and found a 9 year old board that had been left in the rain through the years and had really just been tortured. I took the bones off of that board in hopes off restoring them through the process shown in the video. To my amazement, my wheels can spin for over 30 seconds now with the old bones bearings! When my penny first arrived, I could only get a wheel spin with the Abec-7's for around ten seconds. I would highly recommend to anyone who has watched this video, to give it a try.
Found this video randomly in RUclips when looking for a way to clean my bearings. Very informative and I was able to retain the info.
My Spaceballs bearings have spacers built in so I could only clean 4 at a time in my Oust kit but it worked just fine.
The orange liquid was black afterwards.
Thanks for the great video
Awesome!
Really in-depth and great tutorial. I came into this knowing almost nothing about how to clean the bearings, and now I feel confident about getting started. Once I get my hands on some citiric-based cleaner in an hour I'll get right to it. Thanks.
I cleaned bike parts, bike chains, bearings etc. many many times.
What I can say - citrus cleaner and other kinds of “organic” cleaners and dishwasher liquid etc. work like shit and even if you can reach the same results as with petroleum based degreaser it takes much more time and effort because you also need to wash the citrus cleaner afterwards and make sure to dry out all the parts really fast to prevent rust before lubricating.
Isopropyl alcohol is much better and completely harmless for you and for the environment but make sure to use highest available concentration (99%, but eh, 70% is also fine).
Kerosene, gasoline, brake cleaner etc. absolutely the best at cleaning and evaporates quickly so you are ready for lubrication almost right after. Just use common sense and take precautions.
Is your house on a lean?
Legit Nz nah his house is sober now
No he rents it
It's partially in the neighbor's yard, so it's on a lien.
Did i miss something? Why do we think his house is on a lien?
edit: don't mind my question... I'm retarded, i see it now lmao.
He just loves Dutch angles
I used this video maybe 7 years ago when I had rollerblade bearings to clean. Now I'm using it again to clean my skateboard bearings. Thank you for making a timeless video with advice that's still good even after TikTok and RUclips shorts shows me bearing cleaning videos that use bad advice.
Don't ask about WD-40. It says, do not use WD-40 in the video, and in the description, but people still ask. WD-40 is not specifically designed to clean or to lubricate. It's terrible for bearings.
What would happen if if i use orange juice instead of orange cleaner ?(serious)
Terpenes do not come from orange juice. There is very little cleaning power from juice if any. Orange oil comes from the peel.
Rat Vision - Skateboard Tech what other cleaners can i use ?
Rat Vision - Skateboard Tech is silikon oil ok ? just spray it in?
DarkPaint No!
You are articulate and really good at explaining things! thanks for the helpful vid.
I use acetone and Bones speed cream - the speed cream seems to change once the bearings are in use, and is plenty fast. Acetone is often used by dermatologists to clean skin for procedures, etc. and since most of us are not planning on coating our skin in it, it's fine to use to clean your bearings once a month or however often you do so. You can skip water and blow-drying bearings by using it, it evaporates extremely fast.
You're on point! If we shouldn't use something, it should be because it can ruin the items we are trying to fix/renew. Nothing is dangerous until we make it dangerous, and everything we use is dangerous without common sense. Therefore, being paranoid about compounds only serves to make utility, efficiency, and effectiveness inferior, if not nonexistent. He lost me at "it's too dangerous". While his homemade bottle kit is creative; someone else out there, has a how-to video, possibly using these very same kits, only, far superior, without all the extra silly nonsense.
Yeah he seemed scared of the chemicals rather than saying they don't work.
Your body releases acetone when it breaks down fat. So he doesn't really know what he's talking about in regards to acetone. He isn't a chemist so I don't blame him but acetone is perfectly safe.
I can't stop rewatching all these videos over the years
DUDE you look at skating the way i do.........its so sick keep up the good ,well thought out videos man skating about 10 years on and off but this last year mostly on and all this is so helpful.
Glad this helps you out. If you have any questions at all, we got the answers for you. Send us a message.
70% alcohol is the best to clean. It evaporates fast and leaves no residue, its also cheap and accessible. For lubricant I recommend teflon oil like Tri-Flow. leaves your bearings silky smooth and last ages.
@Jason rubbling alcohol is at 70% and you can get higher, works for cleaning glass too so i imagine would do great for bearings too
Dish soap and an old tooth brush is all you need. Pull the shield(s), pour the soap into the bearing, spin them around, brush them, then rinse and tap/spin them dry. I use wahl clipper oil.
This is my yearly checkup on ratvision. We miss youuu
Here's what I found, I used citrus cleaner numerous times, it works great😀 highly recommend it! But here's what I do now. I know that water is a no no for bearings but this is my bearing cleaning technique
Turn on your sink till the water runs hotter then my mixtape
Get some dawn dish soap cuz a drop of dawn and grease is gone
Fill up a small bottle with hot water and dawn
Throw those crummy ol bearings in the water
Shake that bottle like you shake your willy at night
Rinse them bearings in hot water (it's gonna burn a lot)
Dry them with a towel and hair dryer
Lube them like I do to my orphans
Go skate
Call me a dumb ass but it works better
I find this interesting and true......I do shake my pet willy at night....he knows what he did
oeligisgag francis what do u use for oil?
But should I also use icy hot like I do on my willy or nah??
dumb ass
I use natural herb on my dick but side question how did your bearings preform after you degreased them with dawn and rinse with hot water then lubricate did they work better ??
Very good basic info from Rat Vision. Do what he says and your bearings will last a lot longer. The only thing I would do is not reuse the cleaner too many times as a coffee filter will not remove the small particles that can do the most damage to bearings.
Thanks for comment. It's fine to use the cleaner again. Sure it's a little dirty but you're putting it in dirty bearings.
+Rat Vision - Skateboard Tech so you're saying it's ok to put dirty cleaner which will decrease bearing life in your bearings?
+Seebass G see if ur taking a shower dont just use clean water just reuse the water u already used since whats the point of using clean water if ur already dirty just use dirty water. Lol
When I use to skate, I use to completely remove the balls from each bearing in order to clean them, and then replace them after. Yes it is possible to do this.
I used to butcher grammar, but now I use it properly to explain what I’m talking about.
This guy has the BEST explanation on how to clean or restore your bearings cleanly and properly thx dude!
this man invented the idea of fidget spinner
Does Orange juice work?
Lol😂
Yes !
" facepalm "
it work very well to me.
No, orange cleaner is made from the oils in the rind. There is no cleaning agent in the juice.
Just use 95% alcohol :)
The most important part HOW TO REMOVE THE SHIELDS without screwing them up was missed..
So tell us, how u duz dat?
Lol right, I've found some bearings just have shitty shields that are really hard to get back on.
It's refreshing to see someone articulate that can explain sh$t quickly and succinctly
My method (all my friends do it this way)
1. Take rubber shield out and wash them.
2.Put all 8 bearings in rubbermaid container, pour and shake with isopropyl alchohol (99% preffered)
3. Put bearings on an absorbant surface such as newspaper or paper towel and set them to dry for 1-2 hours.
4. Re lube with speed creme and apply the clean shields.
The citrus Gatorade cleaner works better
Not just good advice for skaters. Excellent for anyone that has items with bearings. 121 dislikes... Why?
this is the absolute most helpful video ive found on youtube, this is freakin awesome. I came into this knowing absolutely nothing lol
AWESOME! So glad we helped you out. If you have any questions at all send us a message. We will be glad to help you.
This is my new favorite skateboarding/longboarding account, you explain nicely and clear and always giving detail what not to do and what to do. You have a nice happy attitude that everyone likes. You earned a sub!
sickmist WOW thanks a lot for the nice comment
True
That's why it's better to use rubbing alcohol; because you don't have to rinse them; it will just vaporise off the bearings without leaving any stains nor corroding/damaging the bearings...
right, I mean if rubbing alcohol is what is recommended for cleaning the contacts on cartridge based retro video games, I don't see why they'd hurt steel bearings
@@NodakSavage Rubbing alcohol is not as good at removing grease. Just try it, go under any car and put your hand in there and rub. Put some isopropyl on your and see how much it would remove vs acetone/citrus cleaner limonene/dish soap
You're cleaner set-up is genius! Try to stay away from the science in your recommendations. Acetone has low toxicity; it works really well as an "organic solvent." Also just because a lubricant is "thin," doesn't mean it necessarily promotes rotational velocity. Skateboarders in the science community would be much more compelled by your personal experience in these technical videos.
In the cleaner part of the video you said to avoid petroleum distillates. Is this for our personal health or because it is bad for the bearings? The reason I ask is because the Singer brand machine oil contains petroleum distillates.
I got a lubricant with petroleum distillates. I plan on using it outside like when I use Shoe Goo.
Fantastic video. I followed all the steps and my board rolls much smoother. The only difference I did was I washed the bearings in a bathtub faucet for more pressure and a more thorough rinse to get the orange cleaner off. I used a blow drier for about 5 minutes, I thought an excessive dry was better than being hasty. I was using Sewing machine oil for a while, but after using the OUST kit I threw in some OUST oil and found it's thinner and had a much better roll and collects less debris. Also, I tried straining the orange solution through a coffee filter, and you can see the dirt and grime sit at the bottom. So I'd just recommend buying some orange cleaner and cleaning with a fresh batch every time. 5 S.T.A.R.S. for the tips and video. Cheers foolio.
DO YOUR SETTINGS ALLOW FOR REPIES TO YOUR COMMENTS?
I think so(if you are talking to me)
ImmenceThreat It was to anyone who post a comment/question that cannot be replied to.
In what store can I buy the oust cleaning kit?
X A Huggable Hobo X Stokedskateboards.com
I know you can order it but would any skate shop carry it?
Are citrus-based, non-harmful chemical "all purpose cleaners/degreasers" okay to use?
The only orange oil cleaners at my grocery stores are wood cleaners.
DO NOT USE HEAT TO DRY YOUR BEARINGS!!! Especially the 608z bearings he is using, they are only sealed on one side, bearings and housing will undergo thermal expansion and are not guaranteed to cool and shrink to original size, this will FUCK THEM UP GOOD AND SOLID!!!! Better to use compressed air if you have access to it, then re-lubricate
This would ONLY be true if bearings were made of PVC and paper. Thank god they aren't. There is not enough heat coming out of a hair drier to cause any deformation at all. Skating alone can cause more heat. Know what you're talking about before you post a comment.
I do, I'm an engineer mate
+Rat Vision - Skateboard Tech xD you're a man. Always having a straight opinion from everything
I used a dryer for like 10 Seconds and unfortuatly my bearings deformed and are Shit now. Were Not The cheapest... so i Would Not hot dry them again. Other tips worked out fine, just I prefere The bones speed cream. Cheers
did your bearings seriously not work after drying them?
The greatest video available on cleaning your own bearings! The completest maintenance bible ever! Every skater must pass it on if they want to keep their and their friends bearings working.
Good Job!
Best comment
@@brasha78 lol
I think I have a small problem. Basically yesterday I cleaned my bearings with water and then I dried them. Today I watched ur vid and cleaned them with citrus cleaner and used olive oil as my lubricant. Will that work. This is my first time cleaning bearings. I recently started skating. I want them to work. I didn't pop off the seal I might do that tomorrow and repeat the process. Do u think I should buy new bearings and a cleaning kit or should I still use citrus cleaner and buy some normal lube and a kit? PLZ help rat vision. PLZ. I think I may have ruined them I don't know. Btw I have spitfire cheapsot bearings
Tem pest unless if you dry it well
So what you're saying is don't use acetone or rubbing alcohol in that sealed container to clean your bearings.... Because even though they clean well, breathing them in is bad. And you are at high risk of breathing them..... In that closed container of yours......
You gotta open that container at some point, dont you?
i use rubbing alcohol 92% alcohol and it works great, i do it outdoors or in a well ventilated area. it works great
i also dont have to rinse and dry them afterwards because the alcohol dries quickly without damaging the steel
J Peterson hello I’m like 14 yrs and i bought the bones cleaning unit and they say you should use acetone but I don’t have any and I wouldt be able to explain to my mom to buy me some I live next to an auto zone and family dollar but I’m not sure if I could just go in and buy acetone lol what would u recommend
@@Luii2kk acetone is usually nail polish remover, you can try and find some of that
l love the persistent dutch angle in his videos
Does 91% isopropyl alcohol work to clean bearings?
It might work but just use the orange cleaned it works really well
Citrus cleaner works 100x better than acetone, alcohol, or any other dangerous chemical
Oskar Mora yeah it does
in Mother Russia we use gasoline for cleaning bearings. Because even a bear which studied chemistry in school know nothing harm in using gasoline for bearings.
That kind of thinking is why the USA is still #1.
Rat Vision - Skateboard Tech but not in cleaning bearings ;-)
Rat Vision - Skateboard Tech lol sorry but that's #1 hatred
@Palm Coast Adventures Vodka is easier to get than rubbing alcohol.
Logic ya’ll. Bears know there is no harm in using gasoline. That is if your outside like a bear, and aren’t near a fire source like humans, and breathing in the fumes like a human. Bears are great at cleaning their bearings in mother Russia. Keepin it petrol fo eva!
Wait, so why do you wash them in water afterwards??
Michael Evans to rinse off the residue of the cleaner
probably the most informational video i've seen about bearing cleaning. thanks man it really helped!
+Mr.CheeseCakeFTW Thanks! People like you are what keep these videos coming and make it all worth while.
Singer sewer's oil slows down my new bearings 😕
Yep, acetone and gasoline are "extremely dangerous chemicals", because every time I smell gasoline or nail polish remover I die... Using acetone removes the need to use water/heat which will rust your bearings very fast. Just do it outside or with a fan on you and you'll be fine - source: am mechanical engineer
Yep, I second that. Yet another mech engineer here. :) My choice is acetone for balls and races, dish soap for the plastic cage.
Does isopropyl alcohol work similarly?
I dont get it are you really supposed to use oil on a ball bearing???? I always use grease made for forestry (heavy duty ball bearings, motorsaw, etc)
It may not spinn like a fidget toy but it last alot longer and reduces wear
Can I use ky to lube my bearings?
If you want a more sensual ride, then absolutely.
Patrick Coffey I laughed so hard I'm dead now oof
I once had some completely rust seized oust moc 9 airrr bearings that I disassembled, cleaned the balls in alcohol, cleaned the races in alcohol, and polished everything back. When I re-assembled them, I lubed them with the oust lube and they worked great. I still skate them and they roll just about as good as they did new (I religiously clean and lube them). So to anyone who feels that there bearings are shot, if you take them apart to the component level, clean, reassemble, and lube them, you will be in the clear. I also did the exact same to some yellow jackets and they are great too.
How would you compare the Yellow Jackets vs the Moc 9 Airrrs?
Me watching this video after already having soaked my bearings in acetone: 👁👄👁
It is an odd question I know but can I use yoyo lube for my bearings
Yes
If your yo-yo uses a real bearing then I don't see why not.
It will be too thin unless you use thick lube
Everyone be careful of rubbing alcohol, it raped my mother
mongke haha
I just cleaned my skate bearings with citrus cleaner as you recomended rather than the 2 stroke I usually used. Works great. Now lubricants...as I had access to as many bearings as I wanted for free (rink skate bearings) which are greased. I would clean that out, spin them with WD40 and compressed air, wash them in methylated spirits and then put a thin film only of light grease on them as I did 40 years ago and the last 10 years (I am 67), doing this after about 20 - 25 skating sessions. We don't have Oust readily available here in Australia but Speed Cream, yes. Working on the principle that grease is thick (slow) and thin oil would have a tendency to be flung out and leak on your wheels (Ok on a skateboard I guess but hazardous on a concrete or timber floor), I was thinking chain saw oil which I use on lathe parts. It is thinner than grease is for high speed lubrication and has a tendency to grip the moving parts so should be good and certainly better than grease. I am running Reckless Envy wheels for general skating a timber or concrete floor and do a few fast laps as well. Should I try this or use Speed Cream?
well fuck, ive been using wd-40 all the time... there fine, but im guessing they wont be
i guess harvard didnt teach you shit about lubing your bearings
Ye, I have been using WD-40 and rubbing alcohol, now I need to buy a set of new bearings ;]
This kid saved me from buying swiss because I love speed,......the verb and not the noun!
if you have extremely hard water like me, you probably would want to rinse them with bottled water before blow drying them
David it’s neither...
He's got a bit of a hard on for oust in most of his vids doesn't he.
yup
I mean, he does and its blatant but most of the times their product just works better in general
Yeah looks like those are the only affiliate links in the description
I use just a little vinigar and it works like charm, thanks for this new methods and bottle cleaner it will really help me out not to wash every single one by hand.
I can't find oust kit anywhere. Not even online. I can only find the bones kit :( Wait bones is still good :) wait, BONES ARE AWESOME :DDDDDDD
Stokedskateboards.com
Rat Vision - Skateboard Tech
Ohhhhhh... thanks :D
Or Boarsonnords. or muirskate. or motionboardshop. of daddiesboardshop. or tacticsboardshop. or... ok
Justin Knight
Thanks bruh.
i use wd40 what what
Yeah Don't.
Christian Ferguson I mean, it sort of tells you and gives you good reason not to.
Its your loss if you ignore this.
WD-40? Woops
same
I did this on my first board
whats wrong with wd-40
NJ Skates It's a water based solvent and rusts up bearings. Read the can.
Damn, coming back to this video over 9 years later. I always told people to just watch this video when telling peeps how to do it.
Just throw em in a zip-lock bag full of Windex.
You do know that windex is basically water and some chemicals right?
+nivlac Lemme help andy out.
Just throw em in a zip-lock bag full of citrus cleaner :p
+Albakry Azis even then a floppy ass ziplock back won't have enough force to clean them that's why buying or making a bottle bearing cleaner works better because the bearings are fixed and the liquid when you shake it it hits the bearing with force and can knock all that gunk out
nivlac true enough. Im using a gatorade bottle
Super informative complete guide on cleaning and maintaining bearings. Thank you!!
I got some cheaper bearings and they were really slow so next day i opened them and i found out there was a thick-ish white grease used on them. I read about cleaning and oiling bearings as much as i could and so i did it (also this video helped me a lot).
I cleaned them with 99% isopropyl alcohol, washed them with dish soap, washed them with hot water, dried them with hair dryer and then i used precise engineering oil (was packed with sister's sewing machine) to make them fast and oh man :D
After i drove them around and waste oil leaked out they became fast as hell so it was totally worth it.
RatVision, please upload more videos. It helps me a lot and a lot of others with skating. You have the best channel for tech skate lessons ever!
-J
_ Justinlbdr _ Thanks a lot. Feel free to ask questions any time. We'll do our best to respond.
Rat Vision - Skateboard Tech Thanks for reply! Shows that..
Quality
----------
Quantity
is better.
i wish i watched this video before all the others, because i let my bearings oxidize over night. but this one is verry helpfull and infomatic! thank you!
glad to see that Rat Vision *doesn't advertise any specific company* but says that nothing will work other than in this video...even though the same things that they say can't be used are in some way, shape, or form used in what they recommend. And believe it or not, Rat Vision, WD-40 actually can help in certain situations* if used with before another cleaner as it will prevent rust as WD-40 is specifically designed to CLEAN rust and lubricate certain surfaces.
Just cleaned my bearings by fully disassembling the entire bearing and wiping down every ball and inner and outer race clean and dry with a paper towel. I used some grunge-off (a bong cleaner that I believe has citrus cleaner in it) to clean the nylon ball cage and got in all the crevices with a qtip and let it go into an ultrasonic cleaner to get all the parts I couldn't clean, reassembled and are flying like new!! Just gotta find out what oil I want to use. I cleaned my bearings with brake cleaner and kept them in the balls in the nylon cages the 1st cleaning and used the suggested 2 drop from bronson in my bronson raws and were slow in 2 weeks so I spent 3 hours cleaning them today, was worth it though!!!
I actually found just rinse the bearings in running water works best in removing all the sands and dust inside, with some foam dish detergent. Then just dry the bearings completely using a blow dryer (it drys really quick). Using the Bones Bearing Cleaner bottle with alcohol actually did not remove all the sands and dusts completely for me.
THANX! for the electronic oil mention! I need thin as possible for fast-spinning yoyos. That's why I'm going to try Liberty "Triple Elite" because cleaner/lubes and penetratrating oils are thin but they also are thinned with solvents that evap over time leaving the true, thicker oil behind. But that product claims it's just the thin viscosity of the plastic-safe synthetic oil, period, so it remains thin (for clocks). Even worse than a skate board about slowing down is a lightweight yoyo with no 1-50 lb. rider. Pretty much to test how much a lube slows down a bearing I just use the bearing's own weight only for the inertia of spin and flick it around by itself and see how much less time it spins. without a yoyo even, than dry (for competitions you just use a new, dry bearing). So far the only non-volatile-solvent cheating solution for me has been the proprietary, kinda cheapo thin lube sold by yoyo companies, but there's got to be a slicker, more residual lube that's just as thin. Like Break Free CLP has this AMAZING ability in the machine shop to stay residual, relentlessly on parts, remaining mysteriously well despite it's thin/low viscosity (but it's not quite thin enough for 1A-style yoyos without solvent). I can't actually complain about yoyo thin lube (not the thick for 2A style) so far, it's like thinner sewing machine oil. You might want to try it on a skate board wheel and do a side-by-side spin test. I've heard it's trumpet valve oil cheaper in larger quantity but I'm not sure if that's true. I use Yoyo Jam (YYJ) thin lube currently. Thanks again I can't wait to try electronic oil.
Bro is professional up in here! What a quality video
I learned recently not to use typical oil - use equal parts paraffin wax & paraffin oil & some PTFE (Teflon powder/spray) if you can get some. Heat to a liquid and then test by dipping in a butter knife and then letting the wax solidify on it which you should then be able to smear. If it doesn’t smear add some more paraffin oil. If it smears to much, add more was. Then drop your bearings in (after you’ve cleaned them of your old oil lube of course). Take them, give a quick wipe of any excess, install bake in your wheels and enjoy! The paraffin wax lube is the BEST you can get for bearings under pressure etc and won’t attract dirt or even hold water. And because the waxed bearings don’t hold dirt, relube (miles after you normally would of with an oil or grease), you can pretty much just “redunk” them in the mixture you made. When you store the mixture again, just skim off most of it and chuck the last bit at the bottom that may have any crap in it.
the technical specs on the diy bearing cleaner are much appreciated. 10/10 helpful, take my thumbs and sub:)
Two big corrections: Use alcohol instead of the citrus degreaser. Degreaser is for cleaning surfaces and other non-working areas and is absolutely not supposed to be interacting with machinery of any type. Alcohol IS the primary solvent for this purpose in any application. It works very, very fast making the waiting step you do in your video unnecessary, typically, and alcohol evaporates extremely quickly which also eliminates the drying step. If you're doing this in a container that's properly sealed then there is no danger to the user and alcohol will save a TON of time and not leave behind a potentially annoying citrus smell.
Use GREASE and not oil to lubricate your bearings. You make a very common mistake that I see tons of people making. Grease makes bearings spin slower only when the bearings are cold. In low RPM applications where the bearings do not generate sufficient heat to liquify the grease, it shouldn't be used, but bearings on skateboard wheels spin at very high RPM for a very long time which generates a LOT of heat. High heat causes thinner lubricants to become very fluid which then allows the hot lubricant to escape bearings which is why you see skaters having to reapply lube constantly. You also in this video state that grease will collect and hold onto contaminants which is the exact opposite of what is true. The thickness of grease actually helps it keep contaminants out which is another reason why grease is ideal for this exact purpose. Using thinner lubricants also has the potential to cause gumming. If you've ever cleaned out your bearings only to find a random black gunk inside of them, that is not dirt, that's the lubricant that was in there last, likely mixed with metal shavings from the bearings.
My bearings got really wet and had a little rust on them too and they didn't roll or spin like at all(0 sec), but i just cleaned them by this tutorial and now they spin for 25 sec and are hella nice :D
They are bones reds and i have had them for like 2 years, tho i only skate 2 months per year because it rains and snows way too often also very cold
Getting a new set is much more exciting 😆
I love this video! Reminds me of vids from early 2000's :D Also very informative even today.
Dude you absolutely killed this how to! Mad props bro thank you.
damn......informative....articulate.....precise....covers all bases....really nice video dude....
I highly recommend using base cleaner sold by OneBallJay. It's typically used for cleaning bases on snowboards, but it was the only thing I could find lying around my house. Took my bearings to my board waxing bench and tried it out, used a tiny drop of speed cream on each bearing after rinsing them with water, and my bones swiss spin like they're fresh out of the box!
Looks like a citrus cleaner.
I used 95% alcohol to clean them and a very thin mineral Oil.
But great video man. Really helped alot
Thanks so much for explaining the thickness of lubricants! Recently I ruined my best bearings using a lubricant that was a grease.
I like using acetone because of its strength as a solvent. Just can only use it outdoor and have the hassle of disposing correctly. Usually wear a filtration mask as well(not a normal paint one). Also no need for the water rinse because acetone evaporates very quickly and you just clean the other parts of your board while they dry outside. But I've had the same set of bones red bearing for 6years and every time I clean them they work just as well as out of the box.
I wonder if fishing reel oil and grease can be used to lubricate skateboard bearings. This video is very informative. Thanks Rat Vision.
Just open a brand new Zealous bearing and you will find grease inside. I moved from using sewing oil to white grease and they are much more comfortable now. The viscosity of machine and sewing oil is quite low. Oil is dispersed by water, i do ride in the rain so eventually the bearings run dry and get stuck. In average a set of bearings run about 2 months before maintenance and i can use them for about 3000 km before they turn bad. I clean them in a ultrasonic cleaner with handsoap or citric cleaner. Grease up with white grease and skate them for 2 months. Now when i open them, the balls are still shining as with oil they would have start to rust already.
A few of the solvents mentioned are used to clean conical bearings for aircraft wheels.
Petroleum distillates are good for burning for light, heat, and internal combustion engines.
Great vid! So true about how dangerous these chemicals is,so good that you point out.👍
Make more videos on hollow trucks, shoe materials, carbon fiber/rezin technology, or anything! Rat Vision vids are awesome
Just watched the cleaning and removing grip tape videos and this video. Thanks for your help Rat Vision
Back in the 90s when we saw a kid with wheels that don't stop spinning we knew his bearings were toast cause they had no grees inside. Now kids remove the grees and put oil inside to their frigit spinners can spin even longer :) All well, I am not a skating expert but the simple rule is: Grees for Bearing and Oil for Chains. Just because a bearing moves faster when there is no weight attach to it does not mean it will roll faster when there is a heavy weight attach to it. But I am willing to experiment.
I use citrus cleaner and it works great! But, I don't rinse off the cleaner after i washed the bearings because my cleaner contains orange oil. It seems to not only clean, but also lubricate my bearings. And trust me, they spin AMAZING (about 90 sec)
Farnømat orange oil doesn't lubricate your bearings you are pretty much riding them dry
I use Weapon Shield. Non-toxic. Very good lubricant.
so clever using the barrel of the pen to make the spacers!
Brilliant, well organised and I was particularly impressed with your rant on cleaners and finally your recommendation on using d-limonene for all the reasons you mention.
Good video. I would have used rubbing alcohol (isopropyl), but I'll check out citrus oil. Thanks.
Acetone is the best way to completely clean your bearings and it's perfectly save to use outdoors or in a very well ventilated environment. The acetone being a simple very high VOC always will fully evaporate leaving a clean surface. Any water based or low voc cleaner will always leave a tiny film behind. This film will then contaminate your new oil or grease.