Lube alternative and cleaning

[Bobbyboy]

lighter fluid is used to clean bearings, right? that is the stuff u use to light a grill, right? how long do you soak the bearing in the lighter fluid? what is a good lube alternative that i could get from walmart?

[ranen61]

no not the stuff you use to light a grill. its the fuel for zippo ligthters. the can will be small and it will say zippo on it. the stuff you are thinking of is charcoal lighter fluid

[Bobbyboy]

oops. does it make a difference? they will both break down everything in the bearing wont it?

[fzzyrn]

i use the grill stuff. it works.

[Bobbyboy]

ok. i soaked my bearing in that for about two hours last night. it seems more free now.

[joemeyer]

Lighter fluid like whats goes in a Zippo lighter works fine but you don't need to soak more than a few minutes. Some say that lighter fluid leaves a residue (which I have not observed). Many people say that Mineral Spirits is better as it does not leave a residue, however typically it comes in a much larger container and is found in the paint section of a store that sells paint. Of course both of these are quite flammable.

[tboy]

I use mineral spirits (otherwise known as paint thinner) to clean my bearings.  Then I take them out, put them on a paper towel to soak the excess off, and spin it every once and a while until I think the bearing is dry.  Then I use a pin to apply a little drop of trumpet valve oil on to the balls of the bearing. Then I play it.

[Bobbyboy]

i put a drop of remington rem oil on the clean bearing and it made it responsive