Grease or oil for skates?

[ajchien]

LOL!

So one of my other hobbies is inline skating. If you guys know or don't know, skate wheels are mounted around bearings and an axle -- the bearings are serviceable, you can take them apart, clean them, and re-lubricate...

was wondering what you guys thought about bearing lubrication in this application - better off with oil or grease?

I was thinking grease, for longer "cleaning intervals", although oil may actually roll faster.

Of course, dedicated "inline skating" oils and grease are outrageously expensive compared to automotive products.

What do you think of brake caliper/slider pin grease vs. motor oil for this purpose?

 

[shanneba]

I used to use plain old white grease in my skates.

 

[aquariuscsm]

I always used the 3 in 1 type oil on my skateboard wheels. That was the 70s though,and being a lil kid I just grabbed the first thing that said "oil" on it from my dad`s garage :^P

 

[Pete591]

http://www.skatelog.com/bearings/feed-your-bearings.htm

A synthetic oil is what they say. Like a 5W-20 is real good.

 

[moribundman]

I would go with a very light grease.

I would expect dust and dirt contamination to be a problem with oil. Are those bearings fully sealed, or do they have just dust shields? The better the bearings are sealed, the thinner a grease would use.

 

[tom slick]

What ABEC # are the bearings?

 

[tomcat27]

whatever you decide to use, try running a UOA on it after a few miles.

 

[ajchien]

The bearings are SG 9 / ABEC 9 rated and the bearings are "covered", that can be openend up by hand.

 

[tom slick]

A rubber "cover"?

 

[ajchien]

covered with a metal shield

 

[moribundman]

Could be a circular dust shield or a contacting seal. Some seal fairly tight, some don't make contact.

Well, what's in those bearings now? Oil or grease?

 

[tomcat27]

if the bearings are covered with a metal shield - are they sealed bearings? (I have no idea... I'm not a skater) now, my skateboards have sealed bearings....

 

[ajchien]

The bearings look like this:

http://www.skatescool.com/inline-skating...s-rollerblades/

 

[moribundman]

As I suspected, these are, per the instructions, "non-contact rubber shields." Those are just dust covers. Contact(ing) seals would cause a little drag. For you this means dust can and will get into those bearings over time. That's why I think a thin grease offers the best compromise between low friction and long bearing life. If you use oil, you will have to clean the bearings frequently.

 

[gofastman]

I have used Tri Flow and Bones Speed Cream Skate Bearing Lubricant (its a liquid, not a "cream") with good success.

 

[defektes]

I used to use engine oil or gun oil in my skateboard bearings. Used to take it all apart clean and let them soak over night, my bearings used to last longer than all my friends that never did preventative skateboard maintenace. hehe