Bearing Question (M55 GC60i)

[jgrz0610]

I have a bearing question on my M55 but it is a general pellet stove bearing question. I'm getting a whining/groveling sound from my convection blower. Pulled her out and cleaned. The bearing on the end of the convection blower feels kind chitty. Most of the time it spins okay but sometimes I get that day at the beach with a bearing full of sand feeling. This is most likely causing my intermittent noise. The bearing is :

LFD 608Z CL2 and it measures 8mmbore, 22mm od, and 7mm width. I'm assuming I need a shielded bearing but just wondering if there are any other considerations you guys can think of. I was thinking about something like:

http://www.grainger.com/product/NTN-Radial-Ball-Bearing-1L001?functionCode=P2IDP2PCP

but not sure if that would get her done. Also, has anyone had any luck regreaseing the raceways on shielded bearings? I've seen a guy do it with a canning jar and some SRI#2 but not sure if I should use some oil lube instead. Any help would be great. I'm not going to replace a $200 blower because of a $10 bearing. Not my style.

Thanks in advance guys.

 

[wil lanfear]

If you have a local bearing supplier I would see what they recommend for the application. I purchased some cheap 608 sealed bearings (skateboard bearings) off ebay for my sons stove, they last a season before they need to be replaced.

 

[Bioburner]

You can attempt getting new bearings from local bearing suppliers or some automotive like NAPA. I hate having to do the job a second time because of using a cheaper bearing. Had to do it because there wasn't a quick choice on the Bixby and was cold. Hard to beat a Timken

 

[wil lanfear]

I agree, Timken brand bearings are good but my local Napa doesn't have them, best bet is going to a local industrial bearing supply or http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_trk...arings&_nkw=38pp2+bearings&_sacat=0&_from=R40

 

[jtakeman]

Shielded bearings should allow oil to pass the shield. I help it along with a micro screw driver inserted carefully between the shield and the inner race. This also works on sealed bearings as well.

Getting some lube in will usually get you by until new bearings can be sourced.

 

[rona]

I have a bearing question on my M55 but it is a general pellet stove bearing question. I'm getting a whining/groveling sound from my convection blower. Pulled her out and cleaned. The bearing on the end of the convection blower feels kind chitty. Most of the time it spins okay but sometimes I get that day at the beach with a bearing full of sand feeling. This is most likely causing my intermittent noise. The bearing is :

LFD 608Z CL2 and it measures 8mmbore, 22mm od, and 7mm width. I'm assuming I need a shielded bearing but just wondering if there are any other considerations you guys can think of. I was thinking about something like:

http://www.grainger.com/product/NTN-Radial-Ball-Bearing-1L001?functionCode=P2IDP2PCP

but not sure if that would get her done. Also, has anyone had any luck regreaseing the raceways on shielded bearings? I've seen a guy do it with a canning jar and some SRI#2 but not sure if I should use some oil lube instead. Any help would be great. I'm not going to replace a $200 blower because of a $10 bearing. Not my style.

Thanks in advance guys.

I would go to your local electric motor shop and get a couple from them rather then try to save a couple bucks by greasing your self. I also own Bixbys and service quite a few. Removing and replacing those fans is a job I don't like and installing cheap skake bearings just ensures that I will get used to doing the same job at least once a year if not more often Spending a couple extra dollars for bearings made to do the job just makes sense to me.

 

[jgrz0610]

I got some oil down in the original bearing and picked up that NTN bearing from Grainger. I'm assuming by the comments that the bearing I bought is going to suck. I'll take the advice and get the timken bearings (thank you so much for the link) but here's my next question: How did you guys get the bearings off? It appears to be pressed in but I put my gear puller on it and it was fighting the hell out of me. I figured if it was that hard to get off it would fight the hell out of me going back on. Instead of getting into an all night project the oil I put in the bearing smoothed it out so back together it went. I'm sure this will pop it's head up again but if you've changed them, how much of a PITA was it to get the bearing off and how about getting the new one back on? If it wasn't attached to the squirrelcage I could do it pretty easy with a vice but just wondering what I'm in for.

And Jay, thanks for the advice on getting some oil in there. Got me up and running tonight. Haven't seen you as much as last year but glad you came out to help.

Thanks to all.

 

[Mt Bob]

Just took my old integra combustion motor apart(replaced for noise about 7 years ago)and it uses 608's.It had german gmn bearings.The bearings to use are 608zz c3.But everyone is right,newer skateboard bearings are junk.And a lot of them are not grease packed,only oiled,for speed.True case of you get what you pay for.Although watch out ntn makes bearings in china now.Found some websites selling cheap ones for $2,and others selling same ones for $5.I got some nos gmn bearings coming for my spare motor.Do not know if they are oil or grease,but worth taking a chance at that price because they were made in the 80's.Will have extras as I screwed up order and have 16 coming.Hope they are grease!

 

[Harvey Schneider]

How did you guys get the bearings off?

Often temperature difference is used to open clearances so that the bearing can be slid onto the shaft. At work they would use liquid nitrogen to chill the shaft, that makes it shrink enough to open the clearance to the inner race. The alternative is to use heat. The inner race expands more than the shaft (because it is bigger) and that opens the clearance.
Getting the old bearing off would be easiest with heat. Getting the new bearing on is more of a problem because you don't want to overheat the bearing. You can use a can of dust remover sold for computers to chill the shaft. If you invert the can the spray will get the shaft to -40 degrees. Not as good as liquid N2 but it helps. That combined with moderate heat on the bearing and you should be able to force it in place.

If you can get bearings with high temperature grease that would help the life span.

 

[jtakeman]

And Jay, thanks for the advice on getting some oil in there. Got me up and running tonight. Haven't seen you as much as last year but glad you came out to help.

Don't hang here much these days, But I'm glad my tidbit helped ya get by until you can spend time to replace the bearings. You'll be surprised at what some lube can do and how long it will last.

How did you guys get the bearings off?

I use a small bearing splitter with 2 threaded rods and a puller to gently slide them off the shaft. I then use a tube that fits over the shaft and is long enough to tap the bearing by its inner race back on. What ever you do with the new bearing is don't tap the outer race when putting the bearing back on the shaft. You'll damage the new bearing and shorten its life span.

For the tube to install the bearing, I hit the auto parts store and get some thin wall brake line. should be longer than the shaft. They should also have pullers and bearing splitters. Might be able to just rent them for the day. Or use the threads in the bearing splitter. Get some threaded rod and then use something like a steering wheel 2 hole puller.

 

[rona]

I would go to your local electric motor shop and get a couple from them rather then try to save a couple bucks by greasing your self. I also own Bixbys and service quite a few. Removing and replacing those fans is a job I don't like and installing cheap skake bearings just ensures that I will get used to doing the same job at least once a year if not more often Spending a couple extra dollars for bearings made to do the job just makes sense to me.

Can you post a picture of the motor or location of the bearing? On the convection motor that Bixby uses one end has a snap ring with a couple of spring washers. Loosen 4 small screws, remove a bearing cover and then the snap ring with washers. After that the rest is easy and self explanatory. These are very small bearings and most of the pullers I see pictured are way to big.

 

[jtakeman]

Can you post a picture of the motor or location of the bearing? On the convection motor that Bixby uses one end has a snap ring with a couple of spring washers. Loosen 4 small screws, remove a bearing cover and then the snap ring with washers. After that the rest is easy and self explanatory. These are very small bearings and most of the pullers I see pictured are way to big.

OP there are very small bearings splitters out there. Pictures are just for show and tell. The pictured puller works on bearings as small as 3/8 inch outside diameter. Why I use this type is I can use any length threaded rod to do any length shaft. My current convection motor has 10 inch long shafts on each end. A bit big? Yes, But does the job with literal ease and I already owned it!

Pretty sure harbor frieght has the mini bearing splitter for less than $10 and the puller is pretty cheap.

Here is what I found online, But a local store may have smaller.

http://www.harborfreight.com/bearing-separator-and-puller-set-93980.html