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Re: [TowerTalk] Best Grease for Rotor bearings ?

To: towertalk@contesting.com
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Best Grease for Rotor bearings ?
From: Bill Aycock <baycock2@centurytel.net>
Reply-to: baycock2@centurytel.net
Date: Thu, 13 Oct 2011 20:18:19 -0500
List-post: <towertalk@contesting.com">mailto:towertalk@contesting.com>
We have some major confusion in this thread. Some are commenting on 
Rotor bearings, while some are commenting on thrust bearings. Different 
loads, different environment.
Then-- the REAL difference-- Real thrust bearings and TB3s.  In truth, 
in most service at the top of a tower, used to steady a shaft, almost 
anything will work, except those that, like the TB3, have a failure 
built in.
Steel balls in an aluminum race WILL pit, due to vibration. This is 
actually worse when the shaft is not rotated very often, because the 
pits just get worse. Failure comes, not from use, but from non-use.
Ask me how I know.
I have seen several saying they had lubed bearings on an XX brand for yy 
years, when the different brands present vastly different circumstances 
and types of bearing.

Bill--W4BSG


On 10/13/2011 6:41 PM, Bob K6UJ wrote:
> I also use wheel bearing grease to lube my thrust bearing.  25 years of 
> service, no problems.
>
> Bob
> K6UJ
>
>
>
>
>
> On Oct 13, 2011, at 4:34 PM, Tom Anderson wrote:
>
>> The thrust bearing that came with my W51 TriEx tower in the early 90s came 
>> with a grease fitting installed.  I've always used wheel bearing grease in 
>> my grease gun to lube it.  From what I've read, mechanics advise NOT to mix 
>> grease types, so I stick with wheel bearing grease which is usually 
>> available in both sizes of tubes to fit a hand pumped grease gun and a lever 
>> action one.  I've also redone the front wheel bearings in my car with the 
>> same grease.
>>
>> FYI: Mechanics advise not to use gasoline to clean wheel bearings for some 
>> reason.
>>
>> Tom, WW5L
>>
>> --- On Thu, 10/13/11, W3YY<w3yy@cox.net>  wrote:
>>
>>> From: W3YY<w3yy@cox.net>
>>> Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Best Grease for Rotor bearings ?
>>> To: towertalk@contesting.com, jcjacobsen@q.com
>>> Date: Thursday, October 13, 2011, 5:37 PM
>>> I confess to not having read this
>>> whole thread.  So at the risk of repeating
>>> others experience or making statements that conflict with
>>> real experts, let
>>> me say I have 4 TB-3's that were lubricated with Lithium
>>> grease 33 years ago
>>> and they have worked perfectly ever since without any need
>>> for service.  I'm
>>> a EE, not an ME, so maybe dry is better.  I'm just
>>> reporting what worked for
>>> me.
>>>
>>> 73, Bob - W3YY
>>>
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: towertalk-bounces@contesting.com
>>> [mailto:towertalk-bounces@contesting.com]
>>> On Behalf Of K7LXC@aol.com
>>> Sent: Thursday, October 13, 2011 3:17 PM
>>> To: towertalk@contesting.com;
>>> jcjacobsen@q.com
>>> Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Best Grease for Rotor bearings ?
>>>
>>>
>>> In a message dated 10/12/2011 8:33:14 P.M. Pacific Daylight
>>> Time,
>>> towertalk-request@contesting.com
>>> writes:
>>>
>>>>    Would either of you gentlemen please provide for
>>> me the  instructions
>>> from Rohn that states that their TB-3 thrust bearings are
>>> to be  run dry. I
>>> know that they are sold dry. I am looking for facts from
>>> Rohn that  say that
>>> these bearings should not be lubricated. I am not
>>> interested in any
>>> information except from Rohn.
>>>
>>>
>>> Then I suggest you contact Rohn since  you're not
>>> interested on our input
>>> anyway.
>>>
>>>
>>> Cheers,
>>> Steve    K7LXC
>>> TOWER TECH
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
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