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How to Clean Rod End Bearings?

steve murray

Well Known Member
Recently purchased 35 year old kit, the rod end bearings out of the parts bag are very "gunky" (dirt, grease, light corrosion). Is it OK to soak these in lacquer thinner? Maybe hot water and soal?

Wasn't sure if there are any rubber\plastic seals inside them?

Once I clean them up, do I need to lubricate with something other than white grease?
 
Some of the rod end bearing from Vans have thick lubrication inside. Looks like petroleum jelly substance. Not sure using lacquer thinner will wash it off.
 
You’ll get e lot of opinions here. Start/Clean with mineral spirits. It should take care of anything petroleum based. Lube with Tri-Flow or equivalent. This Teflon resin app is common in certified world. Doesn’t contain solvents.
 
Mine got really stiff and I just used LPS#2 spray and basically washed them with the light oil.

Mineral spirits, WD40, LPS2 all (petroleum based) work, not sure about the rest.
 
As Bill said, a full hose down with LPS2. If that doesn't make them completely happy in 30sec, throw them out. The reality is that there are so many of these that are flying around for 30yrs with all the "internal" grease long since gone.
 
In general rod ends are "self lubricated" and are lined with low friction material. However the above advice is excellent. LPS2 or toss them in trash can if there is any doubt.
 
Going to respectfully disagree. The self lubricating claim typically means there is some type of “sacrificial” materials involved. This is true here. The manufacturers got rid of the Zerk fittings and lined the bearing socket with typically a copper based material. It works (lube wise) until it doesn’t or the play in the bearing gets too great. Take note the higher loaded apps are usually not lined/still have grease fittings.

Lube is your friend here. Those containing Teflon resin have shown the best results. There are SBs in the certified world regarding such. Easy and cheap insurance.
 
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Going to respectfully disagree. The self lubricating claim typically means there is some type of “sacrificial” materials

You are being a teeny tiny bit pedantic about terms. :) No maintenance, no lube, self lubricating are all synonymous or interchangeable. Google "self-lubricating" rod end bearings:

Self-lubricating bearings work by having lubricant impregnated within the sliding layer of the bearing. This lubricant can either be liquid (oil) or solid (graphite, MoS2, lead) based on the requirements of the application (such as operating temperature).

Some rod ends that are "self lube" more accurately called no maintenance, use low friction liners, like Teflon or Nylon for low load and temperature applications. To nit pick terms end bearings are not "sacrificial" per say. They just wear out. The "check" is play (side to side and radially) and smooth operations and no corrosion or damage.

Otherwise cleaning the outside with the least invasive method is best. Soaking it in solvent might not be a great idea. However in general it is best NOT to service rod ends with anything or sparingly. Lube will attract dirt. LPS2 is thicker and foamy, but LPS1 is lighter and benign, like WD40 it is a petroleum distillate and may be better. Just wipe it down with LPS1 and a drop or two. They were made to be truly maintenance free. When worn or no longer smooth replace them. When in doubt throw them out.

Depending on the design and materials some rod ends can not be cleaned or serviced and must be replaced. You have to be careful when "cleaning" not use solvents that might damage a lined type rod end. If there are globs of grease on a no maintenance or "self lube" rod end someone did that and that is a no no. ADDING lube attracts DIRT.... If you really want to know what kind of rod end you have and recommended maintenance, you need the rod end part number and manufactures specifications.
 
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The relatively soft (commonly bronze alloy) lining is exactly that. Bearings for higher loading applications do not have said soft linings as the loads exceed that material’s properties. Said applications require the appropriate high shear lubrication. There’s nothing here that I’m saying that hasn’t been known in the related applications for decades.

I could go completely anecdotal here and say “Lubing it won’t hurt” but therem’s plenty of that. I’m more than comfortable with the technical reasoning I’ve given. BTW. Bad things happen when a bearing binds from lack of inspection/maintenance and those stresses are allowed to transfer to other places not intended for such.

Edit. Very interesting that the subject post that elicited this response was “corrected” so drastically a couple of hours after my reply. The Goggle search engine is a wonderful thing ain’t it. Just sayin’

BTW. Wd40 is not a lubricant. It is a preservative that (at least formerly) is mostly solvent. Using it as a lube, regardless of it’s marketing, is not wise.
 
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Just don't forget these are flight control attachments, a failure will likely result in you having a really bad day.
Rust or corrosion on these parts is unacceptable, consult the bearing manufacturer for those limits if you don't believe me.
 
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