Bearing oil?
 

Hi,

I'm looking to buy some bearing oil but what is the best bearing oil?
So what bearing oil do you prefer?

Thanks,
Martijn

That depends on what 'duty' the bearing is working under - speed and load. A thrust bearing in the end of a differential needs very different 'oil' to one in a steering arm. Here's a guide...

Thrust bearings in diffs, etc. with high loads - molybdenum grease
Balls in gears in diffs - light silicon grease
Wheel bearings in buggies and touring cars - synthetic oil
Motor bearings - synthetic oil
Bearings in steering arms, etc. - sewing machine oil

Any moly grease will work. I prefer the Associated diff grease for my diffs, but Losi and Schumacher stuff works too. For synthetic oil, the cheapest and best is Finish Line Cross Country oil for mountain bikes - £6 for enough oil to last a lifetime in RC, so buy one bottle and share with friends! Sewing machine oil is easily picked up from anywhere on 'tinterweb unless you have a good shop near you.

Most of the oils sold by RC outlets are variations on these themes. For about £10 you could get yourself enough oil and grease to last years. The secret to long bearing life, on the other hand, is regular cleaning, not just regular oiling. ;) HTH :)