a93j202k Posted March 12, 2009 Posted March 12, 2009 1. Is it beneficial? 2. What kind of oil should I use? (WD40 is not good for this, I hear) 3. How much longer will bearings last? 4. How often should I oil bearings? 5. Should I oil a bearing right after I get the fan? 6. How should I reseal the bearing? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waco Posted March 12, 2009 Posted March 12, 2009 WD-40 is not a lube, it's a water displacer. Generally you won't ever need to lube a fan bearing unless the bearing is shot...at which point it's nearly always cheaper, easier, and faster to simply replace the fan. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
a93j202k Posted March 12, 2009 Posted March 12, 2009 (edited) WD-40 is not a lube, it's a water displacer. Generally you won't ever need to lube a fan bearing unless the bearing is shot...at which point it's nearly always cheaper, easier, and faster to simply replace the fan. Im the cheapest @ss in the world. lol - but how much more life can I expect out of a sleeve fan if I relube it? Edited March 12, 2009 by hojin994 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waco Posted March 12, 2009 Posted March 12, 2009 In my limited experience doing it...the fans only lasted a few months before the bearings were making noise again. It seemed that the bearings themselves just wore out and no amount of lube would help. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dr_bowtie Posted March 12, 2009 Posted March 12, 2009 I have done it with good success.... for the reason of just making the fan last longer...you only need to do it if the fan starts making noise while is starting up from cold...while they are spinning they usually auto center themselves due the the magnetic field... If you do need to re-lube a sleeve I highly recommend a high film strength lube that will adhere to the bearing.... I prefer to use an engine prelube..you can buy it at any auto parts store and it's cheap...I build engine so I have it laying around every where...I have used it on video card fans and it works wonders Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrewr05 Posted March 13, 2009 Posted March 13, 2009 WD-40 is not a lube, it's a water displacer.AGREEDIt used to (well it still does) tick me off back in the day when I used to see people using WD40 as a general lubricant. (it does contain small amounts of lubricant, but its primary use is not for lubrication) I'd be like "Ya know that isn't lubricant... W D 40... Water Displacement formula 40" Its fine to use it to clean gunk out of chains/sprockets/etc. (it has many more uses obviously) and it does help reduce rust but you you need to then use a lubricant or things just wear out over time. That being said we've all used it in a pinch, I always keep a can of it around, I use it for temporary lubrication on occasion but I almost always correctly relube critical components with actual lubricant... Hmmm... After looking on their website they actually recommend light lubrication as one of it uses... Still I'd use it for non-critical mechanical components only nothing highspeed or expensive... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
a93j202k Posted March 13, 2009 Posted March 13, 2009 I've heard that 3 in 1 is good for this kinda job. But there's like...10 types of it. Which should I use? and what stores carry them? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrewr05 Posted March 14, 2009 Posted March 14, 2009 I'd just pick up a can of what is generally referred to as "household oil", I'm sure that would be adequate... EDIT: oops Apparently 3in1 makes what I'm referring to... multi-purpose oil (used to be called household oil) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turophiliac Posted March 14, 2009 Posted March 14, 2009 (edited) I use Rem Oil for general metal/metal surfaces. It's primarily made for guns, but is pretty much a light-weight, all-purpose WD/teflon lube. You can pick some up at any wal-mart gun counter for about 4 bucks. Edited March 14, 2009 by Turophiliac Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
crash Posted March 14, 2009 Posted March 14, 2009 WD-40 IS a lubricant, just because it is "water displacement formula 40" doesn't mean it's not a lube. The liquid doubles as a carrier for a silicon based solid lubricant which is why it works well for bike chains, not high speed parts. The proper lube for a sleeve bearing is white lithium grease. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ccokeman Posted March 14, 2009 Posted March 14, 2009 Water displacement is only one of the characteristics of WD 40. It is a silicone based lubricant developed for the space program. I use a combination of things after I clean the bearing. I usually find a ton of dust in the rotating components as well. I use WD40 as a cleaner/prep and then some white lithium grease. I have fans that have been going strong still. These are ones that quit spinning or would not start up without a gentle nudge. This has been good for me so far. The 30 minutes it takes to do is much cheaper than the gas to get to the store and buy an new fan for me. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
shiver_8 Posted March 14, 2009 Posted March 14, 2009 (edited) Lubing your fan bearings is pointless imo. The time you spend getting all the lubricants, tools, and the time to take it apart, etc. I would rather buy the new fan. If you're smart you will realize that we can always buy things with money, but money can be replenished, where as your time to do these things cannot. I'd rather do something I want to do and spare 4 dollars on a fan than waste an afternoon and collect yet another can of single-purpose substance. Save yourself the energy. Edited March 14, 2009 by shiver_8 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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