Ok, stupid question, I know but I was given a very rusty NORCO lollipop unicycle in hopes that I could fix it up and let one of the 4 kids that I have in my house learn to uni on it. We have 3 uni’s right now, so this would complete the household.
My question is, what, if anything, can you do to service a lollipop bearing. They are not stuck too badly but I would like to be able to do something with them atleast. Any help would be great, thanks.
Usually a standard 6203 bearing (17mm ID, 40mm OD) is pressed in a bearing retainer with a stem. The stem is bolted to the fork. I have removed lollipop bearings by two methods. To save the bearing, mill three holes in the retaining flange of the bearing holder, just up to the outer race of the bearing, and use a punch to drive the bearing out by the outer race alternately using the three equally spaced holes. This method will save you a VERY cheap bearing that you could buy online or practically any automotive outlet for $5 or so. So why bother?
To save the bearing holder, just drive the bearing out by the inner race. This may or may not damage the bearing itself depending on how tight the press fit is. The bearing retainer is probably the more valuable part.
It takes three licks to get to the center.
Heat up a pan of grease until liquid, immerse the bearings, allow to cool and then remove and clean up, you will have entirely filled the bearings with grease, and you don’t need to remove them from the lollipops to do this. Obviously be careful when heating grease. Or just press them out get some new ones.
kington does that acctually work as a way of packing bearings? cuz its sound like it might.
I have never done it myself, but it was advice from Roger at UDC when my bearings were being crap, and I have heard it from other sources too. Obviously if the bearings have rubber seals the grease probably won’t get in there, but for less well sealed bearings if the grease is really liquid and is left for a good time it fills up the bearing and then solidifies.
Let’s be honest, if it’s that or replace the bearings then the worst that can happen is that you try it, it doesnt work and you buy the bearings you woud have bought anyway, but it might well save you some money.
maybe ill try it
Ok, great, now is there some trick to getting the bearings off the hub. I have never had much luck with this. Thanks for the first info, I will try and see if I can work this out.
Gear, pulley, bearing puller. Automotive outlet again.
Thats awesome, thanks. I also found 6203 bearings on ebay for abouy 10.00 for 10, plus shipping, I am off to the races, No pun intended.