WHAT LUBE
 

What lube do FIRST TEAMS use on bearings?
We have bearings in the shooter high RPM's what lube?
The bearings supporting wheels what lube?

FIRST 4-H TEAM 4061
Rookie question

Re: WHAT LUBE
 

What kind of bearings?

Are they open-race ball bearings (i.e. you can see the balls inside)? Or are they sealed/shielded ball bearings?

Alternatively, are they roller bearings? Bushings? Something else?

Re: WHAT LUBE
 

Open Ball Bearing.

Re: WHAT LUBE
 

I have never lubed a ball bearing in FIRST, we've only bought sealed bearings and it's never been a concern.

That said, I tinkered with skateboards and scooters for years. I'd take old bearings, crappy bearings, brand name bearings, and all the rest and try to make them spin as efficiently as I could as long as I could. Stuffed anything from lithium grease to WD-40 in them (both terrible). The best product by far to grease a set of bearings was Bones Speed Cream. Any skateshop that stocks Bones bearings will have it. If not, it's easy to find on Amazon.

I could post an explanation of how I cleaned out and reworked a set of bearings, but I don't know for sure how much my answer would apply to an open bearing on a FIRST robot instead of a rubber sealed bearing on an outdoor recreational scooter / skateboard a few inches from ground and debris.

Re: WHAT LUBE
 

We're using high-speed (30k rpm, I believe) sealed bearings in our shooter, so they're lubricated at manufacture... www.mcmaster.com to purchase

We're using Red-n-Tacky on gear boxes, etc...

Re: WHAT LUBE
 

If the bearings are new then they typically do not need lube. If you are adamant that you need to lube them then I'd suggest something mild like white lithium grease, but I highly suggest not lubing them. I also suggest that you put something over the open bearings so that you don't get any swarf in them.

You should lube your gearboxes, especially if they are new (as they usually come unlubed). Here I also recommend white lithium grease, then run them 1/2 hour in each direction, clean them, reassemble and regrease.

Good luck from 1 FIRST 4-H team to another.

Re: WHAT LUBE
 

We used white lithium on ours, and we also put some JD-80 in them, too.

Re: WHAT LUBE
 

I doubt it matters too much what you use. A drop of oil, or small amount of of the grease that came in the kit for the transmissions should work.