Hello Steve, 15 years outside in the weather is a long time. Options:
1. replace in kind with a new unit. Probably the most time effective and cost effective approach. The new one should last another 15+ years. 2. Soak the old unit in a solvent to loosen up all of the old grease and flush dirt out. Disassemble and inspect the bearings and bearing surfaces. This unit is foreign made so all hardware is probably metric, as are the ball bearings. Clean each ball bearing and inspect for out of roundness and pitting/corrosion. How does each bearing roll on a hard surface ? Replace all pitted bearings and all out of round. Good luck finding metric bearings, Yes, they are out there. Maybe Yaesu has a rebuild kit. Inspect the bearing surfaces for gouging and other wear. Assemble with all new parts. Be sure to grease all of the hardware threads. Do not expect the rebuilt old unit to be as mechanically tight as a new unit. Probably lots more sloppiness in the fit. After rebuild, is there is any binding no matter how light, condemn the unit. As you can see, buying a new unit is the most cost effective and time effective alternative. I just replaced a ROHN TB3 thrust bearing on my main tower, with a new unit. Good Luck with the project. Stan, W1LE Cape Cod FN41sr On 6/1/2011 8:19 AM, Stephen E. Belter wrote: > I have an Yaesu GS-050 thrust bearing that has been installed for about 15 > years. The thrust bearing turns, but requires a lot of force. > > I disassembled the thrust bearing to find that the grease is very sticky > (think candy apple sticky), and not lubricative (if that is a word). > > Should I take it to an auto repair shop and ask them to degrease and then > lubricate similar to repacking a wheel bearing? > > What kind of grease should be used? > > Thanks and 73, Steve N9IP > -- > Steve Belter > > > > _______________________________________________ > Sent via AMSAT-BB@amsat.org. Opinions expressed are those of the author. > Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! > Subscription settings: http://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb > _______________________________________________ Sent via AMSAT-BB@amsat.org. Opinions expressed are those of the author. Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! Subscription settings: http://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
