Greasing bearings

Maintenance, Repair, Equipment & Tools
41

Depends on what engine package.

In 206, on 219 I do 3 race days before re waxing.

I do use race powder before qualifying

42

Whatā€™s race powder? 20 chars.

43

Basically, PTFE and Molybdenum mixture used to reduce friction in waxed chains.

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44

Sorry to circle back around to the original topicā€¦but.

When I first got my kart (second hand) it only had 2 axle bearings on it and an OTK N axle in it. I was really strugling against a bad hop on corner exit. I had read somewhere that loosening or removing the 3rd bearing could help free up the kart, so in my mind adding and/or tightening a 3rd bearing could stiffen the rear up a bit.

I ended up buying a new OTK bearing online and installing it on the kart. While I had the axle out, I decided to service the old bearings. Immediately I noticed the old bearings had some grit in them. I pulled the shields using a pic and small screw driver. I tweaked the first shield a little, but not so bad I couldnā€™t bend it back into shape. Once apart I noticed the OE bearings had a ton of grease packed in them and had trapped a lot of dirt. Texas is a dusty place. I had some Redline Moly Grease I could repack them with, but its sticky stuff I was worried it would actually create a small amount of drag given the low rpm of the axle compared to a car. Grease works best when it reaches the correct operating temp.

It was at that moment I had and idea. Instead of having to pull the axle every time i wanted to clean and lube the bearings, I could just drill a small hole (about the size of the straw from the lube spray can) into each of the shields. One hole would be at the top of the bearing when mounted into the cassette the other clocked an 8th of turn from bottom dead center. This way I could flush out any debris that got inside, but still leave a small reservoir to hold the lubricant. Everyone I asked around the track (including the pro drivers) said to use Tri-Flow. I looked everywhere for, but couldnā€™t find it. Finally went to their website and saw that Ace Hardware was a retailer. I popped into my local store and bought a case. Looking back, that was probably over kill as I have only used a can and a half in the last few years. With the chain off, my axle spins for nearly and eternity as compared to using grease.

Just some thoughts from my experience.