General statement applicable to any thrust bearing install. Use a high pressure lube. The usual product to use is a very small amount of any automotive grease. This is one of those things that is: if you can see it you used too much. There is not a real high load on that bearing but it needs a smooth surface to roll around on or it will drag.

Reading this thread I learned from OldNuc the importance of the race washers, but I had already ordered only one. I placed the thrust bearing on the brass bearing, dabbed the lube and laid the race washer on top then the threaded lock collar. I think for this purpose the brass bearing below will suffice, I hope so anyway.

OldNuc wrote:General statement applicable to any thrust bearing install. Use a high pressure lube. The usual product to use is a very small amount of any automotive grease. This is one of those things that is: if you can see it you used too much. There is not a real high load on that bearing but it needs a smooth surface to roll around on or it will drag.

Thank you. The next time I mount the bearing, I'll be sure to do that.

Matt

Should make it function better.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but it seems as though Will isn't making his pharos mods any longer; he hasn't made any contact on HB in a while, and I can't find an email/contact information (his profile appears to have been deleted). Does that mean those with a stock pharos are out of luck as far as these mods go? Or has anyone had success implementing them on their own?

I got the roller bearing because I was mildly concerned that the collar might catch the bearing somehow and spin the bearing (low prob of that happening, really; bearing top is broad enough to prevent). I don't think it has any practical advantage over a plain washer. It's "mechanically cute", though, so I kept it.

There is no load on the thrust bearing/washer "sandwich", and it might also be 'fluffy' (slop) till settled in, adding some inconsistency (not enough for me to care, but....). I don't lube it at all; there is almost zero load on it (the weight of your hand, basically) and there is some risk of tasting/smelling bearing grease, which is "mobile". There are 'food greases', if nec.

The thrust bearing serves a purpose if you apply down pressure to the crank to aid holding the grinder in place. If you have grease migration you have used way too much.