How to repair garden wind spinner bearings

No need to throw them away when they can be repaired!

Wind spinners are an attractive way of adding some interest and movement to a garden, and they are sold on popular web sites such as AliExpress and Temu. The stamped, painted metal windmills come in various colour schemes and some are decorated with mock crystal jewels that glint in sunlight. They’re cheap and cheerful and bring some welcome and eye-catching cheer to any lawn or flower border.

I’ve had several different designs, and one thing they all have in common is that they use ball bearing races in the centre for smooth operation. The slightest gust sends them spinning merrily. But I’ve found that the bearings will eventually rust and fail through wear and tear, especially after being exposed to months of typical British wet and windy weather.

Following some wintry storms, my favourite (and largest) wind spinner collapsed when the bearings wore out altogether and fell apart. Not being one to throw things away, I discovered that they’re repairable once you know what to look for. The ball bearing races in the centre are standard, off the peg types that cost next to nothing from the likes of Temu, though they’re pricier if bought singly on eg eBay.

Here’s how to repair wind spinner bearings yourself, cheaply and easily.

The wind spinners use miniature “deep groove ball bearings” which are made in scores of sizes. Similar types are used in eg skateboard wheels. If you look closely at an existing bearing (maybe clean it up first), a part number may hopefully be stamped on it. You could also try measuring the old one with a cheap digital Vernier gauge.

Wind spinner bearing, note the part number [click to see]Common deep groove bearing races [click to see]The three critical dimensions are the outer and inner diameters, plus the width or depth of the bearing. The ‘ZZ’ means metal shields are fitted to protect the ball bearings, which are better than plastic shields (or none at all). A ‘single row’ bearing holds just one ring of ball bearings, as used here.

I found two common wind spinner bearings have part numbers 627ZZ and 608ZZ that indicate the bearing size.

627ZZ - 7 x 22 x 7mm  (width x outer diameter x inner diameter.)

608ZZ - 7 x 22 x 8mm  (width x outer diameter x inner diameter.)

The bearing’s inner diameter must be the precise size, because the axle’s threaded section passes through it, and the bearing then hits a backstop on the axle. The centre ‘boss’ then screws on to sandwich the bearing in place, leaving the wind vanes free to rotate.

In my case, I need a 7mm inner diameter bearing (a 627ZZ), to allow the spinner’s 7mm threaded section to pass through it. Some wind spinners that I have use a larger 8mm inner dia. bearing (the 608ZZ) instead.

Circlip removes for replacement [click to see]A circlip retains the bearings in the wind spinner, which is removed using circlip pliers (cover it with your hand during removal, in case it ‘pings’ off). Suitable pliers are sold on Temu. As my wind spinner has two sets of vanes (front and back) I replaced both bearings, and a liberal dose of spray lube will help maintain them. Now the wind spinners are good for another season.

• This UK website is worth considering as a source, as you can type in the sizes and it will offer suitable parts and brands (eg for 608ZZ). https://simplybearings.co.uk/shop/advanced_search_result.php?search_in_description=1&keywords=608zz&
• Technical details of all popular bearings are published by SKF https://www.skf.com/uk/products/rolling-bearings/ball-bearings/deep-groove-ball-bearings

You can share your own experiences or hints and tips in the comments below.