Don't use WD40!
It isn't a lubricant, it is a water displacement fluid.
Manufacturers take a great deal of time to find the best lubricant for their bearings.
They might seem stiff when cold but they quickly warm up and then spin freely.
Open bearings with any type of lubricant in them will quickly attract all sorts of crap and cause wear.
The idea of the grease is to maintain a wedge of lubricant between the race and balls to reduce friction.
They might spin nicely when they're not under load, but once under load the friction will cause drag.
You can wash the bearings out with petrol by spinning them in all directions while immersed, the grit will wash out with the grease.
The bearing will probably sound terrible when you spin it.
You can force grease back in by applying a bead around the gap between the inner race and the dust cover and 'rolling' it in with your finger.
I warm them up a bit with a blow lamp to get the grease to run.
Any loose grit still remaining will end up being safely caught up on non moving parts quite quickly.
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