# Rocket R58 maintenance



## truegrace

Hey all, having owned my R58 for a month or so now thought I had better ask about routine maintenance!

I backflush with water after every session but currently thats all I do.

Run bottled water through it so guessing a descale isnt needed just yet (and no idea how to go about it as only descaled the classic, and im guessing its not the same method!)

Should I be backflushing with any cleaner? (still have a massive tub of puly-caff)

How often do I need to lubricate? Have read about methods of lubricating the lever bit but couldnt find anything on how often to do it!

Anything else I should be worried about/keeping on top of?

Ta


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## anton78

I can be a bit lazy, but popping the shower head off every couple of days is worthwhile - a lot of gunk gets stuck on there.

From what I read back flushing with cleaner should be a rarity.

Not sure about lubrication, sorry!


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## DoubleShot

From what I've read, as anton78 said, backflushing using chemicals should not be done frequently. Some may do this only once or twice per year. Others maybe more frequent such as every other month but this may well have a detrimental effect on the insides of your machine? Lubing of cams etc is usually suggested after a chemical backflush.

I usually do regular back flushing using just water (bottled), especially whenever changing between beans.

Descale if using bottled water probably once per 6 or 12 months maximum depending on how much water goes through the machine?

I have a Brewtus not a R58 but I'm sure the same principles probably apply to both DB's.


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## truegrace

Thanks guys,

Is the shower screen easy to pop off? Haven't really looked let alone tried to get it off!


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## anton78

Piece of cake. Just use a spoon or a flat head screwdriver to lever it off. Think it's got a picture in the manual.


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## mrsimba

truegrace said:


> Thanks guys,
> 
> Is the shower screen easy to pop off? Haven't really looked let alone tried to get it off!


2 minute job! - especially if you have a new group gasket ready to go on!

Just use a flat bladed screwdriver I jabbed it into the rubber gasket so not risk scratching the machine and it'll pop out the shower head is just a friction fit after that,

Re-fitting is just pop the new screen on & push the gasket snug over it and then use the portafilter to press into place, the gasket you'll need is an 8mm


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## hotmetal

Ooh, steady on. Don't do that if you want to reuse the group gasket. I just use a spoon or even the handle of a plastic group cleaning brush to ease the shower screen out, a little from each side until it pops off. Worth doing every couple of days, because it's so easy and coffee particles do build up behind it. As MrSimba said, just push back on and gently ease home the first time you lock in the portafilter.

Chem back flush probably once every 6 months. It is recommended to relube the cam lobes with Molycote 111 or similar food safe lube after any chem back flush. That strips off the coffee oils so the Molycote is just to protect the cam lobes until a new layer of coffee oils builds up. (The lube doesn't stay there that long apparently).

Edit: I meant to add, there is a very good video on how to pop the lever off and access the cams for lubing.


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## wattbe

Just to add to what hot metal said, there's an easier way of re-lubing the cams than removing the lever as it's very tricky to get a spanner around the lever assembly to undo and tighten it back up without scratching the machine face behind it. If you just unscrew the E61 pressure relief below the group head using a spanner wrapped in cloth, the bottom cam comes down with it so very easy to lube and reinstall. To do the top cam, just undo the bolt on top of the E61 'mushroom' and pull the the cam out and relube it. Good way to check for scale as you can inspect the mushroom at the same time.

it sounds complicated on paper but it's a lot less fiddly than removing the lever assembly and you run a much lower risk of scratching your machine - the whole thing will take 5-10 mins tops.


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## DavecUK

wattbe said:


> Just to add to what hot metal said, there's an easier way of re-lubing the cams than removing the lever as it's very tricky to get a spanner around the lever assembly to undo and tighten it back up without scratching the machine face behind it. If you just unscrew the E61 pressure relief below the group head using a spanner wrapped in cloth, the bottom cam comes down with it so very easy to lube and reinstall. To do the top cam, just undo the bolt on top of the E61 'mushroom' and pull the the cam out and relube it. Good way to check for scale as you can inspect the mushroom at the same time.
> 
> it sounds complicated on paper but it's a lot less fiddly than removing the lever assembly and you run a much lower risk of scratching your machine - the whole thing will take 5-10 mins tops.


Really this is not correct, you need to undo the nut at the side, remove the lever and cam, *inspect and DRY everything completely*, then lube the spindle, pins and cam...plus a dab in the pivot hole of the cam. It also removes the risk of a bent pin on reassembly if it jams up.

I will also add to what @hotmetal said, you have to drop your shower screen clean it and the part of the group behind the shower screen every few days, certainly no longer than 3....The portafilter basket should be removed and cleaned every day as should the portafilter and spouts/hole using a small bottle boish and detergent


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## dan1502

And I thought I maintained my kit very well. Clearly I should be backflushing more often with water and less often with Puly Caff though I've not used that on the Rocket yet. I have tended to remove the screen and clean behind regularly but nowhere near as often as every three days. I use a blunt instrument like other suggest but put a bit of cloth over the edge of the group then lever it gently against that. One thing that did surprise me when cleaning my old machine was all the chrome that flaked off the mushroom. I realise there's a metal gauze but the thought of flecks of chrome getting through to the cup isn't a good one.


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## Zephyr

I won Rocker R58 since April of this year, only back flushed once, and my lever already squeak, so I'm waiting on molykote to lubricate. Ordered some group head gaskets from bella barista in size 8mm and 8.5 blue cafelat one, and cafelat is a bit tight, looking at my current gasket nothing is wrong with it it gets past 6 o'clock a little thats all no big deal. I take out shower screen once a week may be in 2 weeks, but if you look closer when you run water through group with out portafilter you will notice water is running in a sigle kinda stream and not spreading like shower, then it time to clean it, thats my observation with my machine thats all. I back flush once in 6 months may be a year, and back flush with blind basket and just water may be every 20- 30 shots. I usually don't get paranoid about things like this, dont get me wrong i like to keep it nice and clean, but not being too anal about it.


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## DavecUK

Zephyr said:


> I take out shower screen once a week may be in 2 weeks, but if you look closer when you run water through group with out portafilter you will notice water is running in a sigle kinda stream and not spreading like shower, then it time to clean it, thats my observation with my machine thats all. I back flush once in 6 months may be a year, and back flush with blind basket and just water may be every 20- 30 shots. I usually don't get paranoid about things like this, dont get me wrong i like to keep it nice and clean, but not being too anal about it.


Jesus, you're not cleaning enough and it will affect the taste of your coffee.

1. Group handle and Basket (daily)

2. Shower screen and part of group underneath (2-3 days)

3. Blind filter clean water backflush (daily)

4. backflush (at least monthly)

The single stream test is meaningless in terms of cleanliness and taste. A good test is a white china mug.....go to the machine after it's been idle for a while 30m to 1 hour and pull about 40-60ml of water through the group into the mug. is it clear...if the answer is no it's tingled brown, then clean. Old coffee oils go rancid fairly quick and affect taste, I am surprised more people cannot taste this, or is it they are just used to it?

It puzzles me, people buy kit worth 1000s of pounds, expensive artisan roasted coffee, expensive grinder, use scales, bottomless portafilters, refractomers and obsess over the minutae....but don't clean the kit properly!


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## Zephyr

DavecUK said:


> Jesus, you're not cleaning enough and it will affect the taste of your coffee.
> 
> 1. Group handle and Basket (daily)
> 
> 2. Shower screen and part of group underneath (2-3 days)
> 
> 3. Blind filter clean water backflush (daily)
> 
> 4. backflush (at least monthly)
> 
> The single stream test is meaningless in terms of cleanliness and taste. A good test is a white china mug.....go to the machine after it's been idle for a while 30m to 1 hour and pull about 40-60ml of water through the group into the mug. is it clear...if the answer is no it's tingled brown, then clean. Old coffee oils go rancid fairly quick and affect taste, I am surprised more people cannot taste this, or is it they are just used to it?
> 
> It puzzles me, people buy kit worth 1000s of pounds, expensive artisan roasted coffee, expensive grinder, use scales, bottomless portafilters, refractomers and obsess over the minutae....but don't clean the kit properly!


ok


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## lee1980

I need to do more me thinks, manual says something like have porta filer loose and move side to side with lever on? I also read just to do up as normal with blind basket then turn on lever for so long but how long? The purpose is to force water up in head and back out with the mess coming out in water?

It came with cleaning tablets to i assume for back flushing but no mention i saw of in manual?

I have also been after each use, turning lever on into a just flush the shower screen, looking up after seems to get rid of most loose grinds.


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## DavecUK

lee1980 said:


> I need to do more me thinks, manual says something like have porta filer loose and move side to side with lever on?


If you do it to bossanova music it might make you feel better, but otherwise does not accomplish much, best to use a group head brush e.g. pallo coffee tool or similar after making coffee.



> I also read just to do up as normal with blind basket then turn on lever for so long but how long? The purpose is to force water up in head and back out with the mess coming out in water?


Just long enough for the blind portafilter to fill and the pressure to build to 9 or 10 bar....all this does is flush hot water back up the shower screen and down through the group vent. It's something you can do once per day, but you will eventually have to clean properly or the vent gets gunged up and leaks



> ]It came with cleaning tablets to i assume for back flushing but no mention i saw of in manual?


Puly cafe poweder is very effective, I have no idea what the tablets are.



> I have also been after each use, turning lever on into a just flush the shower screen, looking up after seems to get rid of most loose grinds.


try removing the shower screen and be prepared for shock when you find the dirt held there. Dropping the shower screen and cleaning behind it every 1-3 days is advisable and cleaning the portafilter and basket (remove basket to do this) will also be a revelation and should be done daily.


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## lee1980

Thanks for prompt reply Dave.

lol not sure what music though, Will do as suggested until pressure builds.

Will get some puly then to.

Will find some as had just over a month now so better flick it off tonight and clean!!

I have always cleaned portafilter and basket each day.


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## lee1980

Dropped it, like a film of coffee over it and up in group all washed off now. Musta put gasket on wrong first as to tight to do up ok other way phew!


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## DavecUK

lee1980 said:


> Dropped it, like a film of coffee over it and up in group all washed off now. Musta put gasket on wrong first as to tight to do up ok other way phew!


Chamfered side of the gasket goes upwards towards the group. if it's hard to get in removing the basket and gently getting it started (before putting the basket back in and finishing up) works well


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## lee1980

Deff had it wrong way first as would hardly turn, i guess best get used to doing regularly to.

thanks


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## lee1980

I have been doing the 4 points above as much as possible. Is there anything else I can do or should do, got in July last year so over 6 months use now.

Is there any easy way to check all ok, and how about to see if have any scale build up?


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